Album Review: Brett Eldredge - “Glow”

Talented country vocalist/songwriter takes a big band approach on his first Christmas album release.

Renowned in Nashville for his live shows as both a singer of his own songs and the great American song book sung in the style of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, Brett Eldredge could’ve gone one or two ways when he was given the chance to check off his bucket list and record a Christmas album. He chose the latter. And it’s a smart choice. Big band production (a full concert orchestra) and Sinatra-style jazzy vocals give Glow a timeless feel.

Consisting of 10 yuletide classics and one new song (the title track), Glow sparkles as much as it glows with warmth. Brett Eldredge proves how good of a vocalist he is by singing a style that’s actually really, really hard to sing consistently. By recording with the big band in New York City, the album feels like it comes from a time warp. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” instantly showcase this, the former with a lot of verve and the latter a sultry radio-ready duet with equally talented vocalist Meghan Trainor. “Glow” is the kind of new song all artists try to strive for. Not only does this new tune fit the record, it likely will be oft-recorded in the years to come (and it was written by Brett with longtime friend Ross Copperman too.)

The ballads like “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “The First Noel” and “The Christmas Song” clearly showcase a man who is able to croon these timeless songs in a way Brett Eldredge’s longtime fans probably didn’t expect (unless they’ve seen him put on his Sinatra hat before). There’s simply nothing to dislike about Glow if you like Christmas music. Fans of the rootsy, rustic Christmas Music of Alan Jackson or Randy Travis may not like it as much as those classic albums but Glow is a record that is flat out phenomenal and the Target Deluxe edition with 3 bonus track may be the one to buy (so you get more). Either way, this is a classic and timeless yuletide addition to anyone’s Christmas music playlist and collection.

BrettEldredge Glow

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