Review: “Christmas In My Heart” by Sarah Connor (CD, 2005)

Today’s festive Pop Rescue find, is the 2005 Christmas album Christmas In My Heart by German singer and songwriter Sarah Connor. Will this album be all your heart desires, or will it give you heartburn? Read on…

Sarah Connor - Christmas In My Heart (2005) album. — Sarah Connor – Christmas In My Heart (2005) album.

This CD doesn’t appear to open with the advertised track on the tray insert or booklet of The Best Side Of Life… so whilst I can merrily read all the lyrics, the track is missing from this edition. Instead, we’re straight in to track two Ave Maria. Here, Sarah Connor is straight into this track and her vocals sound wonderfully pure and all encompassing. As the track progresses, a soft synth pad swells around her, and a piano drops in too. At 1m 56s and drum machine arrives to give us a little bit of an R&B beat that might make Mariah Carey flinch. Sarah continues without distraction, now singing in English, and sounds fantastic here against this simple track. We’re off to a great start.

Next up is lead single and titular track Christmas In My Heart, which leads us gently into a breathy vocal intro to this ballad. Synth strings help to underscore the emotive lyrics. The track plods along quite nicely and the contrast between Sarah’s vocals and the uncredited male vocalist works really well. As the song progresses, Sarah really gets to show off her vocal range and power – and she doesn’t hold back (aiming for a Celine Dion/Mariah Carey lovechild territory). It’s a big loved up Christmas song and it works well once it gets going.

That’s followed by Be Thankful which the artwork informs us is inspired by Von Himmel Hoch. In this track we hear Sarah tackle a song that sounds much more like a traditional Christmas song. She also throws in some of those snarly Christina Aguilera types of vocal signatures. It’s a bit dull.

Then it’s White Christmas, and for a moment I am made to imagine that Sarah has updated her doorbell to be a bit Christmassey. Within moments though, she’s on the microphone to sing this familiar old song over a mid-tempo drum machine beat. The bells return, as a breathy spoken section sees Sarah recalling memories before the big dramatic key change. Once again, her voice shines perfectly.

Sweet Is The Song is next, inspired by Susser Die Glocken Nie Klingen. This gives us a really nice bluesy piano that sort of tip-toes with some strings around an R&B beat and attitude-laden vocals from Sarah. The chorus of the track allows us to hear her singing what feels like a nice Christmas song and it flows seamless from the R&B verses and choruses. The backing vocals and harmonies once again allow her to show off her Aguilera style vocals, and you can tell that it’s just brimming with energy.

Following that is some little chimes that cheerfully tease us into A Ride In The Snow. Whilst the track is really upbeat and soft about snow, it does sound like it’s actually a summer song with the acoustic guitars and percussion instruments. It ‘sounds’ like there’s no snow here. It’s pretty catchy though and a load of fun.

Next is The Christmas Song, and this classic Christmas hit gets a wonderfully charming and warm re-make here. A simple beat drops in and Sarah’s vocals and the backing vocals sound magnificent. The instruments step back to gently allow her lovely vocals to shine once again. This really should be heard more. Lovely stuff!

Then we’re on to Why Does It Rain, which doesn’t sound Christmas-like by title at all. It’s inspired by a song with a wonderful title Schneeflockchen Weissrockchen. Whatever that means, what we get is a little melodic acoustic track with guitar and later some tinkling pianos, and Sarah’s vocals sit beautifully against this simple song.

Tonight’s The Night is next, and electric guitars tease with a repeated riff of A Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin… but that’s not at all what we’ve got here. Instead, we’re hearing about ‘the Lord’ whilst Sarah shows off some more stronger and harder vocals. She’s throwing down her Aguilera-esque growl as the track grows towards a rock-gospel sound with vinyl scratching thrown in. It’s quite a funky track.

That’s followed by A New Kingdom which gives us Sarah back to a sort of Mariah Carey-sounding slow plodding track. Sadly, whilst Sarah gives it her big vocals, the track itself is pretty dull and rambling.

A music box and then some piano chords lead us into Come Together, as violins and storytelling continues as an R&B beat drops in. Sarah’s vocals sit well here with the beat as a mournful set of strings frame some downbeat and reflective lyrics. It sort of works even if it feels a bit odd to be so miserable in a Christmas song.

The album closes with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, and the piano sounds great alongside Sarah’s vocals on this track. A double bass drops in to add to the sound, and you really get the impression that Sarah is beaming whilst recording this. Her voice is warm, rich, and flawless. The music is jazzy and this combines to make this the perfectly warm and cosy ending to her Christmas album. Excellent!

Sarah Connor’s lead single ‘Christmas In My Heart’ (2006).

Verdict

Over all, this is a wonderfully made Christmas album with a cosy atmosphere and occasional contemporary twist that works well.

Having never heard of Sarah Connor until finding this album, I was unsure of what to expect. What I found is a vocalist that has a wonderfully warm and flawless vocal, performing a set of familiar, new, and new-to-me songs that made me feel cosy and reminiscent of Christmasses of before.

Highlights here are certainly The Christmas Song, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, and White Christmas. She takes these classic hits and delivers a shining perfect re-make with seemingly great ease. There are lower points here – and these are led by A New Kingdom, which just feels dull and disjointed, but it isn’t to a level that spoils any of the tracks around it.

I’d likely hunt down some more of her work to see how her usual sound works, but the beautiful vocals, and the glimpses of the Mariah, Celine, and Christina styles make this album feel familiar enough to warrant hearing more of her.

Definitely a Christmas album worth hearing.