Review #1: Genesis & "Home For Christmas" (1998) by *NSYNC

You may be wondering how we got here. As all good things begin, the idea for this blog came because of a boy I think is cute. In this case, said boy is a conductor in his late 20s making the rounds in various articles that are frequently recommended to me by Google. While reading a few reviews of his recent performance at Carnegie Hall, I was struck with wistful jealousy. I realized how much I love reviewing things (something that shouldn’t have been much of a surprise, considering how seriously I take my book reviews on Goodreads). A friend said to me, “Julia, if you like reviewing things so much, you should just start a blog.” And, it turns out, there is no rule that says you can’t just try to do something for a little while because it sounds fun. So here it is: a blog dedicated to me reviewing things. Thanks for coming.

Review #1: “Home for Christmas” (1998) by *NSYNC

I recently attended a friend’s Merry-oke party (Christmas karaoke, for the uninitiated) and at that hallowed event I discovered a horrible gap in my education. Somehow I had lived all of my life without hearing NSYNC’s unmatched Christmas album “Home for Christmas”!!!

As you can imagine, I hastened to correct this gross oversight. To my delight, the songs in this album somehow manage to say absolutely nothing meaningful at all while still capturing a certain je ne sais quois of the Christmas season that I don’t think has quite been expressed in the same way since. From its eponymous first track, to an obvious rip-off of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, to a dance pop final track ushering us past Christmas and to the New Year, each song was just as cheesy and full of 90s boyband angst as the next. Dare I say the perfect album?

Because each song carried its own delights, I have endeavored to make a comprehensive list of my opinions on each as they stand both individually and collectively.

Track 1: Home For Christmas

Perfect first track for the album. Perhaps the best first track of any album, ever. The build in energy through the first verse and chorus is so excellent. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” has nothing on the pure longing exhibited in this song. So much complexity in the vocals–everybody had a job to do, rent was due, and they paid it. The bridge gripped me and took me on a wonderful ride through the first of many great key changes in this album–a key change that on paper isn’t anything too special, just moving up a step from A major to Bb major, but the vocals take us through in such an exciting way: JC Chasez’s riff at the end of the bridge lands us on an E (the 5th scale degree in A major) and then leaps up a tritone to a Bb, which is the root of the new key signature. Just listen to it and you’ll hear how masterfully done it is. Outro just long enough to really jam but not so long that you’re left thinking “wow, that song could have been a minute shorter.” I have nothing to criticise here.

Track 2: Under My Tree

This track has perhaps provoked the most thought–and definitely the most consternation–of any track on the album. I truly enjoyed the laid-back 6/8 groove and genuinely think both the verse and chorus are super fun to listen to. The lyrics are where my concern is provoked. Let’s get into this.

It's that time of year

Christmas is here

Everybody's back together again

Spreading the joy

Spreading good cheer

Toastin' to another year's end

So thankful for

All of our friends

Solid start. Big fan of getting everyone back together to spread some good holiday cheer. I too am so thankful for all of my friends. Let’s see where this goes.

When the party is over

The night's just begun

I promise the best part is

Yet to come

Slow dance together

Two become one

That's what we've waited all day for…

Very sweet! Spending time as just the two of them at the end of a long day of Christmas partying! The vocals from Chris Kirkpatrick in this section are just the right amount of smokiness without singing off the voice.

No one else but me and you

Nothing I would rather do

Than hold you all through the night

Under my tree

Bring along the mistletoe

Keep the music nice and slow

I'll show you how good it could be…

I wish that Santa could be here to see

It's beautiful under my tree

Okay, so while the lyrics previously indicated that they were slow-dancing, the logistics are not working out here. It does not seem like there’s space for slow-dancing underneath a Christmas tree. Potentially, they slow-danced at first and then decided to just “hold” each other under the tree after that “all through the night.” Does not seem too comfortable. Subtext is telling me that there was maybe something more serious than “holding” going on there. AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, then why on earth would you wish for Santa to be here to see that. Requesting Santa’s presence is not a normal wish in any romantic situation, I’m afraid.

All that being said, despite some concerning connotations, this is one of my favorite songs on the album.

Track 3: I Never Knew the Meaning of Christmas

Powerful reminder that Christmas is about MUCH more than what we buy or where we are–it’s about the people we care about. Epic use of “fa la la”s on this track; very festive and tasteful. And how can you argue with lyrics like “I wished on a star, and girl here you are.” Classic!

Track 4: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

This song is like an ad for Christmas cheer that repeats like 4 times. I swear they list practically every Christmas-related activity or sentiment you can think of. While I feel like I gain absolutely nothing by listening to this song, the listen is certainly not an unpleasant experience.

Track 5: The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)

As it stands on its own, this is a pretty uninspired cover of one of thee most covered Christmas songs in modern repertoire. Not a bad rendition, but not a particularly notable one. However, as it stood in the album, I did sort of enjoy having a familiar palate cleanser in between all these great original songs.

Track 6: I Guess It’s Christmas Time

They seem unsure. They’re willing to give in to the simple joys of Christmas goodwill, but not quite ready to fully commit yet. Can this feeling TRULY… be Christmas time??

Musically, I don’t think the first verse and chorus would have been too out of place in A Muppet Christmas Carol, but, respectfully, that masterpiece has better lyrics than this. The addition of the drums at the start of verse two does add some groove that the beginning was lacking–but it’s not enough to make up for the deficiencies in this song, and the material here is horribly repetitive. Not my favorite track, but the sheer cheese of this song is notable.

