15 Songs, 46 Minutes
EDITORS’ NOTES
The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs is as womanly as it is wintry. Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson sing a beautifully stark and poetically melancholic “Winter Song,” layering vocals and braiding harmonies together to birth an angelic opener. Brandi Carlile’s “The Heartache Can Wait” is similarly ambrosial in its sadness, blending cello, piano and sleigh bells under her cooing voice. Lenka changes the tone on an adorable little tune called “All My Bells Are Ringing,” with doo-wop inspired backing vocals and lyrics that pine for her Christmas crush. Fiona Apple’s rootsy rendition of “Frosty the Snowman” is playful enough to suggest that maybe she should try her hand at an album of songs for kids. It’s quite a departure from her usual coquettish songs of seduction, but Meiko makes up for that with “Maybe Next Year (Christmas Song),” a flirty tune where even the instruments are alluring; it wouldn’t be out of place if she were singing it while slithering out of a giant gift box at a bachelor party. Priscilla Ahn’s layered acapella take on “Silent Night” is easily the dreamiest contribution here.
Winter Songs
Various Artists
EDITORS’ NOTES
The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs is as womanly as it is wintry. Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson sing a beautifully stark and poetically melancholic “Winter Song,” layering vocals and braiding harmonies together to birth an angelic opener. Brandi Carlile’s “The Heartache Can Wait” is similarly ambrosial in its sadness, blending cello, piano and sleigh bells under her cooing voice. Lenka changes the tone on an adorable little tune called “All My Bells Are Ringing,” with doo-wop inspired backing vocals and lyrics that pine for her Christmas crush. Fiona Apple’s rootsy rendition of “Frosty the Snowman” is playful enough to suggest that maybe she should try her hand at an album of songs for kids. It’s quite a departure from her usual coquettish songs of seduction, but Meiko makes up for that with “Maybe Next Year (Christmas Song),” a flirty tune where even the instruments are alluring; it wouldn’t be out of place if she were singing it while slithering out of a giant gift box at a bachelor party. Priscilla Ahn’s layered acapella take on “Silent Night” is easily the dreamiest contribution here.
| TITLE | TIME | |
|---|---|---|
|
Winter Song
Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson
|
4:26 | |
|
The Heartache Can Wait
Brandi Carlile
|
3:37 | |
|
All My Bells Are Ringing
Lenka
|
2:32 | |
| 4 |
Sleigh Ride
KT Tunstall
|
2:47 |
|
Silver Bells
Alice Smith
|
2:47 | |
|
Blue Christmas
Nicole Atkins
|
3:52 | |
|
Frosty the Snowman
Fiona Apple
|
2:10 | |
|
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Holly Conlan
|
3:22 | |
|
Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song)
Meiko
|
3:11 | |
|
White Christmas
Katy Perry
|
3:20 | |
| 11 |
Mistletoe
Colbie Caillat
|
3:50 |
|
Silent Night
Priscilla Ahn
|
2:17 | |
|
Winter Wonderland
Kate Havnevik
|
2:40 | |
|
The Christmas Song
Catherine Feeny
|
3:21 | |
|
Auld Lang Syne (Artist Medley)
Buddy
|
2:41 |
