1 comments about Sing, Choirs of Angels.

1. We first heard this CD on NPR while returning home from a business trip. We ordered the CD as soon as we could. The music is as close to perfect as choral music can be. The songs are short, so the pace changes appropriately. Most of the selections are familiar Christmas carols with a few surprises. We've sent copies to our friends to enjoy.

1 comments about Christmas Collection.

1. Alabama's first Christmas album (the first CD of this set) is a fairly mellow album overall, though the pace picks up occasionally. It avoids all the obvious songs, being filled almost entirely with original material. As far as I know, the only cover is Tennessee Christmas, a brilliant song written by Amy Grant, which has also been covered by several other singers.
   
   The songs cover all aspects of Christmas. Joseph and Mary's boy caters for the religious aspect. Thistlehair the Christmas bear is a great song for children. Alabama always like to praise the southern states, so we not only get Tennessee Christmas but also Christmas in Dixie - another brilliant song. They are more reflective on songs such as Christmas memories and Candle in the window. Tonight is Christmas is a song of peace and goodwill.
   
   Alabama's second collection of Christmas music is almost as mellow as the first. The tempo picks up on Rocking around the Christmas tree (a cover of the Brenda Lee classic) and Hanging round the mistletoe (covered by Brooks and Dunn since Alabama first recorsded it) but they do not go full throttle even on those songs. So this is one of those Christmas albums to play during quieter moments and it works very well on that level.
   
   Among the other songs, there are two old chestnuts - Little drummer boy and O little town of Bethlehem - on which Alabama sound exactly as you would expect them to sound. New tears eve 1999 also appeared on their Twentieth century album. It fits in well and I'm glad that it was included. I was young once too is a great father and son song. The other songs are a mix of love ballads and spiritual songs and make for very enjoyable listening.
   
   Overall, I slightly prefer Alabama's first Christmas album to their second but as you get both here, you'll easily be able to make up your own mind if you buy this set. Of course, if you already own the earlier releases, you won't need to buy this. There's nothing new here although it would have been nice if they could have added Silent night as a bonus track. It appeared on their other 2006 release, Songs of inspiration. I can't see that its appearance on this set would have affected sales of the inspirational album except perhaps to encourage more people to buy that album.

5 comments about Cambridge Singers Christmas Album.

1. This CD was beautifully sung by the Cambridge Singers, a boys/mens choir, mostly a' capela. It's the first Christmas CD I've bought that really tempts me to crank up the volume so I can revel in every note.



2. I have never been disappointed by any Cambridge Singers release, so it isnt surprising that I thoroughly enjoyed this offering as well. This CD is a compilation of songs from previous cds with one or two new tracks, so check your library to make sure you arent duplicating your collection in the order to complete your collection. I purchased this disk to obtain a copy of the Fantasia On Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughn Williams which was originally released on Christmas Day In The Morning. As usual, every song is performed in a precise yet heartfelt manner. If you dont own any cds by the Cambridge singers I would personally recommend Christmas Night as the first disk to own, but if you know and love the Cambridge Singers as I do, then you will enjoy having this wonderful addition to your library.



3. I own virtually all of the CD's of John Rutter (whom I greatly admire) and the Cambridge Singers, and I am a fan of English Choral music in general. If I were asked to recommend only one of the many Cambridge Singers Christmas albums, or indeed one of any English Christmas album, a hard choice, this would be it. As others have noted, this CD is a compilation of songs from previous cds with four new releases. It is, I believe, longer playing than the other Cambridge albums. In style, it is a mostly quiet sounding collection--in fact several carols are sung a cappella-- with pieces ranging from carols such as "The Holly and the Ivy" to the more robust "Fantasia on Christmas Carols". In sum, this is a sensitively arranged and performed collection of beautiful Christmas music.



4. I have the utmost respect for John Rutter and his Cambridge Singers, probably the best choir in the world (at least, the English-speaking world). I have almost all their CDs. Two of their Christmas CDs are "desert-island" class for this listener.
   
   Unfortunately, I cannot give this otherwise excellent CD the same high marks. If they wanted to release a "best of Cambridge Christmas" CD, this would not be it. It does a few of the absolute best Christmas selections, including Sweelinck's "Hodie", Willcocks's breathtaking arrangement of "The Infant King", and Rutter's own quirky reading of "Personent Hodie". And it does contain a few tracks not previously released.
   