Track 7: All I Want Is You (This Christmas)

Starts off very strong. Good drum groove. Saxophone. Moody vocals. Are the lyrics practically direct rip-offs of Mariah’s song of a similar title? Yes. Do I care at all? Yes I do, but in the opposite direction than you might think–I actually love this song MORE for its unapologetic parodying of a classic hit such as “All I Want For Christmas Is You”.

The bridge is pure dopamine AND it’s followed by a sax solo?? COME ON! Many other tracks had a great key change near the end, and I believe that something similar here would be the only thing that could elevate this incredible song.

Track 8: The First Noel

It behooves us all to remember the reason for the season. In the midst of all these romantic holiday jams, this cover of “The First Noel” reminds us that you can also jam while singing about Jesus–and thank goodness for that.

Track 9: In Love on Christmas

Incredibly groovy “jingle bells” groove to start off this masterpiece of a love song. The sheer angst of these vocals and lyrics… truly powerful. The first verse sets the Christmas scene, but it was the second verse that really started hitting home for me.

Last year, Christmas, it happened without us

I was all mixed up and confused

I didn't know what to do, baby (what to do, babe)

I never thought I'd feel this way

I always thought that Christmas was a happy day

I always prayed that Santa'd pack love on a sleigh

And send it my way...

Wishing, I pray to be in love

On Christmas

Because Christmas love gives me that feeling

Wishing, I pray to be in love on Christmas

(Everybody needs love, my baby)

Because everybody should be in love with somebody on Christmas

These lyrics resonated with me. Christmas is time in which loved ones gather close… but what about those of us who are forever the third wheel? Left behind in the circle of love? “Mixed up and confused”?? This reviewer, too, is praying that Santa will pack love on his sleigh this Christmas season. However, despite a large bulk of the following lyrics going on to express happiness now that love has been found, a closer look will prove that that love is not only romantic in nature; cherished relationships between family and friends are also an integral part of our festive joy.

So, while my Christmas wish is for me to look back on this season one year from now in a similar situation as the person singing this song (“Me holding you and you holding me, baby”), I will take comfort in the relationships I already have–“because everybody should be in love with somebody on Christmas.”

(Side note: later in the song, there’s a familiar sentiment from a previous track on this album… “And I am yours and you are mine / Ooh, when you're kissing me / Right under my Christmas tree / Baby, come close to me / 'Cause this is how it should be…” WHY are they so interested in hanging out underneath the Christmas tree?? Maybe–hopefully–I’ll understand next year.)

Track 10: It’s Christmas

On track 6 we were tentative but hopeful. No longer. No more of this “I GUESS” it’s Christmas time. IT IS CHRISTMAS!

The lyrics on this track are fascinating because somewhat like the Songs of Solomon contained within the Old Testament, many of these lyrics, while clearly being meant in a romantic sense, could also be intended to the purpose of lauding our Savior Jesus Christ. Hear me out:

I'm so glad that you came my way

From a million stars, here you are

I swear your love is mine

And somehow, I knew that you were made for me

And I can't believe that my wish came true

I'll never let you go, baby

    See what I mean?

            Track 11: O Holy Night

    Unlike the other two covers in this album, I thought this one stood up as a valuable contribution to the O Holy Night universe. The harmonies and rhythms were tight. The crooning was smooth. It works.

    Track 12: Love’s in Our Hearts on Christmas Day

    A truly great melody, interesting harmonies, and some of the most emotionally complex lyrics we’ve seen here so far makes this one of the most heartwrenching tracks on the album. This one got me feeling moody and sentimental for real. I genuinely esteem this song.

    Track 13: The Only Gift

    This song feels like the other half of the narrative introduced through the titular first song “Home For Christmas”, a narrative also touched in “All I Want Is You (This Christmas)” and the previous song, “Love’s in Our Hearts on Christmas Day”. The lyrics focus on that feeling when everything is just right except that you’re missing that one person who will make Christmas feel complete. Does a great job at transitioning us from the poignancy of the previous song into the effulgency of the next.

Also, one of the highlights of the song is a point in which singer Lance BASS takes the melody down to some pretty low… BASS… notes… You can’t make this stuff up, folks. That’s pure musicianship.

    Track 14: Kiss Me at Midnight

    All of the sheer dance pop joy you could ever need at Christmas–AND EVEN BETTER, because this song can be listened to past Christmas and into the New Year. Listening to this did to my brain what eating Pixie Stix does to my body: pure sugar high. But in the case of this song, the crash only comes when I know that I can’t keep listening to this song forever. At least I can just start the album back over again.

    AND GET THIS: the epic key change at the end of this song is almost EXACTLY the same as in “Home for Christmas”, but done in different enough of a way that it feels fresh. Like “Home for Christmas”, this song also starts in A major and modulates up to Bb major at the end of the bridge. What differentiates this modulation is that in this case, JC sings a much more chromatic line all the way through the key change, ending the bridge on a G#/Ab, which IS within the A major scale but not found in Bb major, thus making the listener feel off-balanced until the whole crew comes in solidly on the chorus in the new key. In both this case and in “Home for Christmas”, the vocal line leads us through the modulation in simple but unexpected ways, which bring a real energy and excitement to the listening experience. I guess A and Bb were good key signatures for these guys to sing in.

    Overall, can’t say any more than what has been said about what a positive experience I had encountering this album for the first time. If you have not had the blessing of listening to these works of art, I strongly encourage you to remedy the situation as soon as possible. Your Christmas season will be the better for it.

Thanks for the read, and please reach out if you’d like to discuss this music or offer a recommendation for my next review!