This Christmas

98 Degrees: Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, Jeff Timmons (vocals).
Additional personnel: Mats Bentoft (guitar); Stockholm Session Strings.
Recorded at Murlyn Studios, Stockholm, Sweden and Larrabee Sound Studios, Los Angeles, California.
Personnel: Mats Berntoft (guitar); Henrik Janson (acoustic guitar); Mats Öberg (harmonica); Esbjörn Svensson (piano, Wurlitzer organ, synthesizer); Daniel Berglund (double bass).
Audio Mixer: Mick Guzauski.
Recording information: Emi Studios; Lambee Sound Studios; Los Angel; Polar Studios; Sony Studios; NY, NY; Stockholm, Sweden.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Justin Jeffre; Drew Lachey.
Arrangers: Esbjörn Svensson; Devon Biere.
Those in search of ironic, postmodern, hipster-style Christmas music should search elsewhere for their yuletide kicks, but lovers of earnest, heartfelt Christmas songs will find solace in THIS CHRISTMAS. It also won't hurt if you've got a preference for the "boy bands" that make teenage girls swoon. Instead of applying slick, danceable, pop/R&B production values to well-known holiday tunes, this vocal quartet takes a more reverent approach. There are few dance beats here, but plenty of elegant, gentle arrangements and soft, soulful vocal performances. Besides delivering quietly soulful versions of favorites like "The Christmas Song" and "Little Drummer Boy," the boys even tackle an a cappella four-part harmony "Ave Maria" that leaves little doubt as to their vocal prowess. Fans who want the grand-scale pop sound with Christmas lyrics grafted on will be surprised by the traditional approach of THIS CHRISTMAS, but it's doubtful that they'll be disappointed.