Nov. 1 marked the beginning of the holiday season for two reasons: Starbucks' holiday cups and the release of Justin Bieber's Under the Mistletoe. It's been over a year and a half since My World 2.0, and Bieber's voice is noticeably deeper. Yes, Justin Bieber finally went through puberty. Despite his inevitable hormonal change, he does not seem to have lost much of his vocal range at all. Bieber worked diligently over the past year with the same vocal coach who successfully helped Usher through a similar point in his career.
Bieber demonstrates surprising vocal maturity on Under the Mistletoe, particularly in his duet with Mariah Carey on "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Although it is her song, Bieber is not outshone by pop diva Carey. Bieber also successfully emulates Stevie Wonder's silky vocals on the album's last track, "Someday At Christmas." Bieber's seductive crooning in his duet with Usher on "The Christmas Song" frankly made me wish I were Selena Gomez. Bieber and his mentor smoothly blend together and prove they each have a big voice behind their star image.
In general, the original material on the album was noticeably weaker than the rest. The weakest track was Bieber's collaboration with Busta Rhymes, "Drummer Boy," which was painful to listen to. Although Bieber has successfully collaborated with hip-hop artists like Kanye West and Ludacris in the past, this track sounded out of his comfort zone, like he was trying to make himself and Christmas music something that they're not. Busta Rhymes' rap in the song is generally uncreative. He makes two references to Twitter and fails to make any impressive or clever rhymes. Additionally, the track brings in some techno beats that make the song sound like it belongs in a trashy, 16+ club on the North Pole (let's hope those don't actually exist).
On "Home This Christmas," another weak point of the album, The Band Perry joins Bieber for a country-inspired track that seems slightly out of place with the rest of the material. While it is clear Bieber is trying to show he is versatile in other genres, he does best on his renditions of classic songs and the original tracks like "Mistletoe" that fit his usual musical style.
"Mistletoe," the radio single for the album, is surprisingly catchy, and is the strongest of the album's original material. It's typical Justin Bieber-clean, soft, poppy and paired with a tune that will latch itself into your brain, no matter how hard you try to get rid of it.
Bieber's "Fa La La" featuring Boyz II Men is one of the better original songs and the a capella version reminds us why he got famous in the first place- he really can sing. You can hate him for his annoyingly catchy songs and his mass culture appeal, but this album makes it hard to ignore his talent. Partly because the song features Boyz II Men, the song reminded me of the '90s, when the innocent pop ballads of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync reigned supreme. This sentiment is furthered by the lyrics "Baby I hear melodies when your heart beats / Baby it sings to me like / Fa la la, fa la la".
As far as a holiday album goes, Bieber's Under the Mistletoe is pretty solid. It includes a strong balance of holiday favorites and original material. Although some of the original songs miss their mark, the album demonstrates great effort on Bieber's part and true vocal versatility. For all you Bieber haters out there, it's unlikely this album will change your mind about The Biebz. However, Beliebers, as well as those simply looking for a wholesome, poppy Christmas album, will likely catch the Bieber fever all over again.
Grade: B
