Holiday discs 2012: Blake Shelton's Cheers, It’s Christmas

Blake Shelton
Cheers, It’s Christmas

This isn’t the sort of thing I would ordinarily listen to, on Christmas or any other day. I enjoy new country about as much as the Abominable Snow Monster enjoyed having his chompers pulled by that mincing elf in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. On the other hand, I might feel inclined to rate this one a little higher than I otherwise would because it doesn’t have a version of Joni Mitchell’s evergreen downer “River” on it, a fact that made me predisposed toward liking it before I even heard the first note. And, in fact, the record has its unexpected high points, including a version of Michael Bublé’s “Home” featuring seasonally adjusted lyrics and performed as a duet with the crooner himself. Also, Blake Shelton sings with his mother, Dorothy Shackleford, on “Time for Me to Come Home”, which is sweet and I think my own mom would like it. But mostly, no fucking Joni Mitchell songs.