Artist:  David Archuleta

Thanks to Archuleta's stellar pipes, the season is merry and bright.

While a holiday album is still a rather curious choice for an artist's sophomore project, especially when the debut performed respectably like David Archuleta's did, traditional Christmas songs are actually a pretty great match for the American Idol alum's vocal range.

So perhaps, it really was a genius move after all.

But the proof's in the singing, of course, and Archuleta showcases tremendous diversity whether he sticks with tradition on the string-laden opening cut "Joy to the World" or gets a little experimental on "Pat-A-Pan," which is basically the French equivalent of "The Little Drummer Boy" tale. And while the thought of someone from American Idol singing in French might seem rather cringe-worthy, Archuleta actually pulls it off convincingly.

Equally captivating is another oddball choice, "Riu Riu Chiu," a rather somber tune that's sung in Spanish. But thanks to those smooth, polished vocals of Archuleta's, the song really sticks with you, even with repeated listens, which is usually a sign of its timeless quality.

Ultimately opting for more sacred than secular reflections of the season, "What Child Is This," "The First Noel," "Silent Night" and "O Holy Night" are all performed beautifully with fantastic arrangements to boot. But then again when The City of Prague's Philharmonic Orchestra is involved, how bad can a familiar carol be, right?

Sadly, the only misstep on an otherwise engaging yuletide effort is the track that Archuleta helped co-write, the title track "Christmas from the Heart." Not only do clichés abound in the ho-hum lyrics, but the song is ultimately so generic that it's hard imagining that anyone would experience any of those warm and happy feelings that good Christmas music usually conjures up.

But hey, one lackluster track out of 13 definitely isn't bad. If anything Archuleta's Christmas from the Heart proves yet again that he's a viable new voice on the music scene. Yes, for once, America seems to have gotten it right.

**This review first published on October 29, 2009.