   However, if you want the best of Cambridge and Christmas, start with "Christmas Night", which is always the first CD I pull out the day after Thanksgiving. The sound of the famliar Persall setting of "In Dulci Jubilo" sets my holiday in motion. And that CD also has Rutter's own magical "There is a flower". After that CD, get "Christmas with the Cambridge Singers", which has "The Infant King" and some other treasures.
   
   So, you can't really go wrong with this CD, especially if you just want an introduction to how this fine ensemble addresses the most choir-friendly holiday of all. But if you're serious about getting all the good stuff, start with the other two mentioned above, then add "Christmas Day in the Morning" and the early "Christmas Star".



5. Choral music by the Cambridge Singers is always top-notch. An older album that might have sounded better with newer technology but no complaints. Has great vocals and orchestral support.

1 comments about Absolute Favorite Christmas for Kids.

1. You don't have to be a kid to enjoy "Absolute Favorite Christmas for Kids." This is a great collection of classic and contemporary songs. One of my favorites is "Christmas in My Heart," with its strong hook and jangly guitar. The sweet innocent voice of a child adds to the poignancy of Amy Grant's "Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song)."
   
   In addition to Christmas classics like "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Joy to the World," we get Chris Rice's "Welcome to our World," Mark Lowry's "Mary Did You Know" and the Newsong classic "The Christmas Shoes." "The Manger of Bethlehem Medley" near the end puts you in the mood for the season with its selection of classic carols.
   
   The production is crisp with snappy electronic enhancement. The sound is modern pop. The songs are sung flawlessly by a youthful choir of voices that leave room for solo performances. There is an almost equal mix between faster and slower songs.
   
   I would not hesitate to share this with a child. It ought to do more than hold their interest; they might want to sing along.

5 comments about Spirit of Christmas.

1. Ray's treatment of these classics is unique and could only be done by him. Ordinarilly, I don't even like "The Little Drummer Boy" but when the pedal steel kicks in along with blues vocals and big band horn refrains, I have to say "Wow, what a great song". Ray Charles could make ANYTHING sound good.



2. A classic Christmas CD by the legendary Ray Charles, a must have for the holidays. I received my CD in lightening speed too and will definitely do business again!



3. The quality of the recording on this cd was absolutely terrible! It sounded 'tinny' and 'scratchy'. I love Ray Charles, but unless I just happened to get a bad copy, don't waste your money.



4. Ray Charles' unmistakable voice makes for a very enjoyable and soulful Christmas CD. Contains many classics as well as songs you don't often hear. My favorites include Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, This Time of the Year, and That Spirit of Christmas. Excellent!!



5. THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, incorporating elements of gospel, soul, big band and jazz. Rhino's reissue includes a bonus track, the Charles-Betty Carter duet "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
   
   The best secret here is the song "That Spirit of Christmas" which can be heard in th movie Christmas Vacation. Worth the price of the cd alone.
   
   Many tracks are classic Christmas songs done in Ray's soulful style. It's a nice change from the typical Christmas albums, and it's one everyone can agree on. Amazing, blind since the age of six (from glaucoma), Charles studied composition and learned many instruments at the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and the Blind. What a gifted musician!!

5 comments about Country Christmas.

1. I like the fact that COUNTRY CHRISTMAS by Johnny Cash is a studio album, recorded in June and August of 1991, as opposed to an album collected over many years or decades between songs. But, unfortunately, many of the songs are just not done very well at all.
   
   About a third of this album is listenable, and you can grab those songs and burn them to a blank CD, (after you buy this CD, of course); but I cannot just plop this entire CD in the player and enjoy it for the entire 45 minutes, at all.
   
   The best songs are the very famous classics, such as "Blue Christmas," "Silent Night," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Away in a Manger," and "O Come All Ye Faithful." If you think maybe owning these songs will be worth the very low price, then you will probably get your money's worth, I think.
   
