Home For Christmas, Daryl Hall and John Oates (U-Watch/DKE)

The boys from Philly have been trading on their version of "Jingle Bell Rock" for the past couple of decades as far as the Christmas scene goes, at least until this 2006 release. It's short, 10 songs plus a newly recorded "Jingle Bell Rock" that's not a lot different from the original (of course, RCA/BMG probably still holds the rights to that one). Two originals are solidly in the H&O tradition, the title song by Daryl, T-Bone Wolk and Greg Bieck, and John's "No Child Should Ever Cry on Christmas," both soulful mid-tempo numbers, though "Child" is just a tad sappier than "Home." The duo lets the hired string section get way out of hand on a lugubrious "Overture" leading into "The First Noel" and again on the closer, "O Holy Night." Two gospel numbers, "Children Go Where I Send Thee" and "Mary Had a Baby," bring some life to the proceedings, the cover of the Band's "Christmas Must Be Tonight" is not bad but unfortunately the soul classic "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday" ends up way too middle of the road. This definitely has its moments.