CD - White Christmas (B)

Artist: Martina McBride
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I'm usually a very savvy buyer when it comes to stealth reissues but I fell for this one hook, line, and wallet while doing my gift shopping at a big box retailer. The complete repackaging, the handful of new tracks that didn't ring any bells (and probably those mesmerizing blue eyes) convinced me to brush aside the little voice that said, "But wasn't her first Christmas album - that we already own - called White Christmas?"

Yes it was. And this is it. Somewhat.

The 1998 tracks have the same liabilities/benefits as they did then. There are no original arrangements and they are virtually straightforward covers of classic versions. But this is good when it comes to singing along with them - no curves are thrown at you. And MM's voice is, of course, insanely beautiful.

The four new tracks produced by Martina herself make some gutsy calls and I like that about them. Her Danny Elfman-esque take on 'Jingle Bells' is funny and just a little creepy and I loved it in spite of myself. She's definitely overheard her kids watching Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory one too many times!

Her time-traveling duet with Dean Martin on 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' is captivating. She has an extremely broad stylistic range and is a terrific mimic. If no one told you the lady's voice was a 21st century superstar you would think it was a Rat Pack-era songstress holding her own with Dino. Brilliant!

It almost makes up for the covert ops. One could blame all that on Martina's label but she is extremely hands-on in the production, design, and marketing of her albums. I've found out she has reissued this album with two extra songs tacked on before but it was with the original artwork. Since she's added 6 songs altogether over the years, why hasn't she just created a new Christmas CD? It would save confusion and animosity (which this reissue is certainly causing, judging by the online comments) and make more money. I understand that RCA wanted a vehicle to put the Dean Martin duet into (and it's working, this is currently just behind Josh Groban's Christmas album on the charts) but I still think this was a misstep.

Final score:
Music - A minus
Marketing - C plus