A Mary Christmas
| Mary J. Blige
A Mary Christmas
A Mary Christmas is the eleventh studio album and first Christmas album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige. Produced by David Foster, it was released on October 15, 2013 via Matriarch, Interscope and Foster's Verve Records, compromising soulful interpretations of classic holiday tunes such as "Little Drummer Boy", "Do You Hear What I Hear " and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Upon its release, the album received generally mixed reviews amongst critics. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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The Gaurdian
Sadly, though, this serves mainly to highlight the fact that no amount of gusto or dazzling technique will ever render a big-band version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer listenable.
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Slant Magazine
Track after track aim for an unequivocal comfort zone, which in Blige’s world may as well be uncanny valley.
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All Music
It's a full-effort holiday release that many of her fans should be able to enjoy for several years
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Rated RnB
Although the album is great overall, there are two lows to point out.
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Soul Tracks
With first-rate musicianship and an unquestionable respect for the material, A Mary Christmas will certainly stand the test of time.
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Funk My Soul
Mary J. Blige has done an amazing job on this Christmas CD. Enjoy!
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Renowned for Sound
It deserves to be recognized as a thoughtful and well-crafted holiday album.
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Chris Hanna
A Mary Christmas could have been much better.
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Baby to boomer
There are so many fabulous songs that it’s hard to pick a favorite.
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SAC Cultural Hub
Something that would be very special, and would perhaps be outside of her comfort zone, but not outside of what she’s capable of.
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Independent UK
One hardly looks to Mary J Blige for restraint, but here the combination with David Foster’s orchestrations adds an extra layer of icing to an already sickly cake.
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Mama Mission
The whole album collection was outstanding. The music was warm and loving and soft tuned for the whole family to enjoy.
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Cheap is the New Classy
So here is something to be thankful for this holiday season – Mary J Blige has released “A Mary Christmas” to help you celebrate your holiday with class.
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A Sweet Potato Pie
There are a few go-to Christmas albums I bring back each year and I will be adding this CD to my playlist.
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Hot New Hip Hop
Mary's take on classic holiday songs.
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HiFi Magazine
At best, she’s only doing what’s already been done before and hardly adding anything new
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Times of India
Although this is one of many Christmas albums, it definitely deserves a place on your playlist.
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Kettle Magazine
Initially I approached this album with a feeling of uncertainty, but by the finale I was pleasantly surprised.
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Financial Times
But the seriousness carries a price – namely dullness
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Christopher Long
However, A Mary Christmas is a true gem — one that easily will appeal to Blige's hipster audience and traditionalists alike.
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Irish Times
A Mary Christmas will be a welcome addition to FM holiday playlists, but for your personal collection stick to the classics.
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See Mom Click
The music is awesome because she’s such a talented singer, but more than that I find it moving…which is just what the Christmas season is all about.
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Kelly's Thoughts on Things
Each voice is unique and Mary’s resonates with captivating influence. Mary chose her songs well for her first Christmas CD.
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Soulhead
While Blige’s take does not venture far from the classics, she preserves the magic of the holiday.
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Huffington Post
Blige owns each song and makes each song a Mary J. Blige version.
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