Daryl Hall & John Oates - Home for Christmas (2006)

Share this article
    Daryl Hall & John Oates
    HallandOates-Christmas.jpg
    Click on CD cover
    to listen or purchase

    Since they re-found their acoustic guitars just under a decade ago, Hall & Oates have had a third wave of creative and commercial productivity.  And the good vibes continue on their first holiday album, Home for Christmas, which they've released on their U-Watch Records.

    H&O cover a lot of territory on the disc, with a couple solid original compositions ("No Child Should Ever Cry On Christmas" and the title track) as well as covers that venture into acoustic rock ("Christmas Must Be Tonight"), Southern Gospel ("Children Go Where I Send Thee," "Mary Had A Baby") and rockabilly ("Jingle Bell Rock").  Best of all, their largely acoustic takes on classic Christmas cuts "The First Noel," "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and "O Holy Night" are surprisingly fresh and enjoyable.

    Since they re-found their acoustic guitars just under a decade ago, Hall & Oates have had a third wave of creative and commercial productivity.  And the good vibes continue on their first holiday album, Home for Christmas, which they've released on their U-Watch Records.

    H&O cover a lot of territory on the disc, with a couple solid original compositions ("No Child Should Ever Cry On Christmas" and the title track) as well as covers that venture into acoustic rock ("Christmas Must Be Tonight"), Southern Gospel ("Children Go Where I Send Thee," "Mary Had A Baby") and rockabilly ("Jingle Bell Rock").  Best of all, their largely acoustic takes on classic Christmas cuts "The First Noel," "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and "O Holy Night" are surprisingly fresh and enjoyable.

    Hall and Oates clearly put a fair amount of thought into this album and it pays off.  Home for Christmas is one of the better holiday releases of the past few years and is worthy addition to the collections of their longtime fans.  Recommended.

    CR