Carole King's first studio album in over ten years, A Holiday Carole, opens on a familiar note with a light, jazzy take on Rodgers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things." King's daughter Louise Goffin produced the album and co-wrote the three original pieces, which include the Latin-tinged "Christmas Paradise," the free and easy "Christmas in the Air," and the lovely closing ballad "New Year's Day," and while they may not be as instantly familiar as "Carol of the Bells," "Sleigh Ride," or "Do You Hear What I Hear," they blend in well amidst the yuletide standards. Fueled by King's laid-back delivery and precise diction, A Holiday Carole, which represents the first seasonal release from the pop legend, breezes by without a whole lot of pomp and circumstance, touching on multiple genres while remaining true to both the holiday spirit and the singer's distinctive cadence. ~ James Christopher Monger