By the time Freddie Jackson released his first Christmas album, At Christmas, in 1994, he had already established himself as one of the finest balladeers. He had released six albums to his credit. On the album’s opening track, One Wish, Jackson collaborated with Gordon Chambers and longtime collaborator Barry Eastmond. The trio created a midtempo bop that is a suitable introduction to the album.
Jackson is at his finest in “At Christmas,” the second song on the album. In this song, Jackson passionately sings about the joys of Christmas amid a lush production backing. In the song “Under The Mistletoe,” Mr. Jackson sings playful lyrics about his affection for someone special in his life.
The last original song on the project is the message song titled “Come on Home (For Christmas).” Jackson taps into the true spirit of the holiday. This song focuses on the importance of the holiday. The pandemic taught us that family is the most meaningful thing in life, and the message of this song is still relevant today. The song is terrific, and I could easily picture it in the background of an urban Christmas film in an ideal world.
Jackson also covers Christmas classics, including “This Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “White Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silent Night,” and “O Holy Night,” throughout the project. Although Jackson sings these songs well, they could be more memorable. I would have preferred fewer covers and more originals. Nonetheless, there is enough here to offer a mild recommendation.
Final Grade: B-
At Christmas is available on all streaming platforms.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.