Christmas Playlist | Festive tunes

Christmas is not just about All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey (or boom boom by Maryse Letarte). For some time now, every day has brought its slew of musical novelties. Our music team has compiled a selection.

Christmas On My Mind by Elliot Maginot

At the rate of one song a year, Montreal singer-songwriter Elliot Maginot is concocting a veritable Christmas repertoire. Christmas On My Mind is his fourth in four years. Beautifully folk and timeless song in which Santa Claus realizes that true happiness is at home, surrounded by the people he loves. The singer’s angelic voice suits the holiday spirit well, to which he breathes a beautiful touch of modernity while respecting the codes of the genre.

Josee Lapointe, The Press

All I want for Christmas is love by Nicola Ciccone

The most surprising thing is not that Nicola Ciccone is releasing a holiday album. The most astonishing thing is that our handsome man, whom everything seemed to predestine to record such a seasonal record, waited more than 20 years before offering us Christmas spirit12 songs, 4 of which are brand new, celebrating the only time of the year when Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon cede their throne as masters of the world to a potbellied resident of the North Pole.

Dominic Tardif, The Press

So Much Wine by Phoebe Bridgers

Since 2017, each first snow has been synonymous with a musical cover by Phoebe Bridgers. This time, the American alt-folk-country singer appropriates a western piece from the repertoire of the duo The Handsome Family. Nothing complicated: Bridgers’ sweet voice is accompanied by classical guitar, violin notes and the voice of her fiancé, Paul Mescal. The result is a melancholic and warm piece.

Philippe Beauchemin, The Press

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Scott Weiland

In 2011, the very idea that rocker Scott Weiland played it croon the Holidays looked like a confused joke, to be classified not far from the painful Christmas album of Bob Dylan. Seven years after the early death of the Stone Temple Pilots singer, the recent enhanced version of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year now carries like a haunting melancholy. It is difficult to listen to him without remembering that every December 25 here below is in itself a gift.

Dominic Tardif, The Press

Dogs Love Christmas Too by Chris Isaac

For only the second time in his 40-year career, country singer Chris Isaak has released an album of Christmas songs. Listening to the 13 pieces ofEverybody Knows It’s Christmas, you’d think they were forgotten recordings in the back of the Sun studio in Memphis in the late 1950s. A pre-Elvis rockabilly traces the guideline of light and playful compositions – it’s Christmas, after all ! We sway, we dance and we laugh listening to the song Dogs Love Christmas Too ! Because yes, the holidays are for everyone, even for man’s best friend!

Philippe Beauchemin, The Press

Christmas Without You of the choir of There are people at mass

If Jesus were a woman, she would probably have the vocal cords of Marie-Christine Depestre, one of the many voices from heaven who offer themselves as gifts in the choir officiating at Télé-Québec behind Christian Bégin. This holiday breakup song, a subgenre all too rarely taken advantage of, is one of the sweet moments on an album made entirely of new choruses, including Christmas in the suna reggae signed L’Isle, and Just after Novembersoul candy by Sarah Bourdon.

Dominic Tardif, The Press

The Christmas Waltz by Jeff Goldblum

With Jeff Goldblum, the happiest man on the planet after Santa Claus, each day of the year already seems imbued with a fairyland that it would be a sin not to embrace. So imagine when it really is Christmas! Only the suave actor could honor a song popularized by Sinatra, whose orchestra packs a version that gives pride of place to the B3 organ, the instrument par excellence of the Holiday season, whatever the bells think.

Dominic Tardif, The Press

Someday at Christmas by Lizzo

Lizzo’s Christmas offering is utterly sublime. The American singer covered Stevie Wonder’s classic Someday at Christmas, as a “friendly reminder to spread love and kindness this holiday season.” The chimes ring, then Lizzo’s beautiful voice rings out, no frills. Add a simple instrumental coating for this R & B version of the pretty ballad. Three delicious minutes to “unbox” exclusively on Amazon Music.

Marissa Groguhe, The Press

santa baby by Alicia Keys

Believe it or not, this is Alicia Keys’ first-ever holiday album (available only on Apple Music). Slow and languorous, his version of santa baby does justice both to the piece repeated so many times and to the artist’s talent as an interpreter, who slips into a character to sing this well-known tune. His voice is worked to seem to come out of another era, the musical accompaniment is theatrical. Alicia Keys is all good.

