My Favorite Holiday, Patricia Vonne (Bandolera)

Patricia is from San Antonio, TX, and she's a musician, singer and flamenco dancer. You may have heard her with the Texicana Mamas, and if you need any celebrity cred, her brother is film director Robert Rodriguez, whose films often found cameo spots for her. For 2021, she gets her name above the title with this fine rocking Christmas album. This is one of the few records to spawn a Little Steven's Coolest Song of the Week while being a playground for numerous Latin musical guests, like Rosie Flores, who pitches in on that LSCSW, "Santa's On a Rampage." All the tunes are originals except "Carol of the Bells," which features Patricia's sisters supporting her on vocals. Ruben Blades pitches in on "Las Posadas," Alex Ruiz assists on the folky "Nochebuena" and the hard rocker "Old Man Santa," and David Grissom co-writes "Alone on Christmas Day." Proceedings kick off with the Western swingy "Santa's On His Way," "Christmas Without You" is a jazz ballad, the title song manages to be Latin and 60s girl group simultaneously, "Cumbia Navidad" is a ballad in that particular style, and "Christ Child" is another folky ballad. The spread of styles may not be to everyone's taste, but I imagine Tex-Mex fans will eat this up, and everybody should have "Santa's On a Rampage" in their permanent holiday playlists.