Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Kelly Willis and her spouse Bruce Robison both have a knack for writing simple, emotionally straightforward country tunes, and they know how to make them work in the studio with plenty of heart and soul and a low level of extraneous fluff. So it's good to see them release a collaborative album at last, even if it's a modest Christmas-themed effort, and Happy Holidays finds the couple in fine form together. Dominated by covers (Robison contributes the album's sole original, "Oklahoma Christmas," which sounds like a more concise and less snarky variation on Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas from the Family"), Happy Holidays moves back and forth between seasonal torch songs (Willis sounds sexy indeed on "Santa Baby," and she and Robison are both playful and sensuous on "Baby, It's Cold Outside"), somber but celebratory numbers such as "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "A Winter's Tale" (delivered respectively by Willis and Robison with feeling and dignity), and twangy Yuletide tunes, such as Charlie Louvin's "Shut in at Christmas," Buck Owens' "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy," and the tongue-in-cheek "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk." While the production and arrangements are elegant and concise, this hardly sounds like a tossed-together Christmas quickie, with the headliners and their backing musicians presenting these songs with care and affection, and if this isn't the twang-tastic holiday disc some might have expected, it delivers equal portions of taste, passion and great music, and anyone with an ear for either Willis or Robison will want to have this on hand for their tree-trimming party.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr124,99/month
Phil Springer, Writer - Joan Javits, Writer - Tony Springer, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist - R.B. Morris, Writer
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Gustav Holst, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - C. Rossetti, Writer - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
FRANK LOESSER, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Jule Styne, Writer - Sammy Cahn, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Bill Danoff, Writer - Taffy Nivert, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Jay Johnson, Writer - Billy Hayes, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Charlie Louvin, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Don Rich, Writer - Buck Owens, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Hugh Martin, Writer - R. Blane, Writer - KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
KELLY WILLIS, MainArtist - Bruce Robison, Writer, MainArtist
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Album review
Kelly Willis and her spouse Bruce Robison both have a knack for writing simple, emotionally straightforward country tunes, and they know how to make them work in the studio with plenty of heart and soul and a low level of extraneous fluff. So it's good to see them release a collaborative album at last, even if it's a modest Christmas-themed effort, and Happy Holidays finds the couple in fine form together. Dominated by covers (Robison contributes the album's sole original, "Oklahoma Christmas," which sounds like a more concise and less snarky variation on Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas from the Family"), Happy Holidays moves back and forth between seasonal torch songs (Willis sounds sexy indeed on "Santa Baby," and she and Robison are both playful and sensuous on "Baby, It's Cold Outside"), somber but celebratory numbers such as "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "A Winter's Tale" (delivered respectively by Willis and Robison with feeling and dignity), and twangy Yuletide tunes, such as Charlie Louvin's "Shut in at Christmas," Buck Owens' "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy," and the tongue-in-cheek "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk." While the production and arrangements are elegant and concise, this hardly sounds like a tossed-together Christmas quickie, with the headliners and their backing musicians presenting these songs with care and affection, and if this isn't the twang-tastic holiday disc some might have expected, it delivers equal portions of taste, passion and great music, and anyone with an ear for either Willis or Robison will want to have this on hand for their tree-trimming party.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:38:09
- Main artists: KELLY WILLIS Bruce Robison
- Label: Ryko - WEA
- Genre: Ambient/New Age Christmas Music
© 2006, 2003 Rykodisc ℗ 2006, 2003 Rykodisc
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.