Songs For Christmas
by Sufjan Stevens
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    100
    The season's most thrilling holiday release. [1 Dec 2006, p.85]
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  2. Observer Music Monthly
    100
    The result splendidly combines piety with celebration and musical tradition with creative boldness.
  3. The A.V. Club
    91
    Both hauntingly beautiful and a helpful summary of Stevens' career to date.
  5. Drowned In Sound
    90
    Songs for Christmas is beautiful.
  6. AllMusic
    80
    There are moments of quirky holiday splendor -- moments akin to some of the best material on Greetings from Michigan and Illinoise -- that make plowing through the entire five-EP set a pleasure.
  7. BBC collective
    80
    This only occasionally matches the breathtaking splendour of last year's …Illinoise! but with its modest price and immodest extras only Scrooge could fail to have his heart warmed.
  8. Playlouder
    80
    This isn't really a party record, more of a reflective, late night curled up on the couch with a loved one record.
  9. Dot Music
    80
    "Songs For Christmas" is a(nother) labour of love, gently glowing with hope and humanity and is thus guaranteed to prize cynicism's barnacles from the heart of even the most dedicated Scrooge.
  10. Uncut
    80
    The tone is generally one of mild encouragement, of jollying-along the reluctant participants in this most fraught of celebrations, as indicated by titles like "Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!" and "It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad!".
  11. Mojo
    80
    This is largely a quality-controlled treat. [Jan 2007, p.112]
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  12. Pitchfork
    75
    By the last two discs, the songwriter finds more success in being less reverent.
  13. Amazon.com
    70
    A perfect gift for the Christmas-inclined indie rockster.
  14. Q Magazine
    70
    The good news is Songs For Christmas isn't the self-indulgent folly it may appear. [Jan 2007, p.152]
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  15. Under The Radar
    70
    True fans will relish the little details. [#16, p.97]
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Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Best Album of 2006

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 34 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 34
  3. Negative: 2 out of 34
  1. willc
    Jul 22, 2007
    10
    Its been seven months since I purchased this cd set and Im still listening to it regularly. This album is ridiculously good.
  2. Sandra
    Jan 8, 2007
    8
    So maybe he could've condensed the five cd's onto two...Sufjan tends towards being encyclopedic, so get over it. The music is so So maybe he could've condensed the five cd's onto two...Sufjan tends towards being encyclopedic, so get over it. The music is so enjoyable, there are some wonderful influences, like old Tennessee blues and good-ol' American folk music. This set made me fall in love with Christmas music, and is such a relieve from the stuff they play in the stores starting at Thanksgiving. It's the only Sufjan I've heard, and definitely makes me yearn for more.… Full Review »
  3. huigv
    Jan 6, 2007
    9
    good for 12 months of christmas a year!
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