Stress-busting Yuletide music

Libera

Libera

“The Christmas Album”

PolyEast Records

If Christmas is for children, it should follow that Yuletide music is best sung by kids. “The Christmas Album” by the all-boys British choir Libera has a magical, calming effect on the nerves, especially “Still, Still, Still”—originally an Austrian folk tune—which recreates the peaceful vibe surrounding the Madonna and Child on the first Christmas.

Almost all the tracks are stress-busters, like “Veni, Veni Emmanuel,” “O Holy Night,” “White Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The First Nowell,” “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks” and “Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)”—although they won’t necessarily put you to sleep. What it is bound to do is remind you of the joy and innocence of childhood as your own kid putters about.

On the other hand, “Carol of the Bells” and “In Dulci Jubilo” (German and Latin for “sweet rejoicing”) delivers a kick like freshly brewed coffee—sort of tells you to move your butt and help out in the kitchen for noche buena.

Michael Buble

“Christmas”

Warner Music Philippines

Michael Buble is 36 but, in this album, he goes back to his childhood years listening to Bing Crosby sing Christmas carols. Indeed he sounds eerily like Crosby in many tracks. But what makes this CD a must-buy is the bright, cheerful music that producer David Foster employs—with invaluable backup from a battery of musicians including an orchestra (though the credits don’t mention who played in the string and brass sections).

It’s impossible to imagine that Foster merely replicated the blast of trumpets in “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” and the swinging saxes in “Jingle Bells” on keyboards, because they do sound live.

Buble’s duet with Shania Twain in “White Christmas” is pure delight, its big band arrangement urging you to pick up the spouse and slow-dance with wine in hand. Surely there will be tight hugging when “Santa Baby” comes on; and still you can’t stop dancing in “Holly Jolly Christmas” because the lead guitar ad libs tickle the feet.

It’s best to turn up the volume in the Phil Spector classic, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” as well as the bouncy “Blue Christmas,” “Cold December Night” and the Latin-flavored “Mis Deseos/Feliz Navidad” (Buble’s duet with “Marimar” star Thalia, which he also cowrote). This only means that this CD is perfect for holiday party music.

But it still sounds great when the guests are gone, if only for the solemn “Ave Maria.”

Garie Concepcion

Garie Concepcion

“Garie Concepcion”

Distributed by Star Records

This self-titled debut CD by Gabby Concepcion’s daughter with Grace Ibuna is not a Christmas record, though it’s also brimming with youthful verve. The first three tracks—“Baby You Are,” “Totoo” and “Relaks Lang Tayo”—justify 22-year-old Garie Concepcion’s entry into the music scene, her voice sounding fresh and engaging, if a bit naive.

However, the listener may wonder what causes the rest of the songs to drag: Is it the lyrics, most of which were written by Edith Gallardo, or the music, which relies on the industry’s way of scrimping on the budget by hiring one or two musicians to program all instruments via keyboards?

On the other hand, Gallardo can’t be faulted for coming up with cliche lines about starry-eyed romance, which producer Vivian Recio deemed fit for Garie’s age. But then, who says a young woman like her can’t sing about other things?

It’s too early to tell how Garie’s career will play out, but perhaps her handlers (Backroom and Recio herself) may see the wisdom of exposing the singer to as much music by the great songwriters as possible, so that she will be ready to explore more exciting stuff in no time. And that includes inviting the best musicians to jam with her, too.