Top 5 Album Releases of the Week: Holiday Edition

Tis the season for sleigh bells ringing, endless caroling and toasting to our loved ones. And it's also the time when everyone, regardless of musical style, releases their own take on the holiday song. Whether it's a fresh take on an old classic or a newly penned tune for today's audience, artists have been feeling the holiday spirit, and they want to share that cheer with you. So with Christmas around the corner, this week's New Music Friday will highlight our favorite holiday records. Although our picks have already dropped and this writer isn't the biggest fan of holiday tracks (Bah Humbug), I combed through this year's releases and picked my faves.

From country and indie rock tracks to pop and dance, here is this week's Top 5 Album Releases of the Week: Holiday Edition.

 

'A Very Kacey Christmas' - Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves goes for traditional country sounds as well as tosses some Hawaiian flair on her holiday record, A Very Kacey Christmas. Putting her twist on the playful "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and the lesser known but still thoroughly enjoyable "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas," she shows us just how quirky she can get. And sure some of them are a little kitschy, but isn't that the joy of Christmas tunes, especially the ones we learned in school? She also does a nice rendition of the Alvin and the Chipmunks holiday tune, "Christmas Don't Be Late" as well as covers Bing Crosby's "Mele Kalikimaka."

But the album isn't all covers. She also sings about being lonely during the holidays with "Christmas Makes Me Cry," which she wrote with Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark. She also penned "Present Without a Bow," which features Leon Bridges, who also helped out with the writing. While Christmas albums tend to focus on the time before and around December 25, it usually closes with a song honoring New Year's Eve. Kacey's is no different and ends the record with "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?"

 

  

'Don't Waste Your Wishes' - The Killers

Since 2006, The Killers have been putting out holiday songs in December as part of Bono's (RED) fundraising campaign. And as the tradition entered its 10 year, the Las Vegas band finally decided to put the whole thing together into a full-length album. Entitled Don't Waste Your Wishes, the LP proves yet another winning set of tracks but also just how creative Brandon Flowers and company got when it came to penning Christmas songs.

Unlike other holiday albums that make sure everything is wrapped perfectly in a neat bow, many of the songs are a bit messy and some naughtier than the traditional tunes like "Don't Shoot Me Santa," "Joseph, Better You Than Me" and the nightclub-worthy "I Feel It In My Bones." As per tradition, The Killers also wrote a new track for 2016 called "I'll Be Home for Christmas." If you're looking for something a little left of center for you holiday playlist, this is definitely the one for you.

 

'A Very Decent Christmas 4' - Mad Decent

If you're looking for something to turn up your office Christmas party, Mad Decent dropped the fourth edition of A Very Decent Christmas. Taking pieces of old holiday songs, different Mad Decent artists put their own twists on them.

Take for instance, 4B's "Carnival," featuring Bunji Garlin. Kicking off with heavy bass beats to get your heart moving, the song layers in Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" — making you think of ballet dancers who switch between turns and twerks. Bad Royale also uses the bells from the Tchaikovsky song to add some holiday vibes to the otherwise booty-dropping, Jay Nahge-led tune, "Mrs. Claus." Meanwhile, "Chrimbus" features "Jingle Bells" layered on top of reverberating, robotic beats. Of course, it wouldn't feel like a Mad Decent record without the inclusion of Major Lazer, who open the LP with their reggae Mary Jane-friendly track, "Christmas Trees," featuring Protoje.

Whether you're looking to get down or smoke out, this is the perfect soundtrack for you.

 

'A Pentatonix Christmas' - Pentatonix

Chart-topping a capella stars Pentatonix may have released That's Christmas to Me in 2014. However, the Texan pop vocal group is back with its latest holiday collection, A Pentatonix Christmas. Filled with beautifully arranged renditions of classics like "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," they also do a few more modern tracks like *NSYNC's "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" and an emotional rendition of "Hallelujah" by the late Leonard Cohen. They also feature two original tunes, "The Christmas Sing-Along" and "Good to Be Bad."

If you're down this holiday season, this record will give you that feel good vibe.

 

'Little Lights' - Janet Devlin

If you're looking for something to make you want to snuggle closer to loved ones, then Janet Devlin is the one you should add to your playlist this season. Her latest Christmas EP, Little Lights, might be a short one, but it's full of so much heart that you wouldn't mind putting it on repeat from now till you start packing up those Christmas decorations again.

The Irish singer-songwriter's delicate vocals add an ethereal feel to each track, especially on the glam rock Yuletide jam, "Merry Xmas Everybody." Her sweetness shines on "Merry Christmas Mum & Dad" and the upbeat acoustic track, "Something Beginning With Christmas." Despite the holidays being a time for good cheer, she has one for the broken hearts of the season with the tearjerker, "Wake Up It's Christmas."

 

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