Kokia - Christmas GIft (2008) [Hi-Res]

At the end of a marathon year of releases on Wasabi Records (she had released the classical crossover album The Voice early in the year and the Irish-themed Fairy Dance in the fall), Kokia's Christmas Gift collected a wide array of Christmas standards. Both religious hymns and secular Christmas classics are represented along with a couple of more surprising items -- a cover of Queen's "Teo Torriatte" (which notably includes a couple of Japanese verses) and a soft and touching rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." -- Adam Greenberg