Holiday Album Releases Preview: Alicia Witt, The Carpenters, Little Big Town, Vince Gill and Amy Grant, The Beach Boys, Yächtley Crëw

There are a parade of new holiday music-centered releases being released in 2024. Here is a roundup of the most anticipated of the titles.

Artist: Alicia Witt

Title: I Think I'm Spending Christmas With You (Alicia Witt Music)

You might like if you enjoy: Peggy Lee, Aimee Mann, Nancy Wilson

Tell me more: Alicia Witt's first-ever full length Christmas album I Think I'm Spending Christmas With You is an artistic triumph, capturing the spirit of the season but also celebrating the artist's top-tier talents as a singer, keyboardist and songwriter. So in addition to her beautiful covers of three traditional favorites ("O Holy Night," "The First Noel" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas"), she offers up a parade of nine ambitious new originals. The jazzy title track, country-tinged "Weird Time of Year," wistful ballad "It This The Christmas" and bewitching "Lonely Holy Christmas" are all a delight. Information: aliciawittmusic.com.

Artist: The Carpenters

Title: Christmas Once More (A&M/UMe)

You might like if you enjoy: The Carpenters

Tell me more: The Carpenters' Christmas Once More is an all-new Christmas collection featuring 16 holiday classics curated by Richard Carpenter. The newly remixed and remastered title includes holiday music nuggets such as "Sleigh Ride (There's No Place Like)," "Ave Maria," "My Favorite Things," Richard Carpenter's own "Merry Christmas, Darling" and many more. Christmas Once More is available now via multiple formats, including audio CD, black vinyl, limited-edition gold vinyl, digital download streaming and ATMOS. Information: carpentersofficial.com.

Artist: Little Big Town

Title: The Christmas Record (Capitol Records Nashville)

You might like if you enjoy: Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Sugarland

Tell me more: Little Big Town – Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook – have released their first ever holiday music album titled The Christmas Record. In addition to seasonal favorites like "Christmas Time Is Here" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Little Big Town offers up a number of new songs including the joyful "Glow" and wistful "Christmas Night With You." Information: littlebigtown.com.

Artist: Vince Gill and Amy Grant

Title: When I Think Of Christmas (MCA Nashville)

You might like if you enjoy: Amy Grant, Vince Gill

Tell me more: When I Think Of Christmas compiles a treasure trove of nine holiday classics recorded by Vince Gill and Amy Grant that have been previously recorded and offers up those newly remastered; the new album also showcases two new recordings from the couple. Although it’s difficult to limit the number of treasured Christmas songs for which Grant and Gill are legendary, they have selected nine previously released tracks including Grant’s “Tennessee Christmas” and “Breath of Heaven,” which was originally recorded on her Home for Christmas ranked in Billboard’s Top 25 greatest holiday albums of all time, and Gill’s “O Holy Night” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Additionally, there are two new recordings, including Grant’s version of the album’s title track and "'Til the Season Comes Round Again,” a Grant/Gill duet.The title collectively captures the spirit of their "Christmas at the Wyman" concerts. One of the most successful residencies in the history of Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, Gill and Grant's "Christmas at the Ryman" has presented more than 100 shows in front of nearly a quarrier-million people. This year's series will run Nov. 29 through Dec. 21, 2024. Information: mcarecordsnashville.com.

Artist: The Beach Boys

Title: The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (Capitol/UMe)

You might like if you enjoy: The Beach Boys

Tell me more: In celebration of its 60th anniversary, The Beach Boys' beloved Christmas Album is getting a special reissue this season. Issued on Nov. 8 as a special limited-edition numbered LP on zoetrope vinyl, the vinyl LP also comes with a special 7-inch translucent ruby red vinyl of the holiday tracks "Little Saint Nick" and "Auld Lang Syne." The 7-inch single will also be available separately on ice blue vinyl. Originally released in 1964, The Beach Boys' Christmas Album features a winning combination of enduring originals ("Merry Christmas, Baby," "The Man With All The Toys," "Santa's Beard" and "Christmas Day") and classics ("Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," "White Christmas" and "Frosty the Snowman"). Information: thebeachboys.com.

Artist: Yächtley Crëw

Title: Seas and Greetings (Earache Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Yachtley Crew

Tell me more: Southern California-based troupe Yächtley Crëw have released the five-song EP Seas and Greetings, which features four artful covers and one original in tune with the holiday season. My favorite selection on the set is a tender taken on the John Lennon favorite "Happy XMAS (War Is Over)." Other standouts include a version of the Eagles' heartfelt "Please Come Home For Christmas" and the band's own "Home For Christmas." Information: yachtleycrew.com.

Robert Kinsler

Styx sets sights on upcoming concert events

Styx

Where: Humphreys Concerts By The Bay in San Diego, CA on Nov. 7; Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, AZ on Nov. 8; Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, AZ on Saturday, Nov. 9; the band will also perform a string of shows at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, Jan. 24 - Feb. 1, 2025

Learn more: styxworld.com.

Styx is currently on tour, with upcoming dates set for California,
Arizona and Nevada. Photo credit: Jason Powell

Styx is one of the great classic rock bands that continues to inspire audiences with powerful live performances and via compelling new studio albums — notably 2017's The Mission and 2021's Crash of the Crown.

