Tralala: Christmas Never Comes When You’re Alone

So here’s a no-longer-online track review I wrote in 2005. Thanks to Nick Sylvester for the gracefully face-saving edits. Happy, happy!:

[from the Falala-La-La with Tra La La CDS]

genre: holiday

‘Tis the season for carefully wrapped girl-groupness, as children of all ages ask Santa for the One Kiss Can Lead to Another box. Tralala’s studious innocence translates well to tidings of holiday heartache, and this ballad is the best on the New York septet’s three-track Christmas single. Bells jingle and peal as the clean guitars do the “Be My Baby” beat.

The girls whet with Christmas-in-Manhattan cheer— an army of St. Nicks on Broadway, newfallen snow, caroling— before revealing what they really want for Christmas. “To me it’s slush and noise/ Since I sent away my boy,” they coo, their voices more vibrant than on this year’s self-titled debut. Swooning strings join as the narrator pines for her estranged mom. Given enough eggnog, the Spector-sized coda could wet a pop wimp’s eyes: “To all the lonely ones/ You’re not the only one” over repeated “Merry Christmas” backing. Ye shall find the babe. [Marc Hogan]

[4 stars]