Justin Bieber Under The Mistletoe 2011 Album Review
Released November 2011, Justin Bieber’s second studio album “Under the Mistletoe” is already getting pop music fans everywhere in the spirit of the season. “Under the Mistletoe” is the singer’s third album to debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 200, following “My World 2.0″ and “Never Say Never: The Remixes.”
Selling 210,000 copies in its first week, the album marks Bieber’s first recordings as a baritone. Many critics have given praise to the young singer and his collaborators for their work writing new, original Christmas songs. In the past, many artists have simply recorded new arrangements of older songs.
The album’s first single “Mistletoe”, a holiday fusion of R&B and reggae, was released on October 17, 2011. Written and produced with The Messengers, Bieber first premiered the song live on the My World Tour on October 6, 2011 in Brazil. “I should be playing in the winter snow/But I’mma be under the mistletoe/Shorty, with you,” Bieber sings. The hit song’s video features the singer singing in a snowy street.
The rest of the album is sure to satisfy Bieber’s fans during the holiday season, featuring a number of collaborations with top music stars. Bieber’s mentor, Usher, makes an appearance on the classic “Christmas Song” by Mel Torme, and Boyz II Men lend their voices to a new original, “Fa La La.”
Older pop music fans will love to hear Mariah Carey join Bieber in a duet of her 1990s hit classic “All I Want for Christmas.” “Under the Mistletoe” also features a rap rendition of “Drummer Boy”, where Bieber and Busta Rhymes retell the familiar tale of the young drummer of the bible’s nativity story. Chris Brown lends his writing skills to “Christmas Eve,” and The Band Perry’s Kimberly Perry duets with Bieber on a ballad called “Home This Christmas.”
However, in addition to this star-studded roster of original songs, Bieber also lends his voice to some classic carols. Justin pulls out all the stops for an inventive pop arrangement of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, and many have compared the rendition to the style of one of Bieber’s idols, Michael Jackson. The young singer even gives his own take on the traditional “Silent Night.”
Although certainly targeted towards a younger, Top 40 audience, Justin Bieber and friends’ celebrations of the holiday season are sure to get everyone’s heads bobbing as they deck their own halls.
For more information on the latest Christmas music releases visit http://www.christmas-songs.net.