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Associated Press

The spirit of inspiration runs stronger than usual through this year’s batch of Christmas albums, with fresh melodies and lyrics in some of the best.
Everyone from former Beach Boy Mike Love to Star Trek actor William Shatner is getting into the festive spirit.
Here’s why Melania Trump’s blood-red Christmas trees are creeping you out
Here are six of the best new Christmas albums to give a spin this season.
Eric Clapton – Happy Xmas
For “Happy Xmas” of course Clapton takes on Charles Brown’s Merry Christmas Baby, probably the bluesiest seasonal song ever written, and wrings every ounce of melancholy from it.

The album’s pleasant surprise is the balance between Clapton’s blues and adult pop instincts. The range is broad enough to include a fascinating disco-rock, meeting-of-the-minds rendering of Jingle Bells and his canny interpretations of White Christmas and Away in a Manager, along with one original, Christmas Tears.
John Legend – A Legendary Christmas
The R&B-pop singer-songwriter finds a way to bring urban music sensibility even to something as quintessentially square as Silver Bells. Mixed among the chestnuts, he has also written or co-written a handful of seasonal originals.

While a couple feel more like embellished riffing than future holiday classics, the attempts are sincere. To amp up the star power even more, he’s enlisted Stevie Wonder and Esperanza Spalding as guest singers.
Mike Love – Reason for the Season
The Beach Boys co-founder engages his current line-up of the long-running group for a session that includes a new rendition of Little Saint Nick, which departs little from the original except for the absence of any Wilson voices.

The album gets points for attempting some original tunes to flesh out the carols and pop standards, although none seem destined to become evergreens.
The Monkees – Christmas Party
Carrying on the spirit of the group’s 2016 outing Good Times!, surviving members Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork turn in latter-day performances of a blend of original songs written by Monkees fans – including Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, R.E.M.’s Peter Buck and XTC’s Andy Partridge – and choice covers.

Those covers include Alex Chilton’s Jesus Christ, Roy Wood’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime.
Pentatonix – Christmas Is Here!
The a cappella ensemble’s third holiday release in a span of barely five years strongly suggests the group are embracing the adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

They’ve chosen another mix of traditional carols, secular classics and original material, from straight-ahead pop to light jazz, R&B and a smidge of hip-hop. Danny Elfman’s Making Christmas brings a welcome bit of edge to the project.
William Shatner – Shatner Claus
There’s no need to feel guilty over the pleasures in the famously histrionic actor’s readings of more than a dozen holiday tunes.

The majority feature guest collaborators from punk rockers Iggy Pop and Henry Rollins to country star Brad Paisley, folk veteran Judy Collins and prog-rock luminaries Rick Wakeman and Ian Anderson. A delightfully dramatic outing.


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Music

The six best new Christmas albums, from Eric Clapton to John Legend

Get down to some great songs by Eric Clapton, The Monkees, Pentatonix and even William Shatner this Christmas. Photo: Shutterstock

John Legend - A Legendary Christmas

Pentatonix - Christmas Is Here!

The Monkees - Christmas Party

William Shatner - Shatner Claus

Mike Love - Reason for the Season

Eric Clapton - Happy Xmas

Christmas gift ideas: the 10 best and most fun fashion books of 2018

A photo of model Kate Moss from the book Kate by Mario Sorrenti and Dennis Freedman. Photo: Mario Sorrenti

Stan Smith cover

The Missoni family celebrating at home.

Perfumes The Guide

A page from Kate Moss by Mario

Juno Valentino and the magical shoes cover

Makeup by Val Garland for a fashion shoot

A page from the AdR book by Anna dello Russo

Validated Cover

Sneaker Freaker cover

AdR book cover

A risotto dish from The Missoni Family Cookbook.

Makeup by Val Garland

Cover of Fashion Climbing: A Memoir with Photographs.

Nike shoes from Sneaker Freaker book

Missoni cookbook

Adidas Stan Smith models

Fashion Victim cover

Tennis player Stan Smith

Kate by Mario cover

Culture

Lifestyle

Entertainment


There are actually some really good seasonal albums this year, featuring a mix of classics and new tunes
Even ‘Shatner Claus’ is worth a listen



There are actually some really good Christmas albums this year, featuring a mix of classics and new tunes. Even ‘Shatner Claus’ is worth a listen.


The six best new Christmas albums, from Eric Clapton to John Legend

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} There are actually some really good seasonal albums this year, featuring a mix of classics and new tunes Even ‘Shatner Claus’ is worth a listen

There are actually some really good seasonal albums this year, featuring a mix of classics and new tunes

Even ‘Shatner Claus’ is worth a listen