Christmas

On this charming holiday album, honey-throated crooner Chris Isaak lends his pipes to a host of Christmas classics, including twangy versions of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Let It Snow," "The Christmas Song," and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (a duet with Stevie Nicks). Few contemporary vocalists have the chops to pull off both "White Christmas" and "Mele Kalikimaka" without danger of setting Bing Crosby spinning in his grave. Isaak--his voice as smooth as eggnog--manages the task, respectfully reinterpreting both songs as vintage country-pop carols. Isaak's originals sound like lost standards themselves. The heart-melting "Brightest Star" sets moving lyrics about a spiritual epiphany to a buttery ballad that would have been right at home on the 1964 Billboard charts, while the raucous country shuffle "Hey Santa" is almost worthy of the King (Elvis, that is) himself. Isaak's backing band provides tasteful accompaniment, with some shining slide guitar work by Hershel Yatovitz.