On his mission to dethrone Michael Bublé as “Mr. Christmas,” Marc Martel once again adorns our holiday playlists with his newest release, Thank God It’s Christmas! The 6 song EP beautifully showcases his ever deepening repertoire of Christmas favorites, and his ever growing mastery of the genre. The album’s title itself expresses the universal

On his mission to dethrone Michael Bublé as “Mr. Christmas,” Marc Martel once again adorns our holiday playlists with his newest release, Thank God It’s Christmas! The 6 song EP beautifully showcases his ever deepening repertoire of Christmas favorites, and his ever growing mastery of the genre. The album’s title itself expresses the universal jubilant relief of arriving at everyone’s favorite time of year (this year, possibly more than ever), by adding an exclamation mark to the title track “Thank God It’s Christmas,” the rock band Queen’s one and only Christmas offering. Martel’s vast fanbase of Queen aficionados will undoubtedly be thrilled at long last to dive into this emphatically gospel-infused reimagining, which comes off arguably more fitting than the early-80s synth laden original recording.

The crown jewel of this new collection is easily “The Christmas Waltz,” Martel’s repeat team-up with Amy Grant, after the duo secured the #1 spot at AC radio last year with “Silver Bells,” on which Michael W. Smith also appears. The track is a wonderfully executed throwback to the cozy, orchestral Sinatra/Crosby/Williams era, produced and orchestrated by Nashville based up-and-comer, Cody Fry. The track continues further into traditional sentimental territory with a light-hearted ukulele driven version of the Drifter’s iconic “White Christmas,” and cinematic versions of the heart string tuggers, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” and “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.” The one real surprise is the inclusion of a cover of Lauren Daigle’s much more recent debut smash “Light Of The World,” to which Martel’s powerhouse vocals are perfectly suited to.