At this point it’s a social obligation to scoff at any Justin Bieber release, but where’s the fun in that? Justin’s lyrical contributions, trite as they are, provide seven original tracks on his new holiday album.

The other four are ‘classic’ holiday songs in which Bieber adds miniscule doses of character. Maybe he holds a note longer here, or adds a little waver to the end of a line there, but that’s about all the pizzazz he’s willing to inject. Mel Tormé’s timeless “The Christmas Song,” is a warm rendition that is damaged only by an awkward electric guitar solo. Bieber’s no crooner either, but give him credit for flirting with higher and lower octaves as best as any 17-year-old can.

“Drummer Boy,” a disastrously conceived and poorly executed track, is a hilarious attempt at a pop/hip-hop crossover. Bieber and Busta Rhymes spit out G-Rated verses to fawning teenage girls that serve only to promote their  Twitter pages.

Under the Mistletoe adds  more songs to Bieber’s ho-hum repertoire and should soon move to its permanent home in bargain CD bins across North America.

—Nick Petrillo