Tunes Test Tuesday: Christmas by Michael Bublé

So, the plan was to start Tunes Test Tuesday today with an in-depth appraisal of the Tron: Legacy soundtrack by Daft Punk.  I totally could write that now because I’ve been listening to it for two weeks.

But here’s the thing: I don’t really have time today to do it justice, and I don’t want my first official Tunes Test Tuesday post to be rushed and full of nonsense.

Well, I guess any post I pen is likely to be chock full of more nonsense than, um, sense, but at least I usually mean well.

At any rate, I don’t have time because I’ve got this other, very special project I’m working on at the moment.  It’s one of those things where I had this crazy idea and then squeed in word nerdy delight.  After that, though, I went, “Wait, that’s full-blown tilting-at-windmills-crazy.”  So I asked for a second opinion, but apparently chose the wrong person to ask because they liked the idea too.

So now I’ve got this crazy project to do that I’m thrilled about, but comes with a fair piece of work.  I’ll fill you in on it on Wednesday, I promise.

Anyway, so, instead of a real Tunes post, I decided this would be a great time for a preview post.  I’d figured I’d give a quick listen to a new Christmas CD and drop a nickel’s worth of opinion.  Yes, a nickel.  Inflation and all.

Inspired by his appearance on the Saturday Night Live Christmas episode this past weekend, I figured why not check out Christmas by Michael Bublé.

Now, I’m betting that somebody out there is, right at this very moment, ripping off his muscle shirt and throwing a nondescript can of beer across the room in disgust.  Because I guess listening to Bublé is a Man Card revoking offense.

But you know what?  A) the guy can flat sing – which is a trait I kind of appreciate in a vocalist – and b) my Man Card’s been gone for a long time; so what do I care?

All that aside, I’ve been on the lookout for a go-to Christmas CD for a long time.  See, when the time comes for tree-trimming and egg nogging and whatnot, I’m a traditionalist.  Which means for home-filling carols, I go old school.  I grew up with Johnny Mathis and Bing Crosby, two reliable guys would could flat bring it when it came to the holiday tunes.

And, man, those guys could sing.  Their albums were full of solid, well made, not-heavily-produced nonsense tunes.  Nowadays, though, it’s really hard to avoid anything that doesn’t seem to come with a kind of plastic-like odor.

So, did Bublé do the trick?  Did he bring it a little old school?  Yes, I really think he did.  While I don’t love every track on Christmas by Michael Bublé, most of them are very solid and something I’d be happy to listen to every year when my chestnuts are roasting. Or whatever traditions you observe.

The first track, It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, might be my favorite version of the song ever, and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is close too.  Admittedly, though, nothing is perfect, and that’s the case here as well.  The White Christmas duet with Shania Twain is just odd; she sounds very much like she’s yodeling.  And while I definitely prefer this version of Santa Baby, musically, that’s not a song I ever needed to hear performed by a dude.

Overall though, even with a few head-scratching tracks, I found Christmas by Michael Bublé a very enjoyable holiday album.  And for a seasonal CD produced after 1980, it’s positively gold star.

I recommend it and, if you’re looking for a little croonification, Michael Bublé highly.

Now, has anyone seen my pants? 

This skirt is kind of chilly.

Pud’n