7 Wishes for Christmas

(Ocean) Sorry to discussing this collection of moody X-mas songs by an international cadre of sensitive singer/songwriter/composer/interpreters so long after Santa's sleigh's vapor trails have dissipated. But I will never miss an opportunity to talk Chipmunks! Sure there are some strong tracks here (Helluvah's scary holiday greetings, Lidwine's Bjork/Nat King Cole mashup) but all I can focus on is Lisa Cerbone's earnest, borderline mournful interpretation of Alvin and his brothers' ode to unfulfilled hula hoop coveting. With her dreamy (elflike?) vocals, minimal instrumentation, and melancholy-ish abrupt ending, this brings to the Chipmunks' classic something it has always needed --- whiffs of holiday depression. Not that the song isn't beautiful and sort of hopeful in folkster Cerbone's interpretation (no need to put David Seville in suicide watch), it's just that it seems infused with the mixed feelings sensitive folks have around holiday times. Hurry Christmas, hurry fast, indeed!