Annie Lennoxmas, pt. 1

I haven't gotten my promo of Annie Lennox's Christmas Cornucopia yet, but my expectations are modest. I love Eurythmics' reading of "Winter Wonderland." I appreciate that her cover of "Put A Little Love in Your Heart" with Al Green has its fans, and winds up on the occasional Christmas mix, thanks to its inclusion in Scrooged. And yet, she hasn't made a record that truly filled me with joy since 1992's Diva. Adult contemporary Annie just doesn't do it for me.

This promo doesn't completely allay my fears (when the opening piano arpeggios rolled under footage of a passing minivan, I thought I was viewing a car commercial before the actual clip, but no... that's someone's idea of "setting the mood"), but the participation of the African children's choir does give me hope that she changed the usual chestnuts up a bit. And I am a sucker for "Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant." Now if she'd just get a makeover, or at least wear "dress-up" clothes for picture day. Dear God, she looks like she just came back from a casting call for Nurse Jackie.