SWV - A Special Christmas (BMG) Sisters With Voices have always been regarded as one of the few credible girl groups of the 90s. Since their 1992 debut It's About Time, SWV are among the few R & B crooners who have got past one hit album.
With their strong harmonies, soul jams and hip-hop beats, SWV have continued to go from strength to strength. That leaves me wondering: what went wrong with this album? Firstly, the usual SWV interludes are irritating, and on this particular album trite and contrived. The Sisters sound bored on some tracks, especially The Christmas Song, and on others are trying so hard to project their voices they sound strained, particularly Give Love On Christmas Day.
If you are a die-hard SWV fan you may enjoy this album. If you are also an avid Christmas carol fan, then you probably will like this album, with soul versions of Yuletide classics such as White Christmas, Silent Night and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Although they carry Christmas Ain't Christmas and My Favourite Things fairly well, this 11-track album just feels long and drawn-out.