Of all the holiday albums coming this season, this is the one we did not see coming and now cannot wait for. Alanis Morissette is releasing her first Christmas album, Good Weather for Immaculate Conception, on Friday, November 6.
The title alone is very Alanis. Talking about it on Call Her Daddy, she said, "This record is just so sweet," and called it "this labor of Christmas love for me." If you grew up shouting along to Jagged Little Pill in the car, this feels like a full-circle moment.
The tracklist
There are 14 songs, a mix of hymns, pop classics and a few titles that are new to us:
- O Holy Night
- To an Empath at Christmas Time
- What Child Is This?
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
- Little Drummer Boy
- Beautiful Star of Bethlehem (with Brandi Carlile and Steve Martin)
- Ave Maria
- Christmas on the Dancefloor
- River
- Momma Mary (with Amythyst Kiah)
- O Tannenbaum (with Trans Voices)
- Last Christmas
- Silent Night (with Joy Oladokun)
- Merry Christmas (with Martin Short)
The songs we are most excited about
"River." Joni Mitchell's song is the great sad Christmas song, and Alanis has one of the few voices built for that kind of honesty. This is the one we will play first.
"Beautiful Star of Bethlehem" with Brandi Carlile and Steve Martin. Brandi Carlile and Alanis together on a carol is about as warm as a holiday pairing gets, and adding Steve Martin makes it even more charming.
"To an Empath at Christmas Time." The title alone feels like a gift for everyone who finds December emotionally exhausting.
"Merry Christmas" with Martin Short. We do not know what this sounds like yet, and that is part of the fun.
How to get it
You can pre-save it now on Apple Music or Spotify so it lands in your library on November 6.
If you like something to hold, Alanis's official store has the CD for $15, available for pre-order and expected to ship around release day. The signed CD has already sold out.
The collector's pick is the Last Christmas 10" vinyl in red marble for $25, also available in green marble. It features four songs from the album: "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," "Little Drummer Boy," "What Child Is This?" and "Last Christmas." It is a beautiful little gift for the friend who still has her Jagged Little Pill CD.
Billboard has more on the album announcement if you want the backstory.
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Our take
Holiday albums can feel like obligations, but this one has real personality: unexpected titles alongside classics, thoughtful guests, and a singer who has never done anything halfway. Pre-save it now and put it on the first night you pull out the decorations. And yes, it is fine to start before Thanksgiving.
