West Coast Christmas

Christmas comes but once a year . . . but it seems that artists from the Western provinces and territories of our great and snowy land have provided us with many fantastic seasonal tunes. Here we've gathered them all around a virtual fireside, furnished them all with a hot toddy or two, and asked them to make like Santa and gift us with their vocal talent — so ring them jingle bells for Burnaby, B.C.'s Michael Bublé, who thaws the frightful weather outside with the toasty tones of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," and Nanaimo girl Diana Krall, who turns "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" into aural mistletoe. George Canyon gives the season a C&W rumble, in Next Steps.

Christmas is not just Western here; it's also rather manly — just check out the rich, deep timbre of George Canyon, whose rendition of "Blue Christmas" slips down like a single malt at midnight, or the homely burr of Jay Semko, who needs little more than an old guitar, and an alternative approach to carolling, to make "We Three Kings of Orient Are" all his own. Carolyn Arends takes an altogether more dainty approach to the time of year, gently nudging us to remember its worshipful roots on "Christmas Must Be Tonight," while Amanda Stott finds power beneath the poise of her lovely piano ballad, "Light a Candle." Our Western Xmas goes a little leftfield, in Deep Cuts.

Christmas isn't always what you expect — in fact, a leftfield holiday season can be a very refreshing experience, so for all of you with a sideways sensibility, we've drafted in the modern instrumental combo Atomic 7, who take their cues from the Shadows and Mr. Claus on "Señor Santa el Es el Monstruo." Alt-country outfit the Deep Dark Woods create a sonic scarf from hand-knitted harmony on "The Winter Hours," B.C.'s Carolyn Mark ponders that eternal Xmas present dilemma, and adds a twist, with "Song for the Girl With Two of Everything," and Meryn Cadell delivers a yarn of heart-warming tragedy with "The Cat Carol."

For a long time, the sound of Christmas was monopolised by the likes of Bing, Dean and Nat King Cole . . . and while those elegant gents of pop will always have a place in our seasonal hearts, we'd like to let you know there's a huge snowdrift of vocal Xmas talent to be found in our own Western regions. So gather round, grab yourself something hot and spicy to drink, and warm you soul on the sounds of Sarah McLachlan — who does a quite brilliant version of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" backed by a choir of angelic-sounding kids — Joni Mitchell (keeping it ethereal with "River"), Allison Crowe (sweetening Leonard Cohen on "Hallelujah") and Bryan Adams, doing what he does best: turning "Run Rudolph Run" into an avalanche of rowdy rock 'n' roll.