Leslie Odom Jr.’s Christmas Album Is Here When We Need It Most
Leslie Odom Jr. released a Christmas album and it is exactly what we needed to make this week just a little happier for the world. !
Hamilton’s own Leslie Odom Jr. announced that he’d be releasing a Christmas album earlier this year and we’ve finally gotten the full album today. But watch out, it’s a tearjerker.
The world may be falling apart but Leslie made sure we’re thinking of the holiday season ahead. With each song having a jazz twist, Odom brings new life to the holiday classics and makes us hear them in a completely new way.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
One of the saddest holiday songs we have comes to life in Odom’s rendition of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and it’ll make you tear up. The song follows the story of someone who can’t make it back home for the holidays. Whether or not you are a big holiday person, there is still something about this song that tugs at the heartstrings.
And of course Leslie puts a little jazzy twist on it. It’s still soft and beautiful but his voice is such a powerhouse that he makes you listen to every word he’s singing.
Winter Song
The beautiful classic by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson comes to life with Leslie’s rich voice. He doesn’t change it much from the original, a little more instruments but nothing too drastic. The Bareilles and Michaelson version comes with just piano so Odom’s is a little fuller but it’s his voice that makes it brilliant.
The Christmas Song
One of the most classic of Christmas songs is “The Christmas Song”. We all know the words and we are well aware of how beautiful the song is. Leslie doesn’t do much to change the song but it is still beautiful to listen to with Odom’s smooth voice.
The album runs the risk of sounding very one tone since it is only Odom singing songs many of us have known our entire lives but that doesn’t seem to be the case. It’s beautiful to listen to and an amazing collection of great songs like this one.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Starting the song off acapella, Leslie doesn’t change much to “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” but he doesn’t really have to. It is such a beautiful song and he knows that and makes this one of the most classically performed songs on the album.
He doesn’t really adjust it too much, just singing the amazing song. Towards the end, he takes a bit of it to make it his own but it is still beautiful.
Ave Maria, My Favorite Thing, The First Noel, & Merry Christmas Darling
Leslie takes his own spin on every song on the album but these four are exceptionally pretty. He keeps that classic feel to each one and makes sure the essence of the song is still there. But of course he puts his twist on it. Mainly he lets his beautiful voice take over and changes the key of many of them. It’s incredible.
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The album will definitely make you feel in the holiday spirit and reminds us all that we still have time with our families ahead of us to look forward to. Leslie Odom Jr.’s Simply Christmas album is available everywhere today.