5 comments about Christmas at Rao's: A Celebration of Family, Friends & Holiday Spirit.

1. Brand new CD with 16 tracks of songs loved by all, by the original artists. These are favorites performed at Rao's Italian Restaurant in New York City, that have been played for years at holiday time. To get into the holiday spirit, this is a must. It features: Its The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams, The Christmas Song by Mel Torme, Ave Maria by Michael Amante, Buon Natale by The Four Coins, Winter Wonderland by Tony Bennett, Christmas Auld Lang Syne by Bobby Darin and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Jonny Maestro, and more. Just hearing these favorites instantly put me in a holiday mood. It's a winner. Enjoy !!



2. This CD is a perfect mix of Christmas favorites! My four-year-old daughter loves it. We sing along to all of the songs together. Dominic the Donkey reminds me of my childhood with my Italian grandparents enjoying Christmas. It is such a cute song for the entire family! And Feliz Navidad is great to sing along to as well. To balance out the catchier tunes, there are classic, beautiful Christmas carols to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas. I highly recommend this CD for the entire family to help celebrate your Christmas season!



3. I fell in love with the Christmas song Dominic the Donkey after hearing it on the radio. I searched everywhere to try to buy this CD, but was unable to find it. I was so excited when I finally was able to purchase it so I would be able to hear my favorite Christmas song over and over!



4. Christmas at Rao's is one of the best collections of Holiday Music for the entire family.



5. I bought this for a gift. The person could not stop talking about the cook book to this restaurant, which I bought for myself. Great history here and a great Christmas gift.

1 comments about From Texas for a Christmas Night.

1. This is my very most favorite Christmas CD in the world. It is a wonderful assortment of intelligent Tex/Mex and multiculteral folk Christmas music. Also, it was important to me that Christ was not left out of this Christmas work. One song is a jewish tune, another is a Samba, and a couple of songs are tastefully sung in Spanish. My favorite song is "Arbolito", which is sung in spanish and then re-sung a few cuts later in English. The guitar has a rich sound, and the lyrics are upbeat and clip along at a merry pace. It ends with a sweet "ding" (bell). Nanita Nana is my 2nd favorite. The words aren't given in the jacket, but can be found on her website. (I'm sorry, I don't know it off the top of my head). I am 50 years old and as an ex-hippie, my music taste spans from hard-rock to folk to blue-grass to blues to disco to British Blues to alternative/Christian alternative. And I am real picky about the money I plunk down for a CD .. and this CD is really under-played in the marketplace.

1 comments about A Latin American Baroque Christmas.

1. Takes the listener back to the cathedrals of Spain. A must for any collection of baroque music.

5 comments about The Jackson 5 Christmas Album.

1. I've listened to this Christmas album since I was a little kid. Never fails to cheer up the holidays. A real classic and my most favorite Christmas album ever. J5's Christmas songs and Elvis's Christmas songs are the best.



2. All of the brothers were talented, but Michael was definitely the superstar! If the song, Give love on Christmas Day, doesn't impress you, you know nothing about music! He was only about 10 years old! Have you ever heard another 10-year-old with such an incredible voice? Hell no! This whole album is great, the price is such a bargain too!



3. I was born in the 80s so this CD was before my time but my parents always played the Jackson Five's music for me. I was shocked that even though we owned the Temptations Give Love At Christmas (another five star great Christmas album) that we didn't own this one so I bought it last year for the first time. It was only 8 bucks but boy was it EVER worth it. It easily became one of my favorite Christmas CDs and it showcases the Jackson Five at it's absolute best. You can see that yes Michael was the dynamic singer in the group though the others were good Michael just shined on songs like Someday at Christmas and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Everyone also knows their energetic versions of Frost the Snowman and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town and if you've ever heard them then you love em. The energy and beautiful vocals in each song will mesmerize you while filling you with the spirit of the holiday.
   
   I believe you are not celebrating Christmas nor is your Christmas music collection complete until you make the Jacksons apart of it. This is a must have for the holidays.



4. This is a really great Christmas album. It's got that funk/bubblegum sound that the Jackson 5 is famous for. The Jackson 5 were rightly known for the great singing of young Michael, but the songs that Jermaine sings lead on here are great, too. The best known song is their hit cover version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", but they also do the best version of "Up on the House Top" ever. Of course, the ironic thing is that as Jehovah's Witnesses, the Jackson 5 didn't celebrate Christmas! But if Jewish people like Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond and Kenny G. can record Christmas albums, so can Jehovah's Witnesses.



5. We loved this album growing up with my siblings and cousins. I found this CD on Amazon and bought it immediately. Now I'm playing it the day after Thanksgiving for my son who's 3. He absolutely loves it just like I did when I was a little girl.

No comments about Banjo Christmas.

5 comments about Lost Winter's Dream.

1. Lisa Mychols sounds beautiful with members of the Wondermints. Lisa can sing, write, and play extraordinarily well! This album is in the style of Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, and of course, the Wondermints. If you enjoy them, or enjoy any melodic, well-written, well-played pop, you'll love this! It doesn't get any better! Sounds great any time of year!



2. Even though this is a Christmas CD no reason to wait. Lisa's voice is like a smooth Chocolate milk shake. Goes down good and you never have enough. This girl is gonna be a superstar!



