Neil Diamond: The Christmas Album

1. O Come, O Come Emmanuel/We Three Kings Of Orient Are 2. Silent Night 3. Little Drummer Boy 4. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town 5. The Christmas Song 6. Morning Has Broken 7. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) 8. White Christmas 9. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 10. Jingle Bell Rock 11. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 12. Silver Bells 13. You Make It Feel Like Christmas 14. O Holy Night

Neil Diamond has always fancied himself a man of many styles, which probably helps explain why he tries to flaunt each and every one of them on this diverse, sometimes dizzying Christmas disc. He plays it relatively straight on "Silent Night" and "The Christmas Song," but really lets loose on a version of "White Christmas" that recalls the doo-wop of his teen years in the 1950s. Diamond even expands his palette to include a choir-accompanied take on John Lennon's pacifist classic "Happy Christmas (War is Over)." It's the kind of intermingling that makes his fans go wild, but casual admirers should watch out for those stylistic U-turns. --David Sprague