So it's Christmas time, and everyone is looking for a new album to purchase to set themselves in the Christmas spirit. I suggested in my review of Duck the Halls: A Robertson's Family Christmas that it was one of the best albums to purchase, but I also think that Gord Bamford offers a very compelling case with Christmas in Canada. Now, I suppose a lot of my readers aren't from Canada, but I don't think that's quite a problem, as the album is really addressed to a wide audience from anywhere. If you are looking for a good Christmas album, whether you are from Alberta, Ontario, Vermont, Ohio, California or Kansas, you'll love it, especially his best song by far, Baseball Glove.
I'll be honest, if you forced me to either get Christmas in Canada or Duck the Halls, sorry Gord, but I'd get the Robertson's album. It's really that good. Now don't get me wrong, Gord Bradford does propose us a very good album. He makes stellar interpretations of classics, like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer or Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy, and also makes his own version of a very interesting less known Christmas song, Daddy's Beer. But my favourite has to be Baseball Glove. It has everything, it's joyful, funny, it's an ear worm, you'll listen to it over and over again until April rings at your door. I'm half-joking by the way.
That being said, sometimes in the album I had the feeling that it was produced more or less in a rush. Baseball Glove is not a new song for Gord Bamford, it was out a couple of years ago (just look at the date on the Youtube video). The other songs by him aren't that interesting to be honest, much less than the originals of Duck the Halls for example. I would have loved something more personal from Gord, as even Alberta Christmas Morning wasn't all that well-written. I wanted something pertinent to him, what the Holidays mean to him. I fail to see this in Christmas in Canada sadly.
Overall, great album, definitely worth the money.
8/10
Alberta Christmas Morning
This is a pretty good song, especially to introduce the album. It's joyful, but I fail to recognize how everything he describes as an Alberta Christmas morning is related that much to Alberta, but that's me.
7.5/10
Winter Wonderland
Good interpretation, but I've seen better from other artists.
7/10
Away in a Manger
This is a very good remake of this traditional song. The singing is pretty impressive, and we keep the spirit of the original song, with the emotion.
8/10
Baseball Glove
Since the day I listened to it, it became instantly in my top 5 Christmas songs. This is a funny, joyful and well-written song. Simply splendid. "Brother wants a tatoo for Christmas... Sister wants a ring in her nose... Daddy a new big screen TV... Mama wants a tummy tuck..." Splendid.
9.5/10
Daddy's Beer
This is a song that Dave Gunning originally recorded. Gord Bamford really interprets it well. It's a very funny song, again very joyful and country.
8.5/10
Jingle Bells
This is a country/rock interpretation of the traditional song. I don't really like it to be honest, I think it sounds pretty weird, the slowed rhythm doesn't really works for me.
5.5/10
Christmas in Canada
This is a slow song, very patriotic. I find it really relaxing, it's quite good.
7.5/10
Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy
Very good interpretation of the original song to be honest.
8/10
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
He really put his own style in this song, and it's excellent. The singing is stellar.
8.5/10
O Holy Night
I'm not that fond of his interpretation. The singing is fine, but it's really nothing exceptional.
7/10
The Christmas Song
This is a very good song, and the duo is really nice. It's relaxing, it's joyful, really the perfect Christmas spirit.
8/10
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