Christmas

The Isaacs’ new holiday album Christmas is not that much different from any other collection of Christmas standards. It follows the standard formula of classic Christmas songs peppered with a few originals from the family group. It’s certainly not anything original from the Isaacs since it’s their third Christmas album.

If anything is different about Christmas, it’s that The Isaacs infuse a little more country into these standards. “Winter Wonderland,” “The Christmas Song” and surprisingly “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings” get a little country twang. But for the most part the Isaacs stay true to the original arrangements of the songs.

The group does shine brighter with the original songs they composed. The Isaacs have crafted a fine song with “It’s Christmastime Again.” The song is definitely worthy of becoming a standard itself. It’s too bad that the album doesn’t contain more originals. “Santa Claus is Real” is a good song for the kids without being too cheesy. “The Savior of the World Has Come” seems unnecessary and forgettable. It becomes overshadowed by album highlight and the cover of Andrew Peterson’s “Labor of Love.”

Unless you’re a serious Noelophile or want to get into the spirit of Christmas country style, you’re not missing out on anything special. But that’s the problem with Christmas albums; they never really give anything new to the songs. Even Bob Dylan’s Christmas album was just okay.