The MacDonlad Bros. // Three Cheers for Christmas

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Love them or loathe them, there’s something almost lovable about the brothers from Ayr. The single, Three Cheers For Christmas, was written by the boys and has been now adopted by Cash For Kids as the official Christmas single.

It’s a fun little number that makes a change from the usual Christmas tracks that you here year after year and definately breaks up the monotony of the same tracks over and over and over again. The single also features Ravenwood Primary School choir who won a competition to sing with the boys on their Christmas single. Plus all monies raised from all the downloads is being donated to Cash For Kids.

The only issue is that there is no longevity. It’s not a song you could listen to for long periods but definitely one to slip in now and again.

Rating: 4/5

Red Hot Chilli Pipers // 100 Chilli Pipers

  
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It’s not a misprint or misspelling. They’re the group who have made bagpipes fashionable and accessable. They’ve also managed to create a brand new genre of music: Bagrock

This four track EP brings the pipers into your home as they take you from Christmas to the New Year in 4 tracks but is also a great little introduction to the guys if you haven’t heard of them.

The opening track (100 Chilli Pipers) merges traditional (100 pipers) with rock (Rocking All Over The World) and basically engulfs you into the world of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and what they do. There’s a special rendition of the Christmas track Little Drummer Boy (which was released last year as they’re attempt to get bagrock into the charts!) before ending the album with two great traditional Scottish tracks, Flower of Scotland and the Hogmany favourite Auld Lang Syne.

These guys prove that the bagpipes don’t have to be boring and don’t have to be resigned to the traditional songs heard on trips to Scotland but that they can be turned to almost any song and still make it sound great. A highly recommended release even if it’s just because you’re curious as to what’s the fuss is about them or because you want to see them take on the charts.

Rating: 4/5

Track listing:
100 Pipers
Little Drummer Boy
Flower of Scotland
Auld Lang Syne

Queen & The Muppets // Bohemian Rhapsody

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Take a musical institution and add a TV puppetry institution and what do you get? A version of a fantastic song like you’ve never heard it before.

Those that like their Queen songs intact, look away now. The Muppets have taken it had made their own version of it, to much hilarity! Featuring most of the characters that many will know and love (although I believe there are some that older fans may not recognise) they singing (in the best sense of the word) way through the classic with their own unique twists. After all, nothing the Muppets ever do is ever straight forward.

It’s a fun little number that no doubt will bring a smile to your face. It’s one that you wouldn’t mind hearing at Christmas to break up the mundane repeats of the Christmas songs you’ve been hearing since the end of November. Probably not a number one but one of those daft songs that come out at this time of year.

Rating: 4/5

Joe McElderrry // The Climb

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With the exception of  the whole ‘Jedward’ fiasco, this years X-Factor has been hard to call with some song choices not being suited to the contestants voices and in-judge arguments. However, in the end the one contestant who has performed consistently well throughout the competition came out on top.

Joe appears to have taken the praise and the criticism each week and added to that which already to improve his performance, taking the songs and putting his own mark on them, accumulating in becoming the 2009 show winner.

The Climb is a cover of the Miley Cyrus track from the Hannah Montana movie soundtrack but when compared to the original, Joe brings more passion and emotion to the lyrics than Miley has. The lyrics also fit the situation that Joe has come through: the highs, the lows, the praise and the criticisms.

The CD version also features two songs recorded from the show; Queen track Somebody To Love and George Michael/Elton John track Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, showcasing Joe’s ability to sing live as well as in the studio.

As with all X-factor winners, it’s hard to judge how well that he will be accepted by the British public and a future isn’t always certain. It may well be that this release will follow the same pattern as all X-factor releases: single release and then nothing for months until the time of the album release (currently set for October next year), but hopefully Joe will be one of those winners who will be around for a while and will prove that he deserved the title of X-factor winner

Rating: 4.5/5