Posted on: December 24, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Keith Sweat – A Christmas of Love / 2007 Rhino / 9 Tracks / http://www.rhino.com /

I had no idea that Keith Sweat was still even around. Individuals that may not know exactly who Sweat is may remember eir from some of eir previous hits, which included the likes of “I Want Her”, “Make It Last Forever”, “Twisted” and “Nobody”. This is a purely Christmas type of album, and marks the first “new” compilation of Sweat tracks since 2002’s “Rebirth”. For individuals that already have 2006’s “A Keith Sweat Christmas”, this is exactly the same album.

First off, if you are looking for an album of Christmas classics that are done exactly the same way you hear year in and year out at malls and other public places, then “A Christmas of Love” is not the album for you. This is due to the fact that Sweat puts eir own flair to songs like “The Christmas Song” and “All I Want For Christmas”. In a season where it is tremendously common to go forth and just sing along to the holiday favorites, put them on a disc, and have that disc sell just because the individual is a star, Sweat is trying harder than ever to make this album a success. There seems to be a trend: when individuals are at the lowest level of their popularity (such as Keith Sweat or Rick Springfield), a Christmas album will show a much more focused and desirous singer than does an album by someone that is still pretty famous. Sweat does not change up eir style tremendously for “A Christmas of Love”,  instead choosing to bring the tracks in line with the style that brought so many albums sold in the late eighties and early nineties.

The disc may only have nine tracks to it, but individuals will be able to keep this on repeat throughout the entire holiday season, and then play it during subsequent holiday celebrations for years to come. Keith Sweat is looking to return to the big time, and with something like “A Christmas of Love” and eir new single “Love You Betta” (which features the quite hit-worthy Keyshia Cole), it may only be a matter of time before Sweat is back to gracing the cover of music magazines the whole world over. Pick up this album if you like to hear modern interpretation of a number of the most storied Christmas classics – “A Christmas of Love” is fundamentally different from any Christmas you’ve ever participated in.

Top Tracks: Point of Christmas, Once A Year

Rating: 6.2/10

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