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Its time for one of our favorite annual traditions here at Switched on Pop evaluating this seasons musical offerings.
Each year, artists churn out little nuggets of holiday gold (or coal).
Ahead, we review four recent tracks, ranked on a scale of zero to five sleigh bells.
You for Christmas is produced and co-written with some heavy hitters: Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt.
When you spin the chorus, youll hear exactly the kind of vibe shes going for.
It has everything: Motown production, lots of chromaticism, infinite sleigh bells, huge vocals.
Nate Sloan:Youre such a pushover.
All it took was ten seconds of throwback Motown harmonies for you to love this.
But I dont disagree.
:That syncopated lead.
She is really knocking this song out of the park.
I am not usually a sucker for holiday music.
:Youre bopping in your seat right now.
Who is she referencing here?
:It does feel Supremes-y a lot of these Christmas songs do.
Or they reference Darlene Loves Christmas (Baby hey Come Home).
And this song is in that time frame.
:Shes proved her holiday bona fides before with her song Underneath the Tree.
:I think the new ones better.
SLEIGH BELLS: 5/5
Holidays, Conan Gray
N.S.
:Your quizzical expression tells me that youre wondering how the song is connected to the holidays at all.
:Yeah, this is a sort of nice L.A. folk-pop song.
Reminds me a little bit of the new Shawn Mendes record.
I actually think its really wonderful.
I like it a lot.
But, yeah, Im not getting holiday qualities.
:Its a different take for sure.
I think its refreshing.
C.H.:Ah!
Thats why I heard the Shawn Mendes record, because Gruska also worked on that record.
By the way, hes one of the most fabulous producers working in pop music right now.
:Unfortunately, in the chorus, you get a little Lumineers.
C.H.:Hey!
I think this song has more in common with, like, Lover by Taylor Swift.
So Im not sure if Im giving any sleigh bells yet, even though I really like this song.
SLEIGH BELLS: 0/5
Happy Trails, Orville Peck
C.H.
:Youre giving us some more covert holiday music here.
I like Orville Peck.
I love this holiday song.
Im getting a lot of that nostalgic vibe, even if Im not yet hearing obvious Christmas hints.
:It does haveliteralsleigh bells.
I did note that the song is in 6/8.
Something about that counting feels holiday-esque.
Do you have a grand theory of why?
So, maybe when we hear those triple meters today, were reminded of those caroling days of yore.
SLEIGH BELLS: 4/5
Take Me Home for Christmas, Dan + Shay
C.H.
:Okay, this is as smooth as a perfectly wrapped present.
We get a similar effect in Take Me Home for Christmas.
:What is the word for this genre?
:It has to be Funktree, unfortunately.
:I like it.
I love a Telecaster guitar.
This isnt trying to do anything more than exactly what it is.
But Ill forget about it next year.
