Holiday Hearts - A CD Review by Bianca Shreeve

This is a commentary of a real CD reviewed in last winter's newsletter. Considering the relevance to the season and the exceptionally good writing, we've decided to post it again and encourage all you holiday go-getters to buy, buy, buy Orrin Hatch's "Holiday Hearts!"

Holiday Hearts - A CD Review by Bianca Shreeve

What could possibly make your holiday parties more lively and entertaining than Orrin Hatch? If you answered “absolutely nothing” then you are correct! This past Christmas, I shelved my Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas album for our beloved senator’s latest compilation of festive ditties, Holiday Hearts. When he isn’t fighting flag burners or staunchly defending the tie between Saddam Hussein and September 11th, Senator Hatch is creating platinum-selling records that guarantee some serious toe-tapping. And his latest Christmas effort could even convince that cantankerous Ted Kennedy
to bust a move.

Now before you kids get all excited, Mr. Hatch doesn’t actually provide vocals on this album. In fact, half of these songs aren’t original, or are only co-written by the senator. (He left singing and most composing up to actual “musicians.”) However, right at the beginning Orrin and Friends get things kicking with the album-titled song “Holiday Hearts”, which I could have sworn was sung by Clay Aiken himself. With the first track alone, I met my holiday cliche? quota (horseshoes, bells, holly, snow, etc.). At first listen, I was already in the Christmas spirit.

The album also includes hard-to-screw-up classics like “Jingle Bells” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. Even Christmas favorite “Greensleeves” makes it on the record, led mostly by electric guitar. (Blasphemy or kick a** guitar licks? You decide!) On “When the Elves Come Out to Play” a soulful vocalist almost makes you forget that an old, white guy actually wrote it. What great holiday fun!

Remember, next Christmas is only 350 days away. It is a great buy for the Utah Republican or right- wing conservative on your list and is a huge hit at white elephant gift parties. Bound to make any heathen liberal a true believer, Orrin Hatch’s Holiday Hearts album goes down nice and easy, just like Grandma’s fruitcake.

The appearance of Orrin Hatch’s name and the word “fruitcake” in this review is purely coincidental and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Young Democrats of Utah. We promise.