Marissa Groguhe, The Press

Groovy Xmas Linda Lindas

Groovy Xmas is a rare punk rock Christmas anthem. The young Linda Lindas maintain the codes of the festive song, but give it a fun punk touch. It is the electric guitars that take care, in the chorus, to sing the Christmas melody. The lyrics refer to Charlie Brown, Home Aloneat elf and the Grinch. The tune is catchy and sticks in our minds long after listening, a sign of a successful Christmas song.

Marissa Groguhe, The Press

Hallelujahby Haim

It’s not an official Christmas song or a cover of Leonard Cohen’s classic, but Hallelujah by Haim, from the album Women in Music Pt. III, fits wonderfully into a Christmas playlist. We find the best of the trio formed by three sisters: a gripping melody, folk-pop bliss and vocal harmonies that touch the heart.

Emilie Cote, The Press

Noel Lougawou by Pierre Lapointe

Last year, Pierre Lapointe released winter songsa Christmas album faithful to the codes of the genre, which has the merit of bringing together exclusively original pieces, including an exquisite and groovy duet sung in Creole with Mélissa Laveaux. Noel Lougawou has everything to temper Christmas preparations rushing and put you in “cool mode”.

Emilie Cote, The Press

Last Christmas by Future Islands

A recovery of Last Christmas of the irresistible synth-pop group Future Islands? You don’t even need to make a wish for Santa Claus, since it’s been available on online listening services for a few days. We can’t get enough of the original version of Wham!, but we like the more subdued and “influenced” rereading of Samuel T. Herring’s tape.

Emilie Cote, The Press

O Come O Come Emmanuel by Sufjan Stevens

The holiday season is a time of year conducive to contemplation and the emotion is at its height when you stir your inner heart to the sound of the anthem. O Come O Come Emmanuel, played by Sufjan Stevens. Sufjan Stevens’ Christmas albums are essential with their solemn tunes filled with purity and candor. To discover if it is not already a classic in your cottages.

Emilie Cote, The Press

Happy Days Backstreet Boys

It will be nearly 30 years before the Backstreet Boys give their fans a full Christmas record. A long-awaited gift, as evidenced by its appearance, upon its release, at the top of the Billboard chart devoted to holiday albums. A Very Backstreet Christmas brings together essential pieces, including White Christmas, but also three original titles. In Happy Days, the group is issuing an invitation to party like it’s 1999. Dancing while making fun of the year 2000 bug rather than caring about COVID-19? Whenever !

Veronique Larocque, The Press

We are all Christmasby Vladimir Korneev

First song in French from the German baritone of Russian origin who multiplies collaborations in Quebec. Composed and produced by Rick Allison, longtime accomplice of Lara Fabian, We are all Christmas was written by Thierry Sforza. Korneev is also the international guest of the big show Parapapam alongside Roch Voisine and Guylaine Tanguay at the Maison symphonique, in addition to having recorded a duet with Ginette Reno, The other side of the skywhich will appear on the Quebec diva’s new album in February 2023.

Pierre-Marc Durivage, The Press

My Grandmother’s Meat Pieby Sara Dufour

A veritable ball of energy, Sara Dufour mixes her country and trad influences for this holiday fire, “a rigodon in her own way”. A culinary ode from Jeannoise, it is also a journey through the memories of the singer-songwriter, at the time when 62 people gathered at the house of Janot, her grandmother, to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. “The idea for this song came to me following a conversation I had with my uncle Roland who said to me: ‘You should write a song about white cakes for Aunt Fernande!’ “, underlines the fiery singer, who takes the opportunity to conclude once and for all that a “tourtière is not meat pie”!

Pierre-Marc Durivage, The Press

Christmas toneby Bruno Rodeo

Launched last year, Christmas tone deserves to be given a little space under the tree again this year. Recorded with Marc Déry on double bass and his 9-year-old daughter Noémie Tremblay on drums, Bruno Rodéo’s original composition was laid down in times of a pandemic and its text betrays its era a little, but it makes you smile more now than the containment is behind us. It’s also a nice nod to the talent of the Saguenean, who wants to be a cross between Plume Latraverse and Willie Lamothe, with deep rockabilly roots, but also punk.

Pierre-Marc Durivage, The Press