Credit to
Train
for capturing a specific seasonal vibe on their 2015 holiday album
Christmas in Tahoe
and, furthermore, for making it plain right in the record's title. Where most Christmas albums focus on afternoons filled with snow and evenings by the fire,
zero in on a Californian Christmas, one with plenty of sun and margaritas to share. Appropriately, the band isn't big on carols -- only one makes the cut and that's "O Holy Night," its presence vaguely bringing to mind the
Letterman
tradition of
Paul Shaffer
singing it as
Cher
every holiday -- choosing to cover popular favorites from the '50s through the 21st century, throwing in a couple of peppy (and pretty good) originals along the way. The oldest song here is the 1950 Hawaiian holiday tune "Mele Kalikimaka," a novelty popularized by
Bing Crosby
, and the group also sticks in the '50s for "Santa, Bring My Baby Back to Me," which
Pat Monahan
hams up as a tribute to
Elvis
, but most of the tunes date from somewhere surrounding the '70s.
cast their net wide, bringing in
Donny Hathaway
("This Christmas"),
the Band
("Christmas Must Be Tonight"),
Joni Mitchell
("The River"), and
Slade
("Merry Christmas Everybody") -- it's a wonder they didn't find room for
Roy Wood
's "I Wish It Was Christmas Everyday" -- and they also bring in
Chrissie Hynde
's "2000 Miles" and
Tracey Thorn
's recent "Tinsel and Lights," nods to good, varied taste one and all, but the real calling card for
is its sunny, open feel. It, like
Colbie Caillat
's
Christmas in the Sand
before it, is an overdue holiday record for the West Coasters and there's an inherent charm to that sensibility that cannot be denied. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine