Another Rosie Christmas
In what looks like another bid for canonization and extreme groovy hipness at the holidays, Rosie O'Donnell sends up in grand style and taste her second annual record of Christmas songs to benefit the For All Kids Foundation. The CD features a sleigh-load of leading contemporary acts and a couple of powerhouses from yesteryear. With more than $1 million going in advance to the foundation--plus proceeds from the 14 artists who sing solo or in collaboration with her bad self--who could even begin to criticize such a magnanimous project? Not even good ol' Santa Claus. Some of the coolest collaborative performances here include a rockingSmash Mouthworkout of "Nuttin for Christmas,"Macy Gray's delightfully raspy "Winter Wonderland,"Billy Gillman's (inevitable) "I'm Gonna E-mail Santa," and a live-in-Detroit version ofRobert Earl Keen's recent raucous country classic "Merry Christmas from the Family" with theDixie Chicks.Donna Summerdisco-steps to the appropriate "Rosie Christmas" andRicky Martinthreatens to upstage everyone, including solo performances fromJewel, fellow LatinoMarc Anthony, andBarry Manilow. But it's the mesmerizing lyrics and vocal gymnastics ofDestiny's Childon the hip-pop song "Spread a Little Love at Christmas" that putsAnother Rosieover the top.--Martin Keller