I haven't encountered Jaymay before, but I didn't have to get any farther than album opener "This Is a Christmas Song My Love" to be excited about her. She's written six of the 13 tunes on this 2016 holiday album, including the rocking tune just mentioned. "Up in the Sky" is a piano-ballad plea to Santa to show himself to the world, the album's title song is a surrender to the holiday's melancholy aspects, "For Christ's Sake, Pick Up the Phone!" kind of speaks for itself, "Farewell, New York" is about giving up your happy home amid holiday memories, "Santa's Little Helper" is not about the Simpsons' dog, but is an elven work song (well, kinda), and "My Evergreen" is a winter torch song. Among the covers, she does straight readings of "Carol of the Bells" and "Ave Maria," leaves out the drums and the boy on a piano-backed "Little Drummer Girl," does a jazz-orchestra take on "Silent Night," a musical theatre-styled "Up On the Housetop," and a solid, not-quite-reggae version of "Winter Wonderland." This is quite the ambitious album, one that deserves to be played alongside the better-known holiday divas out there.
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