   The worst song comes early on, "Figgy Pudding," which has what sounds like a drunken old lady cackling throughout the last half of the song! Perhaps this was an inside joke, but the performance grates on my nerves and seems very uncharacteristically disrespectful for a Christmas album to celebrate the birth of Jesus! So this true clunker of a song really ruins the mood and destroys my attitude for the rest of the album.
   
   Actually, I have this album on cassette tape from a few years ago which is 52 minutes long, and the cassette tape has two more songs, "White Christmas" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" which do NOT appear on this CD version, (though the CD is only 45 minutes long and could have easily held those two songs), but I wish they had omitted "Figgy Pudding" instead of these other songs, which would have saved the CD for me.
   
   Many of the songs on this Christmas album have little or no Johnny Cash vocals at all!? Other songs have Johnny stretching too hard to have the wide vocal range required for the tunes.
   
   This is a bare bones CD from an off brand record company, LaserLight, so the cover photo is the only photo, and there is no CD booklet, just a worthless insert listing other CDs for sale from LaserLight.
   
   Johnny Cash and his friends and family have done many really nice Gospel projects, so I am surprised at how weak this album turned out. His best Gospel album is GOSPEL GLORY. I can also highly recommend his movie about Jesus called THE GOSPEL ROAD, and the best Gospel project from Johnny Cash has to be his 16 CD spoken word reading of the entire NEW TESTAMENT of the HOLY BIBLE, which is very reasonably priced on amazon.com! Get any of these items instead of COUNTRY CHRISTMAS, and you will likely enjoy the performances much better!
   
   If you are new to listening to Johnny Cash, then I think you should start with the collection called THE LEGEND OF JOHNNY CASH, which has a great selection of famous songs from his entire career, and sounds noticeably terrific, especially for his earliest recordings from a half century ago!



2. This album could have been something special, however, there are too many cheesy beats and too much background singing. I love every Johnny Cash album I own (I have over 350 Johnny Cash songs), but this one is disappointing. I would even listen to Johnny Cash read a phone book. This album lacks the simplicity and class the other Cash albums have.
   
   I would suggest getting: "The Christmas Spirit" by Johnny Cash instead.



3. My family and I enjoy Johnny Cash's music throughout his career, and Christmas music is a seasonal pleasure for us, even though we celebrate Yule--it still all works. This album, however, is too far into the realm of sermon-and-Christmas-service to be palatable. Beyond that, the Carter-Cash clan singing backup, or rather, trying to sing, doubtless make this a jewel for their immediate family, but is too "rough" and discordant (honestly, these folks can't carry a tune in a dump truck) to be what I'd call "pleasant Christmas music" for general listening.



4. Digitally recorded at Germantown Studio in Nashville in June and August of 1991, this includes some seasonal classic carols as well as the Hayes-Johnson composition Blue Christmas. First done by Ernest Tubb back in 1949, it has become more closely associated with Elvis following the release of his Christmas album in 1957. In giving it his unique interpretation here, however, Johnny stakes a claim to making it his own.
   
   I also like June Carter and The Carter Family's happy and joyous presentation of Figgy Pudding, a take on We Wish You A Merry Christmas written by June and Jack Hale, Jr., who arranged this album and backs up the artists with his Nashville All-Star Band.
   
   June and the family are also solo on tracks 8 and 10, with the latter just a marvelously warm, down-home country rendition of O Christmas Tree. Johnny's narration on Here Was A Man from the pens of Tex Ritter and Johnny Bond is vintage Cash, and on Away In A Manger the haunting fiddle reminds you of the background music heard on the Ken Burns TV documentary The Civil War.
   
   Some liner notes would have been welcome [there are none other than a listing of other Christmas CDs available from LaserLight] if only to fill us in on the background surrounding the creation of the album, and who exactly performs on each track, including the musicians in Hale's band. It also would have been nice had they added just one track from the past to make it an even 14 - his 1959 rendition of The Little Drummer Boy which made both the Country and pop charts.
   
   But hey, for the price asked you cannot go wrong with this offering from an American musical icon.



5. I got this for a friend that loves Johnny Cash and seems to have all of his music. She and her husband were really surprised to see that I had found it and thought it to be a very special gift! Enjoy this for yourself or for someone that loves the 'Man in Black'!

1 comments about Christmas Love.

