Santa Claus Lane

Santa Claus Lane

Hilary Duff, the winsome star of the Disney Channel's <I>Lizzie McGuire</I>, makes her singing debut with a rather frothy mix of original songs and old holiday chestnuts--only these chestnuts aren't roasting on an open fire, they're sugarcoated, like everything else on this pop-light album. Duff, who looks like Jessica Simpson, and sings like Mandy Moore, sticks close to the tried-and-true versions of Santa Claus is Coming To Town," "Jingle Bell Rock, " and Sleigh Ride," adding little to the holiday music canon. The album only perks up when Duff's guests appear: Christina Milian pushes Duff to greater heights on the crisp and rhythmically innovative "I Heard Santa on the Radio," and Lil' Romeo adds some spiky dynamics and humor as he raps through "Tell Me a Story (About the Night Before)." <I>--Jaan Uhelszki</I>