On that beautiful sunny mornTing, I woke up to see the good tidings on the coming of the new holiday CD. I smiled, slowly stretched a bit, warmed my muscles, stood up, closed my eyes and started to play the CD. No, I’m not going back to sleep. I will be listening for the first time in 16 years, Mariah’s sequel to Merry Christmas aptly called Merry Christmas II You. This is my standard of giving my first listen to any new Mariah CD. It deserves a good 1-1.5 hours of taking me to fantasyland and back to a real musical enchantment.

And lo! I was forewarned before this first listen. Her album, for the first time, will contain lush strings and a full orchestra, and that ultimate piano ribs inflecting every track.

Mariah for one thing evolved from creating an album as collection of songs to creating an album sequenced to bring stories delivered in an unsullied treat of superb musical production. Perfectionist that she is, she made sure that each track would flow perfectly to the next track courtesy of inspiring Interludes or musical arrangement. Top that with proficient songwriting skills peppered with words totally unheard of in any song. And she just goes through them as articulate and charmingly Mariah-ish. Anyway, only Mariah can sing one word in more than twenty notes scaling her famous five octaves.

And here comes the intro via Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The production is a new introduction to a wide range of genres that a Mariah Carey album explored. This time, it’s like Mariah would take us to go to the dreamy world of festive, fun and enthusiastic Christmas experience. Again. But in a whole new level.

Then her lead single fittingly follows the queue with Oh Santa! And you will know, it’s Christmas in October already. Well, kinda late for the Philippine tradition though as we start our Christmas in September. LOL. We can see that this track is bound to be a new future Christmas radio staple. Then, she goes earnest with crooning classic Christmas standards in O Little Town of Bethlehem/Little Drummer Boy. I was cheering for this track when it shifted from one song to another and hear the seamless weave. It just snugly fits in perfectly. And this Christmas song mashups will also appear on her duet with mom Patricia on Oh Come All Ye Faithful/Hallelujah – a rare musical treat as mom and daughter divinely exchanged vocal workouts that would soon soar to the heavens. Must be their way of thanking God for the gift of song genetically imprinted in them.

The way the album was sequenced takes you to an exciting journey of fun and festive moments to old soul groove (mood transition is stirringly mastered via The First Noel/Born is the King (Interlude) bouncing its way to introduce the groovy old soul vibe When Christmas Comes) then back to delight your ears with cheerful songs (Here Comes Santa Claus, Charlie Brown Christmas) culminating to bring back glory to God (OCAYF/Hallelujah, Oh Holy Night, One Child). Then a surprise rearranged orchestra introduction to make the classic All I Want For Christmas Is You extra festive. The album ended with a blast with Auld Lang Syne’s relaxing piano introduction ending in a disco jam. She sang this once on her Angels Advocate’s first stop on MSG joking about not memorizing the lyrics and pointed “does anybody really know the words?”

And I opened my eyes and felt Mariah’s soft kiss on my cheek.

Just few hours earlier, Mariah confirmed her pregnancy due in springtime. Tis the season to be happy.

Listen to the new songs: One Child, When Christmas Comes, Christmas Time Is In The Air Again