Album of the Day

Too many Christmas albums are mere novelty cash-ins, but Emmylou Harris put her heart into LIGHT OF THE STABLE, and it shows. The set grew from the title track, a 1975 single that featured Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young on backing vocals, with the bulk of the material recorded alongside Harris' ROSES IN THE SNOW sessions, and reflecting the pristine intimacy of that release. For all the star power (Willie Nelson also harmonizes here, and Ricky Skaggs' masterful picking is heard on several tracks), this is a holiday collection whose strength lies in subtlety and reverence. “It is a sweet, beautiful record and a good mix of songs,” notes Harris with typical modesty; in fact, LIGHT OF THE STABLE stands proudly among her best work.