Earlier this month, Canadian recording artist and teen pop sensation Justin Bieber released his first Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe. This album combines original tracks by Bieber as well as famous covers that include collaborations with other singers, such as Usher. Since the release of his first albums, My World and My World 2.0, the musical styles of Bieber have improved. Even through puberty, his vocals have developed, and his musical production has matured. However, Under the Mistletoe is by no means a masterpiece.
Some of his songs on the album blend together, particularly love songs “Only Thing I Ever Get for Christmas” and “All I Want Is You.” While the first has a nice guitar harmony and the second has a slower pace, both have charming melodies that are comfortable for Bieber and aim to warm hearts of every teen girl. But thematically, the messages are mixed. “Only Thing I Ever Get for Christmas” speaks of a thankful relationship while “All I want You Is You” yearns for love. The two messages together on the same album seem contradictory; however, “All I Want Is You,” is rather popular on iTunes, and makes one wonder: Is the song the voice of Bieber or his fans?
Another popular song on iTunes is “Fa la la.” However, the track is poorly constructed. It ushers no real message, rather compiling messages stuck together to form lyrics. Although decent vocals accompany Bieber, nothing else makes the song worth listening. Bieber’s rendition of “Silent Night” is also nothing spectacular compared to the hundreds of other artists that have covered the seasonal tune.
With that said, the album is not a complete waste and does offer a few songs worth adding to holiday playlists. As the singer begins his transition to more rap music, Bieber’s cover of “Drummer Boy” is well done. And his collaboration with Mariah Carey to perform “All I Want for Christmas is You” beams positive energy and cheery demeanor.
Three original songs by the artist stand out in particular on the album. “Mistletoe” was released as a single prior to the album and blends rap and holiday music to create a poetic and fun melody. The lyrics also play on other Christmas tunes, especially in this creative verse: “Everyone’s gathering around the fire / Chestnuts roasting like a hot July.”
The success continues “Home this Christmas,” a beautiful piano tone accompanies a melodious tune that provides a message many listeners will understand: “Pacing down the hallway / Trying to fight the urge to call / I could almost hear a pin drop / Except for the clock on the wall.”
Finally, “Pray” is a special song. The song has subpar musical composition, but the lyrics really speak out. While most of Bieber’s songs on the album involve a love story or Christmas traditions, this message discusses a different angle of the holiday season: The opportunity to make a change. As the holiday season approaches, stress tends to increase. Bieber’s track questions what is important beyond the gluttonous meals and numerous gift exchanges common to the season, as he says, “I lose my appetite knowing kids starve tonight / Am I sinner, ’cause my dinner is still on my plate / Ooh I got a vision to make a difference / And it’s starting today.”
Under the Mistletoe is an improvement on Bieber’s previous work. Although the singer struggles to create a variety of songs, his vocals and messages have developed greatly. Bieber plans to release another album in 2012 titled Believe, which will again test his musical capability. For now, the singer in on an upward trend.
2.5 stars out of 5
