Album Review: Christine Anu - Island Christmas

Favouring simple arrangements, Christine Anu takes a relaxed, sincere and distinctly Australian approach on this holiday album. Her voice is a joy to listen to and she performs these songs honestly and soulfully. Though there are a few bland moments (Auld Lang Syne, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas), she largely makes these songs her own. Silent Night features a verse in her mother’s native Torres Island language and the unaccompanied I’ll Be Home For Christmas is haunting. Joni Mitchell’s River is beautifully recreated, while Paul Kelly’s How To Make Gravy is moving as always.