Winter Wonders (Music Review: Lady Antebellum, On This Winter's Night)

I know they're huge music superstars, but I only know one Lady Antebellum song, "Need You Now," and I liked it. So it took me a long time to finally listen to their 2012 Christmas album, "On This Winter's Night," which I learn now is not really a "new" release. It was originally a limited release, only available at Target, though I understand they have added tracks to this version. It's a good album - a good mix of traditional and modern. And I was pleased to find that the arrangements are not really country-centric, but veer more towards pop. My favorite track is definitely a heartfelt version of Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You," where Hillary Scott strips the song of Mariah's divadom and you realize that deep down, it really is a poignant love song. Even Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" works in their stripped down version. And the original,  title track,  is a great song. The standards fare well, too: I am really impressed how they are invested in the lyrical quality of the songs. I admit that I have lumped hem with all the generic bland country groups, but now I realize they are much more than that. I am converted!