Reviewed by Paul Poulton

It's hard to deny the stark beauty of Karin Bergquist's airy voice. It's contemporary in tone, not dissimilar to Norah Jones. You will, however, catch a faint whiff of Lena Horne, Peggy Lee and Doris Day. It can sometimes be a trifle irritating too, as when she sings "jingle bells" in the song "One Olive Jingle". It summons a cry of "come on Karin sing properly, you have such talent, don't sound so affected." The loose seasonal theme of the songs is welcome, veering away from the 1970s Christmas songs. Society is beginning to notice we've been stuck in Christmas music Groundhog Day for the last 35 years. Maybe this CD could break the spell we've all been under. The chord progressions rise and fall effortlessly, using minimal acoustic piano and guitar alluringly played Linford Detweiler. "Snowed In With You" features some mesmerising jazz violin from Fats Kaplin. The upright bass, played by Bryon House, helps give the songs their jazz ensemble feel.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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