Artist: Brian McKnight
Album: I'll Be Home For Christmas
Release Date: 10.28.08

Brian McKnight is an R&B superstar with a voice that can warm the heart of any Scrooge. With the release of his second Christmas album, I'll Be Home For Christmas, he takes a more traditional approach to deliver his season’s greetings. This is in contrast to Bethlehem, his first holiday project which was released about 10 years ago – yes I do have it – and contained mostly original content with a few traditional Christmas carols thrown in. This new release is a compilation of 12 traditional Christmas songs with guest appearances from Josh Groban, Vince Gill, and his two sons Niko and Brian McKnight Jr.

One of my favorites is his cover of a song that he co-wrote with Wanya Morris for Boyz II Men on their 1993 Christmas Interpretations album. The song is called Who Would Have Thought, and it’s all about the unlikely event of falling in love on Christmas day. Other favorites include Angels We Have Heard on High with Josh Groban and Let It Snow with his two sons (who were also featured on the Bethlehem album). Take 6 even makes an appearance to close out the album with a stirring a capella rendition of Bless This House.

Production-wise, everything is very traditional, from the stringed melody of Silent Night, to the smooth piano intro on I’ll Be Home for Christmas. I highly recommend this album for anyone who loves good Christmas music, especially the traditional music of the season; now all you need is some mistletoe and someone to help you trim that tree…

-Mack-