Unwrapped EP (Lyric Street, 2009)

If the best things in life do indeed come in small packages, this "Unwrapped" EP from Rascal Flatts fits that most worthy description. All but one song have been unavailable for about a year, and one track (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) is a brand new recording. For Jingle Bell Rock, Rascal Flatts actually trade rock music for big band jazz; this one features plenty of brass horn work. However, White Christmas sticks to a stately orchestrated formula. The trio shows off its vocal chops on an a capella I'll Be Home For Christmas, whereas God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen jazzes things up again. It's easy to criticize Rascal Flatts for their oftentimes generic country music, but you really cannot knock these fine vocalists when they take on tried and true Christmas standards such as these