Styx singer-keyboardist Lawrence Gowan recently chatted with me about the band's continuing success and connection with their dedicated audience.

"It's very evident and authentic when you see how much we love what we do," said Gowan, noting rock music is the "greatest form of entertainment I've come across."

"It's a thing that bonds us as people. As you get older you get to appreciate what a fantastic experience it is. Now it comes down to enjoying the moment. Look, it's a band of extroverts; we have no qualms about expressing how good we feel."

Styx has several upcoming concert dates in Arizona and Southern California over the next week, and the band has also announced a string of special performances featuring the 1977 masterwork The Grand Illusion in its entirety at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, Jan. 24 - Feb. 1, 2025. All of these live events will showcase the top-tier talents of Glasgow, Scotland native Gowan as well as James "JY Young (lead vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars), Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals), Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion), Will Evankovich (mandolin, guitars), and Terry Gowan (bass, guitar vocals). 

There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into each concert. Indeed, Gowan explained that there are two hours of warm-ups by the band before they take the stage, including the hour leading up to taking the stage when the members do vocal warm-ups to "get voices chiming together." Indeed, sumptuous harmonies are a major part of the Styx sound.

"We step on stage — there is our actual age and our stage age. The minute we step out there, we're living our 15-year-old dreams. We enjoy it that much. I feel 20 years old when I am on stage. It's such an inspiring place to be on stage.

Gowan noted that part of what makes Styx so special is how the band's music is a rich hybrid of rock, classical and pop — "a broad palette" that has a singular sound of its own.

During our interview I noted how impressed I was with the band's two most recent albums; indeed The Mission was one of the best album releases of 2017 and Crash of the Crown landed as one of my favorite new discs of 2021.

"We are so proud of those records," Gowan explained. "We made these records to intentionally connect with the classic rock era." 

Indeed, the studio albums were recorded on tape with 24-track machines, and with the members of Styx performing in the studio together.

"People of all ages have embraced the sound of classic rock; the only way to achieve that is with the old clunky analog machines."

Gowan noted that at every concert about a half of the attendees are under the ago of 40, and of those, 75 percent are under the age of 30.

"The music has crossed generations and they have embraced it."

Fans of Styx have hopes that the band's run that began at the dawn of the 1970s continues far into the future.

"Honestly, anything beyond the age of 35, you have to really thank the universe for dropping this in our lap," Gowan said. "Last week I saw Jeff Lynne; he was so good, why wouldn't (you not continue to perform) at that level?" 

Robert Kinsler

The Cure release new album "Songs Of A Lost World"

The Cure's long-awaited new album "Songs Of A Lost World" is out today! Get all the details below...Robert Kinsler

THE CURE   SONGS OF A LOST WORLD THE FIRST NEW ALBUM IN SIXTEEN YEARS OUT NOW   FULL LIVE SHOW STREAM FROM TROXY TONIGHT SHOW OF A LOST WORLD THE CURE LIVE AT TROXY

ROLLING STONE**** ‘The best Cure album since Disintegration” STEREOGUM - “Songs Of A Lost World is a triumph of craft and feeling.” NME ***** ‘A masterful reflection on loss’ UNCUT 9/10 ‘An immersive, graceful beauty’ THE OBSERVER **** ‘Full of fight and electricity, with melodies to spare’ MOJO **** ‘The same concentrated intensity as Disintegration’   ‘SONGS OF A LOST WORLD’ AVAILABLE NOW VIA FICTION/CAPITOL RECORDS https://thecure.lnk.to/SongsOfALostWorld     THE CURE’s long-awaited, critically acclaimed new album, SONGS OF A LOST WORLD, their first new release in 16 years, is out now via Fiction/Capitol Records.   The band will be performing their only scheduled show of the year tonight, Nov. 1, at Troxy in London, which will be live streamed on The Cure’s YouTube page Show Of A Lost World The Cure Live At Troxy beginning at 1 p.m. PST/4 p.m. EST.   Tomorrow night, BBC2 will air a special evening of Cure programming to celebrate the release of SONGS OF A LOST WORLD.    Initially formed in 1978, The Cure has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, headlined the Glastonbury festival four times and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands to ever come out of the UK.   SONGS OF A LOST WORLD was written and arranged by Robert Smith, produced and mixed by Robert Smith & Paul Corkett and performed by The Cure - Robert Smith: Voice / guitar / 6string bass / keyboard, Simon Gallup: Bass, Jason Cooper: Drums / percussion, Roger O'Donnell: Keyboard, Reeves Gabrels: Guitar. The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales.   Robert Smith created the sleeve concept, and Andy Vella, a long-time Cure collaborator, handled the album's art and design. The cover art features 'Bagatelle', a 1975 sculpture by Janez Pirnat.     THE CURE SONGS OF A LOST WORLD https://thecure.lnk.to/SongsOfALostWorld   1LP, 2LP, MARBLE VINYL, WHITE VINYL, CASSETTE, DUAL CASSETTE CD, DELUXE CD/BLU-RAY WITH ATMOS MIX & DIGITAL   www.thecure.com http://www.songsofalost.world/