A Motown Christmas

Most holiday songs, as shameless cash grabs churned out for the gift-giving season, are bad. If Christmas music is a genre, then it’s one chock with the maudlin: strings and bells, three-quarters of the time, and half-century-old lyrics designed to prey on nostalgia. But there are exceptions. Anyone familiar with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Holiday, or The Jackson 5’s Christmas Album, knows how to properly DJ an open-roasting fire: with tunes that celebrate the season in name only, and otherwise properly prioritize a groove. That’s exactly what’s offered by “A Motown Christmas”, which stars The Motown Experience, a vocal group consisting of alumni of The Temptations, The Miracles, The Capitols, and other legendary Detroit collectives. The group’s repertory pays sufficient homage to the holidays, but they don’t limit themselves: The best notes they land come from their non-seasonal fare, and in highlighting these classic songs—not to mention their signature harmonies and choreography—they spark far more cheer than Andy Williams ever did.