Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – It’s A Holiday Soul Party
Seven new tunes, plus four ghosts from Christmas releases past.
THE MEASURE OF ANY CHRISTMAS RECORD should be taken not by “Is it good?” but rather, “Will I really be excited to pull it out each December?” MOJO predicts Sharon Jones’s Holiday Soul Party will sit comfortably in years to come next to Stax’s Soul Christmas and The Ventures’ Christmas Album. Jones actually one-ups the Ventures with a frenetic version of White Christmas you can do the swim to. Big Bulbs, meanwhile, redeems adolescent lyrics with boogie-woogie swing vocals. Of course, the bulk of the album grooves on the vintage R&B sounds beloved by the Dap-Kings. Where most takes on Silent Night aim to capture otherworldly adoration, Jones’s recording conjures the achingly human awe of a new mother. And don’t forget the Dap-Kings’ original, 8 Days (Of Hanukkah) – which beats every recording ever made of Twelve Days Of Christmas. Watch their version of White Christmas here...