Album of the Day

Few performers have the range of Linda Ronstadt and A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS underscores that. The collection – her final studio release for Elektra/Asylum after nearly three decades with the label – includes such seasonal chestnuts as “White Christmas” (a duet with the great Rosemary Clooney), but there's also the Spanish-sung “Xicochi, Xicochi” and a remarkably effective Joni Mitchell cover (“River”). Much of the collection is devoted to traditional English and Welsh carols; Linda's warm voice and the accompanying choral arrangements bring a spectral beauty to favorites like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and the closing “Silent Night.” It's easy to see why A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS was among the most successful holiday albums of 2000 – it's a stocking stuffer any music lover would enjoy.