
Tuff to see how Herb tops himself, but he's pulling out all the stops. "The Christmas Wish" arrives September 29 and features a 45 piece orchestra, 10 piece rhythm section and 32 member choir. Oh, and Richard Carpenter is supposed to be putting in an appearance on "Merry Christmas, Darling". Yeah, it's a long way from the Tijuana Brass. But Herb knows how to make a song sing, if you know what I'm saying. "The Christmas Wish" will be available on CD and 2-LP vinyl, the latter coming in a gatefold cover.

1. Joy To The World & Silver Bells - Medley
2. Let It Snow & Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Medley
3. Santa Baby
4. Carol Of The Bells & We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Medley
5. I'll Be Home For Christmas
6. Silent Night
7. Winter Wonderland
8. Merry Christmas, Darling
9. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
10. The Christmas Wish
11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
12. The Christmas Song
13. White Christmas HERB ALPERT WEB SITE
14. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? CD from AMAZON
15. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring 2-LP from AMAZON
1. Ain't Santa Cool 2. Go Tell It On The Mountain 3. Silent Night 4. Why Can't Christmas Day Last All Year Long 5. Away In A Manger 6. Christmas Joy 7. First Christmas Without Daddy 8. Winter Wonderland 9. Greatest Gift 10. Jingle Bells 11. Remember Me 12. (I Wanna) Rock N Roll Guitar 13. Christmas In Dixie 14. Sure Could Use Some Christmas Around Here 15. Auld Lang Syne |

Ian (born David Ghazarian), you likely recall, was the lead guitarist from the Pop Punk band Superchick. Prior to picking up the guitar, David had been classically trained on the piano and, attracted to the Jazzy feel of the old time Christmas records, he originally threw together a digital Christmas EP as a side project. 2011's full-length "Vintage Christmas" seemed, at the time, to be the culmination of the concept, but it turned into more of a new beginning and David's been trading in the standards ever since.
"Vintage Christmas Trio" is entirely instrumental and leans a little heavier to the Jazz and a little less to the crooner style of "Vintage Christmas". "Joy To The World", for example, is said to be done up in Blues. Yeah, I perk up when I hear stuff like that. The record is said to bear David's "signature sound" throughout.
While I don't have a proper tracklist, I do know that the album contains the following songs (at least):
Deck The Halls
Joy To The World
White Christmas
We Three Kings
Silver Bells
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Look for "Vintage Christmas Trio" to land in your holiday stocking on November 3 (and don't click on "mp3" at Amazon; right now, it links to the old one).

Personally, I'd dig an album that harkens back to Gwen's No Doubt days...a little "I'm Just A Girl", a little "Don't Speak", a little "Hollaback Girl", but that probably isn't in the cards (sadly). But Gwen seems to be in a good space, these days, so we can probably count on an album that's full of Christmas joy. And her voice is simply dripping in awesome, no matter what she's singing, so I'll take it.
What we do know is that a handful of holiday titles, written or co-written by Gwen, have been registered with the song publisher people. "Christmas Eve", "My Gift Is You", "Under The Christmas Lights", "When I Was A Little Girl", and "You Make It Feel Like Christmas". Hmm. Not really sensing an "Oi To The World" in there. (Hey, wouldn't it be awesome if Gwen got ahold of djbc and cut "Challahback Girl" as a Hanukkah track for real?) You can see Blake Shelton's co-writing credit on the last one (possible duet alert?). I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this in the weeks and months to come.

Now that's about all I have to say about that, until we get some details...cover art, song samples...but Sia's announcement did result in one of the season's first of many articles putting down new Christmas music. This one is from The Debrief, written by Jazmin Kopotsha. The title is "SIA IS MAKING A CHRISTMAS ALBUM, BUT IS THERE A PLACE FOR IT IN 2017?" The concept, here, seems to be that Sia is a very talented artist and those talents are wasted on Christmas music because, really, who cares? Ms. Kopotsha writes that Christmas music--at least that which can be enjoyed--is of "another time". It's about the classics, you see. Why would anyone write and sing a new Christmas song when there hasn't been a true classic added to the canon since Wham and Mariah Carey? Oh, the 80's, 90's and the aughts were such a different time, doncha know. "Anyone remember," she says, "what was on Justin Beiber’s 2011 Christmas album? How about the Taylor Swift Holiday Collection? Didn’t think so."
What a load of poop! I have been listening to Christmas music--strike that--seeking out NEW Christmas music to experience for nearly half a century. For the past ten years, I've listened to almost nothing BUT Christmas music. Year round. It is how I discover new artists. It is MUSIC. Just like any other kind of MUSIC. There is good, there is bad, there is indispensable and highly forgettable...just like any other form of music. No one is forcing you to listen to Sia's Christmas album anymore than anyone is forcing me to listen to Opera (thank God). That doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with Opera or that that last album from the latest supreme tenor was a waste of his talents. And there's a hell of a lot more to Christmas music than what you hear in the department store every year. And, furthermore, do you understand what makes a Christmas song a classic? Time. I can pretty much guarantee you that no one living through the 80's or 90's ever imagined people would be nostalgic for those decades (or any other, for that matter). The great thing about Christmas music is that it connects us to an earlier time, a more innocent time, before our lives got so busy and complicated. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there are some kids and younger adults who will indeed be nostalgic for The Beeb's Christmas album...20 or so years from now. It won't be you. I get that. Won't be me, either. But I doubt your grandparents are really into Mariah all that much, either. Don't like it? Don't listen. And I happen to love Taylor Swift's Christmas EP and keep hoping she'll do some more holiday tunes. And the two originals on the set, "Christmas When You Were Mine" and "Christmas Must Be Something More" are both stellar. They are genuine sentiments of the season, delivered honestly. And one last thing. Does anybody remember reading anything ever from Jazmin Kopotsha? Didn't think so. End rant.

Time to wrap this one up. Got something I hope you'll like to close out with. Not a coming Christmas album, but a track (one of 2) off a recent album release. The album is the soundtrack for the new film "Feed" and the artist is Michael Shuman. Michael is the bass player for Queens of the Stone Age and also a vocalist and drummer with Mini Mansions. The movie sounds exactly like the last film on Earth I'd ever want to see (a horror movie about twins and anorexia), but this Christmas song is great. Check out "My Christmas Babe".