1. I have been a Ben Tankard fan for over 7 years now and I love the worship that exudes from his music. It is not all about just putting out an album. I can feel God through the music of Ben Tankard.
   
   Walter Taylor, Jr., Author of Touchdown Love

2 comments about Christmas Music from Medieval and Renaissance Europe.

1. If you like Medieval and Renaissance music you will absolutely love this CD. I bought it as a Christmas CD years ago and I listen to it year around. The harmonies are beautiful. I have given it to friends for presents. I have CDs of music from this time period but this is my favorite. I very highly recommend it.



2. Tired of the Robert Shaw Chorale etc.? Rest your ears on this. If the Coventry Carol as sung here doesn't give you at least a mild case of goose pimples with its perfectly executed dissonances, something's wrong with you. Bring out the groaning board for the festive Boar's Head Carol, and tap along to the synchopations of Gaudete and Riu, Riu Chiu. There's a wide range of feeling in these carols so be prepared to experience quiet solemnity and rousing fun and everything in between while listening to this CD.

3 comments about The Christmas Hope.

1. Last year, I was listening to the radio, making christmas cookies and enjoying the season. All the sudden, "Christmas Shoes" (which is on this album) started to play. It completely put me out of the happy mood I was in.
   
   It is about a little boy buying a pair of shoes that his mom wished for. The mother is very sick, and is probably going to die on Christmas. The chorus goes:
   
   "Sir I want to buy these shoes, for my momma please. [...] I want her to look beautiful, if mommy meets Jesus tonight."
   
   Personally, I jump to try to turn this song off every time it goes on the radio since its so depressing. I can't comment to the rest of the album, but that song alone makes me steer clear.



2. Of course, nothing compares to a live performance of the same-said music (the reason I ordered the CD). The music is lively and well produced. Voices are really good, with guests that compliment the band.
   
   NewSong has been around quite some time - and even with some changes in the lead voice, the group maintains a standard of quality from release to release.
   
   A touching Christmas album.



3. Great Album.
   
   The whole point of the cd is to remind us what Christmas is all about. Giving, being compassionate, putting other people first. Wanting to make a good impression to Jesus(from this little boys perspective). Great song/cd.

5 comments about Christmas Present.

1. Mid-December '60. I'm twelve and contentment reigns in my world because the living room is warm and Dad is in his chair-Ward Cleaver come to visit- reading the paper and sipping a brandy and the clanging and clinking coming from the kitchen tells me Mom is wrapping up, the dinner pans and dishes and glasses being directed to their designated spaces. The "Hi-Fi" is playing Christmas records. But wait! That isn't a "Hi-Fi!" That's two hundred pounds of solid cherry, encasing a brand new technological marvel: Separated sound, a sound the developers call "STEREO."

   And so, within the security of this suburban holiday womb, I listen. I listen to Johnny Mathis ( his original Christmas album, the one where he's in that red sweater and holding the skis.) I listen to Bing and to Perry and to Nat and to Percy Faith. And I listen to Andy Williams.

   Andy's first two Christmas albums have received insightful Amazon reviews. They remain classics. My father felt, however, in typical Ward fashion, that the secular side of the first album was too "wild." (His word. Thirty-eight years later, I still remember.) "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" was the most egregious transgressor. I loved it. Of course, I eventually drifted away from Andy in the mid 60's and early 70's, inevitably relegating him to the trash heap of irrelevancy. ("Hey You, Get Off Of My Cloud!")

   Despite periodic seasonal listenings granted to the first two albums, I had no intention of EVER buying another Williams recording. How can you do THAT when Meat Loaf and Kansas and Boston and Rush beckon? ("Rush: This Christmas Spent With You?" Gag!) And then one day, in the early 80's, I found "Christmas Present" residing on a truck stop cassette wheel, those shrines to the quick, impulse-driven 2.99 purchase that formerly popular artists abhor, Billy Joel's "If I go cold, I won't get sold, I'll be put in the back on the discount rack" nightmare come true. It is the type of musical purchase that is dropped upside down on the counter next to the coffee and the cupcakes and the dominant thought that, "Gee, I hope she doesn't notice I'm buying Andy Williams!"

