Various Artists
Album: The Christmas Present
Label: Folkstock
Tracks: 9
Website: http://www.folkstockartsfoundation.com

Well I managed to get all the way to the 12th without hearing Slade this year, which I think is a new record and before you start shouting bah humbug! at me, it's not that I've been avoiding seasonal tunes, it's just that I'm looking for something a bit more discerning. So if you're looking for something a little festive, but don't want to get bombarded by seventies clichés or drive your shop staff mad, may I humbly recommend "The Christmas Present" from Folkstock.

Across the nine tracks you've got six quality female lead acts, Kaity Rae, Zoe Wren, Minnie Birch, Kelly Oliver, Daria Kulesh and Said The Maiden and three male ones, Garry Smith, John Farndon and Pete Guy; six original, contemporary songs, two traditional ones and a cover; two songs with a carolling tradition, three that mention snow and one that is a drinking in Camden song, so a pretty good mix it's fair to say.

The real relief about "The Christmas Present" is that it manages to avoid both the smaltzy and the forced and by that I mean all of the contemporary pieces feel like songs, rather than songs that have been written to fill a seasonal gap in the repertoire, which is actually quite pleasing. One of the reasons why the seventies songs have become ubiquitous is because that's what the music sounded like and Christmas was overlaid onto what the acts were already playing, rather than from the angle of what sounds good for the season.

"The Christmas Present" takes the best of that approach with the artists writing and performing in the style they are comfortable with and add in the seasonal touches. The result is an album that is funny and moving, thoughtful, reflective captures the spirit of the season, the ups and the reflections of the darkness of the year.

As you can imagine, "The Christmas Present" may not be an all year around piece, but unlike the Christmas jumper it's a record that you'll be able to pull out for years to come without a hint of cringe crossing the eyebrows. A Christmas album that you can genuinely feel happy playing for an extended period, now that really is a novelty. This one's a cracker.

Neil King