Songs For Christmas

Never one to lack ambition, indie-pop hero Sufjan Stevens takes the tried-and-true holiday album to a new level with this 2006 five-disc Christmas box set. A mix of Stevens originals and Yuletide classics recorded between 2001 and '06, the collection presents the amiable singer/multi-instrumentalist performing festive self-penned tunes such as the bouncy, piano-driven "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!" and the White Stripes-referencing, ELO-influenced "Get Behind Me, Santa!" along with no less than three versions of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." While five discs may seem exhausting to some, for those who adore both Christmas and Stevens, this lovingly assembled compilation makes for hours of smart, celebratory fun.

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