I missed this group's single in 2014, but no worries, it's back for 2015 attached to an entire album of pop-rock goodies, many originals among some familiar Christmas tunes. The group is the brainchild of producer Sam Hollander and Better than Ezra's Kevin Griffin, and they pull together a bunch of fellow artists, writers and producers to create this charity project benefiting MusiCares. The organizers wrote last year's single "Must Be Christmas," a hand-clapping pop-rocker, the album opener "Snow Snow Snow" and the semi-music hall polka "And to All a Good Night." They combine with Natasha Bedingfield for the dance-rock "Wishlist" and "Gather Round," and bring in Christina Perri and David Hodges for "Christmastime," and Michael Fitzpatrick, Josh Edmondson and Charity Daw join in for "Holiday In L.A." The cast also brings their big hit-radio approach to "Jingle Bells, "Joy to the World" and "Auld Lang Syne," and there's a nearly a capella version of "O Holy Night" featuring Street Corner Symphony. Folks from Owl City, Evanescence, Lifehouse and Semisonic are also part of these proceedings. Not everybody is impressed with these sort-of supergroup projects, but if you like contemporary pop-rock this is a nice collection with some decent original songs.
Leave a comment