Songtress collection celebrates Christmas season

Throw away your Chinese zodiacs because it isn’t the Year of the Rat — it’s the Year of the Female.

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Pick up 8 Days A Week in Friday’s edition of the Morning News.

Throughout 2008, the top charts have been hogged by such names as Duffy, Katy Perry, Regina Spektor, Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash — need I go on?
The point is women were in this year, and to celebrate, Epic Records decided there was only one thing left for this estrogen-powered folk phenomenon to accomplish: a holiday compilation.

Hold your tongue if you plan on saying anything nasty because it actually sounded pretty good ... well, depending on who you are.

Metalheads beware

If you’re not a singer-songwriter person, then don’t buy this album. It’s chock- full of breathy vocals, lyrics that fade into oblivion with a single inhale, lots of empty space and plenty of introspection.

Yet, if you grew up on Janis Ian, own Joni Mitchell’s greatest hits and want Iron & Wine played at your funeral, then this album is a must-buy.
Don’t look for a different musical adventure every track. Many of the songs on this album have the same elements more or less with each artist contributing their unique bits and pieces.

One interesting element of the album is the trade-off between different musicians associated with the project. Meiko does a song that sounds like Fiona Apple, while Fiona does a song that sounds like Lenka covering a Katy Perry song. Overall, everyone ends up sounding a little bit like everyone, and it’s not that bad.

Happy Apple and ghostly ladies

Shining stars are Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson’s “Winter Song” and KT Tunstall’s “Sleigh Ride,” which have been getting major Internet play sing the album’s release in October.

Bareilles and Michaelson’s duet is masterful at creating atmosphere with legato slams on the piano, while the ladies move the song with ghostly harmonies.

Tunstall’s version of “Sleigh Ride” is fun that totters on a razor edge. Just going by the music, it sounds like a funhouse full of creepy clowns, but Tunstall keeps the song from delving into the absurd with a strong alto voice pushing the music forward.

One of the coolest renditions on the album is Fiona Apple’s version of “Frosty The Snowman.” To stick Apple with such an upbeat Christmas tune seems like a cruel joke to make her smile — and it worked.

Although the track is nothing more than Fiona’s voice and an acoustic guitar, it sells. Apple keeps the lyrics fresh and crisp with a quivering vibrato over the rockabilly acoustic guitar giving it an old time radio feel, something like a Don Reno Christmas hour with Billie Holliday singing lead.

Sore spots but worth the click

It has its sore spots, but not many. Alice Smith’s version of “Silver Bells” is too big and overwhelms the listener when perfection could have been achieved with just Smith’s sultry voice and piano resonance.

Katy Perry’s “White Christmas” is taken agonizingly slow. Many of the songs suffered from a dragging beat every so often, but Perry’s was another situation entirely. Just when you think the song has finally dragged itself to a finish, there’s still two more minutes to go.

While most might complain that some of the tracks sound the same (Catherine Freeny’s version of “Christmas Song” is quite similar to Fiona’s “Frosty”), the album is a lovely presentation with many absolutely beautiful originals set beside fantastic covers of holiday classics.

Since its an iTunes release, you can pick-and-choose your poison, and Hotel Café presents “Winter Songs” is definitely worth a couple of downloads.