   What can I say? That it's the best 2.99 I ever spent? Maybe. The album is Andy's BEST Christmas venture, I believe. What is striking to me is the originality of the arrangements. The first three cuts, "O'Come All Ye Faithful, "Angels We Have Heard On High," and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" surprise. Rather than the usual bombastic, goose-bump seeking arrangement, we get a folk-like, guitar opening to Faithful that builds, ever so slowly, to Andy's familiar soaring climax. "Angels" opens with reserved keyboard and remains lovely and restrained throughout. "Hark" presents us with an opening that renders the hymn unrecognizable until Andy enters. Rather than detract, the arrangement makes us feel as though something we have heard hundreds of times is fresh and new. Each cut successfuly demonstrates that familiarity does not have to be synonymous with boring. Ironically, the least successful effort is the album's one original effort, the title track, "Christmas Present," a quintessential, early 70's, "Jim Webb writes a Christmas tune" mediocrity. A moving, understated, "Joy To The World," and pristine "Little Town of Bethlehem" follow, bringing the album back on course. Several other delights conclude this moving Christmas musical experience.

   Andy is obviously deeply involved in these arrangements (as opposed to some of the perfunctory Christmas exhibitions I've heard recently. Shame, Vince Gill.) On a nostalgic whim I searched the offerings for Andy on Amazon. I anxiously scrolled the multitudinous offerings until finally, on page two, I found this album. The cassette has resided for twenty years in my Christmas case, the one I grabbed unfailingly each First of December and transported to my car for the holiday listening. Now I'm gonna get the CD! And at under ($$$), like the cassette twenty years ago, it may be the best ($$$)(inflation, you know) I've ever spent.




2. This is by far the best CHRISTMAS album I have ever heard. I have an LP and I am looking for it on CD. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME What else can I say.



3. The title says it all - it is a Christmas Present - Andy is in super-FINE voice - very smooth vocals; wonderful small orchestra arrangements; wonderful guitar, flute and musical quality is top-notch. This album is so much better than Andy's first two Christmas albums, in my opinion. Many of these songs start out very slowly, very softly with just a guitar and Andy's great voice then build into a spectacular song. Two great versions of Ave Maria to choose from. Little Town, O Come all Ye Faithful and Angels We Have Heard on High are really, really grand, and will be your favorites. I cannot say enough good things about this album. This is not your typical Las Vegas crooner LP, but a very classy, peaceful album. This is Andy's best album of all, and if you can only have one Andy Williams Christmas album, this is it. Merry Christmas everyone.



4. Andy Williams' first two Christmas albums from the 1960's are probably his most successful and best known holiday recordings. However, this excellent 1974 effort is another masterpiece that is up to the level of the finest Christmas albums ever made. Christmas Present is a more mellow Christmas album than his first two recordings, and the 70's era musical arrangments and production sound a little more modern while still retaining the authentic Christmas flavor that made Andy's Christmas recordings of the 60's so great.
   
   The result is one of the most soothing and tranquil Christmas albums of all time.
   
   Andy focuses on a great set of religious carols instead of the often-covered secular Christmas classics. Each one of these songs flows smooth and gentle, including "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Joy to the World" which are often bold and dramatic in other versions. "Christmas Bells" is the only song that picks up the tempo at all. "O come all ye Faithful", "O little town of Bethleham", "I heard the bells on Christmas Day", and "It came upon a midnight clear" are some of the best versions of these songs you will hear from anyone.
   
   The soft, angelic voice of Andy Williams only enhances the relaxing mood of the album. If you prefer the easy listening style of Christmas music, this great CD belongs in your collection.



5. I love Andy Williams' Christmas Album. It's my favorite Christmas album ever, so when I spotted a CD version of "Christmas Present," I jumped all over it. Unfortunately, while Andy's singing is still excellent, the album is troubled in spots by really bad 70's music production: "wacka wacka" guitars, heavy-handed basslines, and some hippie-dippie flute solos.
   
   The good thing is that it doesn't persist across all the songs--the way it does with Dean Martin's later albums. Many of the songs have nicer baroquish guitars in them. For my money, I prefer the big beautiful band orchestrations of the 50's and 60's Christmas albums. If Amazon offered a half-point rating scale, I'd give this 3.5.