Josh Groban Turns His Masterful Voice to Christmas With Noel

As a rule, I’ve never been especially drawn to operatic voices, but I’ve found my appreciation for them beginning to expand lately as I’ve become enchanted with such singers as Paul Byrom and Susan Boyle. One of the first classically trained singers who really won me over was Josh Groban, who wowed me with his rendition of You Raise Me Up in late 2003 and has been on my radar ever since. In the past six years, I’ve heard many renditions of that particular song, including an outstanding one by Byrom, but my hands-down favorite is Groban’s version of the song with backing by an African children’s choir during 2007’s Idol Gives Back.

Part of Josh Groban’s appeal is his humble attitude and charitable outlook. So many of his songs are inspirational in nature, and there’s a definite air of sincerity in his renditions. This talented young man is almost exactly two weeks my junior, which makes him especially relatable. Up until the past few years, there were very few musicians my own age I admired; now, with the likes of Groban, Byrom, Clay Aiken and Ryan Kelly, they’re all coming out of the woodwork…

I’m always a sucker for a Christmas album, so when I received this as a gift from my friend Cynthia a couple years back, I was excited to hear how Josh would tackle some of my favorite holiday classics. Unsurprisingly, the tone of the album is serious, with a focus on songs of faith and celebrations of home and family. Those who love his powerful voice or well-crafted Christmas albums in general should be well pleased.

Silent Night - Josh sings the first and third verses beautifully, but the track is at its most remarkable with the second verse, when the MacDalen College Choir takes the melody and Josh harmonizes.

Little Drummer Boy - Guitarist Andy McKee does most of the percussion work on this song, especially through the first verse. Halfway through, bagpipes join in, reminding me of the military tattoo I attended when I visited Edinburgh several years ago. Pristine background vocals in this midsection add to the splendor.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas - This track has gotten a lot of airplay on the radio, and it’s probably the most poignant version of the song I’ve heard. Not only does Josh sing it beautifully, with just the right touch of wistfulness, but there are also several recorded messages from soldiers who are unable to spend Christmas with their families. This song was written during World War II, and this timely rendition really drives home the longing of families separated by war.

Ave Maria - Given Josh’s operatic leanings, this is a natural choice to include on the album, and he certainly does it justice, once again aided by the MacDalen College Choir, who provide a delicate backdrop to his powerful vocals.

Angels We Have Heard on High - Another acoustic guitar-driven track, this one really takes off when Brian McKnight joins him for a soulful duet.

Thankful - This lovely original written especially for this album by Carol Bayer Sager and David Foster, who produced Noel, expresses both the desire and the need to be thankful, as well as the drive to respond to one‘s blessings by doing something proactive for others. Like John Bucchino’s Grateful, it’s an ideal Thanksgiving anthem, but it applies wonderfully to Christmas. “It's up to us to be the change / And even though we all can still do more / There's so much to be thankful for.”

The Christmas Song - A pretty basic version of this song, with strings in prominence and Josh sticking close to the melody except in the last verse, when he branches out a bit.

What Child Is This? - I like Lucia Micarelli’s violin work on this track, and Dean Parks provides some nice guitar accompaniment. It’s a shame that a commonly sung verse is skipped, and I’m not sure how I feel about the echoey effects in the last verse, but on the whole it’s a nice rendition.

The First Noel - I’ve yet to find a version of this song that I like better than Clay Aiken’s on American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics, but Josh’s duet with Faith Hill is quite nice, with an interestingly jazzy feel to it toward the end. The jubilant choir also adds a nice touch.

Petit Papa Noel - This song is a kick for me because we used to sing the chorus in my middle school French classes, and I’d never heard it anywhere else. It’s rather funny to hear Josh singing it with such solemn sincerity, since I always thought of it as kind of a silly song, the French equivalent of Jolly Old St. Nicholas. There’s a disconnect between the subject matter and the ostentatious arrangement. But it makes me smile. And want to dust off my old French dictionary.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Josh actually plays the piano on this one, which is neat, since I was unaware he played an instrument. It reminds me of Art Garfunkel playing the piano on Simon and Garfunkel’s Silent Night, a little-known contribution. I also like the addition of the choir toward the end.

Panis Angelicus - The second Latin song on the album. It’s hard to say whether I prefer his powerhouse rendition or the delicate version by Chloe Agnew on Celtic Woman - A Christmas Celebration, but it’s very suited to his voice.

O Come All Ye Faithful - The organ and the presence of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on this track make it sound very much like a recording of a candelit Christmas Eve service - albeit at a much bigger church than the one I attend. A reverent way to end the album.

If I have one complaint about Noel, it’s with the liner notes, which are printed in all caps in an extremely tiny font. On top of that, there’s insufficient contrast between the background color and the text color, particularly during Josh’s page-long note at the back. It’s gold on burgundy, which looks majestic but is nearly impossible to read. But if my eyes are a little unhappy with this CD, my ears certainly aren’t. Josh Groban’s Noel is everything a Christmas album should be.