Album Review

Bob Dylan – Christmas In The Heart

• 22nd Oct 2009

Upon first listening to this album I was slightly taken aback, as it sounds like Dylan is a man with a frog in his throat. You are willing him to give a little cough to clear the phlegm away. Slightly shocked by this, I found an old video online of Dylan singing ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, just to confirm his voice hadn’t always sounded this rough. And clear as day the younger Bob Dylan did indeed have a far smoother voice. It is evident that Bob Dylan has not taken care of his voice; unfortunately it also leads to the occasional note sounding strained. But this is merely an observation as opposed to a criticism, as the album wins one over with its certain je nais se quoi.

It is in many ways surreal listening to Bob Dylan singing Christmas carols. On the one hand you become immersed in the festive spirit of it all and forget that it is Dylan, and then suddenly you remind yourself who is singing. It offers up a strange juxtaposition hearing a rebellious natured, ‘stick it to the man’ kind of guy singing ‘O’ Little Town Of Bethlehem’. The album has a good old fashioned wholesome Christmas feel, with songs like ‘Christmas Island’ it give a 1940s/1950s vibe, and I would imagine the album is the kind of Christmas soundtrack Dylan himself would have listened to as a child. And this I think is what makes the album stand out, it comes across as heartfelt.

Obviously you will all be familiar with the majority of songs on the album; it has oldies but goodies such as ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’, ‘Winter Wonderland’ ‘Little Drummer Boy’ and so forth. However there was a couple I wasn’t familiar with such as the afore mentioned ‘Christmas Island’ which makes you feel like you are on a Hawaiian Island ( obviously an Americanized Hawaiian Island circa Elvis in Blue Hawaii) . A stand out track would definitely be ‘The Christmas Blues’ , which as the title suggests has a bluesy feel to it and lyrically describes being alone at Christmas and how ‘Santa only brought me the blues’. Also, ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ is a very poignant song of being away from loved ones at Christmas, but still holding them in dear your heart.

More traditional Christmas carols are also on the alum, such as ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’, O’ Little Town Of Bethlehem and O’ Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) sang partly in Latin is particularly angelic.

It certainly is one of the better offerings from current artists producing Christmas albums. If you are looking for an atmospherically festive album to play while you’re wrapping Christmas presents, whilst drinking a glass of mulled wine, then this is the album you are looking for.

The royalties from this album will be donated to the World Food Programme and Crisis UK in perpetuity.