A boy band Christmas - SOUNDS FAMILIAR by Baby A. Gil

It is only 41 days to go till Christmas and we still await the arrival of the big new Holiday sounds for this year like Christina Aguilera’s first Christmas album or the new one recorded by Andrew E. But that is no reason why the younger listeners should not enjoy the kind of pop sound they like while waiting for the best days of the Season. And when you say the words young or pop, what else can the music be, but the sort emanating from the boy bands.

Come to think of it, the greatest boy band of all time, the Beatles, never came out with a Christmas album. The closest they did was with Happy Christmas (War is Over) and that was not really the Beatles but only John Lennon with Yoko Ono at that. But just think a Beatles Christmas album could have been a truly mind-blowing event. And take note, although they did come up with a single titled Christmastime two years ago, the Backstreet Boys also still has to record a Christmas album. Most of the other boy groups though are very well represented with their own Christmas songs and these are now yours to enjoy year after year.

Home for Christmas by ‘N Sync: Remember this was before No Strings Attached and Bye Bye Bye.So Justin, Chris, JC, Joey and Lance were still in search of their right sound when they did this album two years ago. That must be the reason why they chose to cover every type of music possible. All I Want is You This Christmas is jazzy. The Only Gift is a romantic ballad. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays gets the listener moving. They even sound like choir boys on Christmas Eve in O Holy Night and The First Noel. This is one album though that should sell better this year than when it first came out. Just think, all those fans who have made super sellers of these guys just a few months ago will surely add this album to their ’N Sync collections. Also included are Home for Christmas, Under My Tree, I Never Knew the Meaning of Christmas, The Christmas Song, I Guess It’s Christmas Time, In Love on Christmas, It’s Christmas, Love’s in Our Hearts on Christmas and Kiss Me at Midnight.

This Christmas by 98 Degrees: Unlike ’N Sync, 98 Degrees pretty much had its sound down pat from the very start. So we get the usual romantic harmonies of Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre and Jeff Timmons in the new pop tunes included in the album which was released a year ago. This Gift, If Every Day Could be Christmas and Christmas Wish have the same kind of charm found in the group’s more recent hits like I Do (Cherish You) and Because of You. In spite of this though, this group still managed to come up with some surprises. How about traditional stuff like Gold Rent, Merry Gentlemen and Silent Night, mellow goodies like The Christmas Song and I’ll Be Home for Christmas and would you believe, the wondrous Schubert Ave Maria and in Latin yet. They also sing O Holy Night and Little Drummer Boy in the album.

Snowed In by Hanson: The trio of Isaac, Zachary and Taylor Hanson were merely kids when they recorded this album but they sure could rock. Filled with the merry sparkle only kids seem to evoke during the Yuletide Season, this is probably one of the most enjoyable Christmas albums of recent times. Immortal carols like O Come All Ye Faithful and Silent Night keep company with rock and roll standards like Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Little Saint Nick, Run Rudolph Run and Christmas Baby (Please Come Home) and Hanson originals like At Christmas, Christmas Time and Everybody Knows the Claus.

And while you are still in this boy band Christmas mood, you might want to check out the Jackson Five Christmas Album once more. I know, this one was released a long time ago way back in the early ’70s. Michael Jackson wasn’t even 13 years old then and he is now a 30-something twice-divorced dad. I am sure you will agree though that no one sings Give Love on Christmas Day like the Jacksons in this album and few R&B Christmas albums of these past years can compare to the grooves found in this one.