As Mark said to Alisyn Camerota on Fox & Friends last Sunday, you can't beat civilizational collapse and beloved holiday standards in one segment. So, while he's been talking up After America on the airwaves, he's also been plugging his fourth annual Yuletide CD with his Sweet Gingerbread gal Jessica Martin. He discussed his "Christmas crooning" on Canadian TV with Michael Coren at Sun News, and on US radio gave a glimpse of his studio technique to Hugh Hewitt. Down Under, Andrew V says of Mark, "Not only is he one of the world's great intellects, he's a very entertaining singer as well."
Christmas CDs are an American tradition. As his friends at the Hillsdale Collegian put it, "Even immigrants like Mark Steyn have recorded Christmas albums" - because he wouldn't want to give the impression he's not assimilating or anything. Steyn's former piano-playing imam, Mullah Andrew Lawton, has filed a review of Making Spirits Bright over at the Landmark Report:
It's abundantly clear throughout the album that Jessica Martin and Mark Steyn share a very strong chemistry, demonstrated through their sometimes spoken and sometimes sung banter in many of the tracks, as well as the fun, lyrical alterations on a handful of the songs that place this album in a category of its own.
He's tactful enough not to say what that category is. Even The Edmonton Journal's cynical Todd Babiak can barely contain his excitement:
It's that time of year when I check out the latest, profoundly weird @MarkSteynOnline Christmas jams.
Making Spirits Bright offers an hour's worth of music and 12 great tracks, from a swingin' romp through Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" to the Seventies disco megamix of "A Marshmallow World". Mark & Jessica also offer a couple of New Year solos, including Jessica's "Perfect Year" (by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black) and what the Pundette calls Mark's "perfect" "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?"
All 12 songs from Making Spirits Bright are available for download at iTunes, where satisfied customer Afanon says, "His voice is so nice, and it is utterly sincerely truly 'musical' in quality and delightfulness." "Some people have too much talent," adds Ted, cryptically. You can also buy it at Amazon and CD Baby - or order the full CD in its attractive gatefold sleeve direct from the Steyn Store, where you'll also find many other musical offerings. And listen out for Mark promoting the album on the airwaves in the coming weeks.
PS Re Alisyn Camerota, Mark inveigled into singing along during his Sunday appearance. Alisyn's co-host Dave Briggs captured a few seconds on his iPhone.