Melissa Carper’s on a roll. This Americana/queer country standout has made three critically acclaimed solo albums (Ramblin’ Soul, Daddy’s Country Gold and Borned In Ya), plus a couple with the band Sad Daddy, one as the anchor of the Wonder Women of Country trio, and now a major label release of duets with Theo Lawrence. And probably some I don’t know about. Traditionally the next step would be either a live album or a Christmas album, and voila! Here’s her charming entry into the Americana holiday sweepstakes.
A Very Carper Christmas is brimming with Carper’s sly wit, country tinged sentiment and occasional winking irreverence. It’s a tour of all the different kinds of country songs you can think of, from kids’ songs about puppies and missing front teeth to lusty country soul, Western swing, folk, a hip-swiveling Cajun waltz and even a bit of a Latin vibe, all on the holiday theme. It’s perfectly sequenced, too, bookended by “Plug In The Tree” and “The Day After Christmas,” with all of the holiday high and low points sandwiched in between.
The fare leans heavily into Western swing, of course — to be expected when Carper’s hot studio band of Nashville and Austin cohorts includes the likes of Emily Gimble on piano and Katie Shore on fiddle — right from the opening track, the jaunty two-step in which Carper’s ready to “Plug In The Tree” on the day after Thanksgiving. Others in this vein include the romantic “Sit By A Fire With You,” the honky-tonk weeper “It’s Not Hard To Write A Christmas Card,” the warm hearted “Made With Love,” and the wryly clever “Dumpster Divin’ On Christmas Eve.”
The full meal deal of Texas swing is liberally sprinkled with tasty side dishes like the soulful “Please Come Home For Christmas,” the Latin lounge vibe of “Cats In The Christmas Tree,” the funky Memphis soul of “Cruisin’ In Santa’s Sleigh,” the warm pop waltz of “Christmas Memories,” the folksy “Just One Stocking,” and the nostalgic Cajun waltz “Christmas In New Orleans” with Jeff Taylor on accordion. It’s not Christmas without some kids’ songs, and here we find a over of the classic “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” and an original ballad “I Want A Dog For Christmas.” Oh, and novelty songs, represented here by “Oh Cheeseball,” which satirizes both old hymns and modern commercial holiday muzak to great effect. Put a bow on it with the soulful “The Day After Christmas” with some sweet Rhodes piano, a bit of sax, and some Steve Cropper-inspired guitar fills, and it’s another winning effort from Melissa Carper and her team.
(Soundly Music, 2025)
