Since It's Christmas (Self-released, 2023)

Amanda Stewart's holiday EP is only five songs long, but every single track is a winner. It's a little like getting absolutely everything you want for Christmas.

The release contains three originals and two covers from the Montana-based independent artist. The covers consist of a truly sweet, quiet countrified version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." It closes the project on a sad, but beautiful note. The other cover song is Stewart's take on Counting Crows' "A Long December," which – while not yet considered a holiday standard – keeps showing up on seasonal releases. It's so good, though, it wouldn't at all be a bad thing to hear this one every year around Christmas.

Stewart gets brownie points for stating during "Merry Christmas to Us" that Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is one song she'd "like to bury." Indeed, Amanda, hand over a shovel! It's sung over a cool little acoustic guitar riff. "One Hell Of A Year" is an upbeat bluegrass-arranged tune, while "Since It's Christmas" is a sad holiday love song. On it, Stewart hopes she can mend her relationship – since it's Christmas.

As holiday projects go, Amada Stewart's "Since It's Christmas" is simply flawless.