Austin Marolla - Christmas Kiss (Deluxe Edition) (2018)

Comprising nine all-original holiday songs written or co-written by Austin Marolla, Christmas Kiss is a wonderfully invigorating album that brings new life to the season’s yuletide collection. With pure joy-filled infectious melodies, bright instrumentation and jingle bell’s to light the way, the soaring track “Can It Always Be Christmas” answers the question that it’s holiday album for sure, but one that you can listen to all year-round. Christmas Kiss is a cohesive collection that covers all aspects of the Christmas season, from the trivial struggle of not knowing what kind of gift to buy someone, to finding the greatest love when you lose almost everything in “Miracles.” Marolla’s fun, new holiday dance, “ The Santa Shake,” is for kids from one to ninety-two, while the ever so relatable “Big Fat Christmas,” (the sequel to ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’) allows Marolla’s comedic prowess to shine though. Marolla co-wrote one of the album’s highlights “Alone On Christmas,” a duet with collaborator Sloan Wainwright, whose production uses a prancing beat, jangling sleigh bells, and sugar-sweet harmonies to evoke the feel of 1963’s A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Specter. Joyful praise comes through loud and clear in “Sing Hallelujah,” while he tenderly touches on spiritual themes bringing the classic poem “Footprints” to life, transforming it into an inspiring pop-rock song for people of all backgrounds. The title track “Christmas Kiss,” makes for a well-rounded addition to any holiday soundtrack and for Christmas lovers all over the world. Its a holiday album, for sure, but one that needs to be heard all-year round!