Christmas albums are often about the artist as much as the season. They’re exercises in image maintenance/creation, and sometimes it’s more obvious than others. On Sugarland’s Gold and Green, it’s hard not to notice the Nashville country pop band’s gestures—pious enough to sing “Silent Night,” playful enough to sing “Nuttin’ for Christmas,” and appreciative of the magic of the season in “City of Silver Dreams.” Everything’s big, so the emotions are hard to miss, but the craft is impeccable in Nashville and the songs are too durable to deny. The high point is the big, bluesy “Coming Home,” a ballad that shows off Jennifer Nettles’ voice, but one that also fits into the band’s catalog as it seems to update the story started by the band’s debut single, “Baby Girl.” It’s all a little earnest for my tastes except for the cartoonish “Nuttin’ for Christmas.” That doesn’t mark it as inferior product, though; only a Christmas album like so many that relies largely on buyers’ affection for the artist.