Michel Legrand is celebrating his 80th birthday by releasing a Christmas album, "Noel! Noel!! Noel!!!" and it's my favorite Christmas album this year. First of all, I love the line up of talented edgy singers who are just slightly on the side of the radar. Mika sings a wonderful oh-so-French version of "Jingle Bells" that will take you right to a scene of a French musical set at the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Eve. Jamie Cullum tough swings "Let It Snow"like a mutha let loose, proving he is the young generation's Sinatra. And I totally love the almost-ironic Madeline Peyroux "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" where she strangely sounds like she is telling everyone it's the end of the world. When Emilie Simon sings about "Santa Baby," she sounds as if it is about James Bond, and that is a wonderful thing. And Carla Bruni is poignant in "Jolis Sapins," a beautiful French Christmas song I had never heard of. Who would ever think Iggy Pop and Legrande would do something together but their collaboration here in "The Little Drummer Boy" is kinda weird, kinda unique, and definitely not boring. There are so many generic Christmas albums out there, and this one is definitely not run of the mill, which, for me makes it an instant classic.
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