3. I've followed the Wondermints (and met 'em a few times), ever since they played my friend Scott B's birthday party about 10 years ago. And of course, now Darian, Nick, and Probyn are part of Brian Wilson's "Smile," one of the most anticipated (and long lost) albums in history. They also tour with him. So a few Amazon clicks one day led me to this Lisa Mychols album. It's ostensibly a Christmas album, but it has been on my CD player nonstop, and this is only October (and I celebrate Hannukah)! Buy this, play it often, and please don't rip it onto P2P systems -- these talented artists deserve better than that. I also understand that Lisa Mychols has a new release coming in Nov. '04, and I'll be looking forward to hearing that too. And buy every Wondermints album you can get your hands on. One day, you'll be able to say, "I listened to them way back when...." Peace ... - Bri



4. If the concept of a "holiday" album makes you want to barf, I feel your pain - I usually hate them too. This album is not that kind of schlock, not by a long shot. What LM is doing here is nothing less than bringing new life to the mega-cheesy concept of a Christmas album - putting a sunny, sparkly California wash of sound over these incredible songs that sound like long-lost 60's classics, and that just so happen to be about Christmas. (Except for Jack Frost - I have no idea what that one's about but I suspect it's Judaic in nature because a) klezmer and b) sung in Yiddish.)
   
   If you like pop of the baroque, clever, infectiously hummable kind, you owe it to yourself to check out this album. Within minutes of hearing the first three tracks I was in love - and I rarely have that experience with any artist. (Even ones I end up loving take several listens to the entire album before I can even start to get into it.) Trust me - you won't regret it!



5. Too many people have reviewed this for me to say too much. But I love the way Lisa Mychols and the Wondermints breathe life into the Spector production style.
   
   It is very hard for modern musicians to make music like this without it slipping into parody or anemmic imadation. These artists succeed, and show you how fresh, and timeless this genre really is. This album invokes as much feeling as any Ronnettes or Chrystall's 45. The Wondermints understand the emotion behind the music, not just the style.
   
   They understand Spector so well, I just hope none of the Wondermints wind up shooting their wives.

1 comments about Christmas Grass, Vol. 3.

1. I got this thinking it would be a bluegrass christmas CD. It is a very good christmas CD, however it is not bluegrass. Vol. 2 is better and actually has some bluegrass on it. Skaggs Familly christmas is also good.

2 comments about Christmas with Marty Robbins.

1. I am so thrilled that Amazon was able to find this album for me...I have been looking for it in CD format for a REALLY long time. This is the best Christmas album I have ever listened to. It brings back so many wonderful memories. I was weaned on Marty's Christmas album and am passing the tradition on to my children. I think they were as happy to receive the CD as I was! My kids are 18 and 16, so that says a lot...we all know what discriminating taste teenagers have. (Wink!) I strongly encourage everyone to pick up this CD and start a Marty Christmas in your home. His rendition of the more traditional Christmas songs ("O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing") are truly heartfelt and beautifully done, but I prefer the songs that aren't the standards. "One of You (In Every Size)" and "Christmas Kisses" always make me smile. If you want to be wrapped in the warm fuzzy feeling that comes along every Christmas, RUSH to buy this CD. You won't be disappointed.



2. I found this to be a pedestrian effort at Christmas Music, not original or upbeat. The quality of the CD was below average, and it came with no liner notes.
   If you want classic country Christmas music look to Hank Thompson, Eddy Arnold, Randy Travis or Buck Owens.
   Most Christmas music reviews are of the 'I listened to this when I was a kid and was thrilled to find it on CD here's 5 stars yadda yadda' variety. I completely understand this type of review, but they're not very helpful.
   I just wanted solid, mid 60's sounding country Christmas music, avoid this CD unless you are a Marty Robbins fan.

5 comments about Pokemon: Christmas Bash.

1. oh my god!!! how could anybody like this?????? the world is coming to an end!!!pokemon singing? aaahhhhh!!!this is crazy!!! anybody who actually likes this is insane!!! aaahhhh!!!!i swear everybody who actually likes this is on drugs!!! aaaahhhhhh!!!but seriousely this world is coming to an end and this is proof



2. This review may be a little long, but oh well. I have a lot to say about this cd, and I might as well start at the beginning.
   
   Before I start, I might as well get this cleared up. For those who don't know:
   Team Rocket~the coolest characters ever! Jessie, James, and Meowth
   Team Twerp~Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu (I cringe even typing their names! *shudder*)
   
   Now, here are my original ratings of each of the songs.
   
   1. Pokemon Christmas Bash 8/10
   2. I'm Giving Santa a Pikachu this Christmas 0/10
   3. Winter is the coolest time of year 5/10
   4. Nobody Don't Like Christmas 10/10
   5. I keep my Home in my Heart 4/10
   6. The Christmas Song Infinity/10 :D
   7. Under the Mistletoe 1/10
   8. Must be Santa -10/10 (that's a negative, NOT positive!)
   9. The Night before Christmas 5/10
   10. Christmas Medley 8/10
   11. I'm giving Santa a Pikachu this Christmas (karaoke)-10/10
   12. Christmas Medley (karaoke)5/10
   
   My Opinions and Song previews:
   
   1. Pokemon Christmas Bash~Good song! It could easily be on your favorites list for this cd. The only thing I'd wish is that Team Rocket had more lines! With a pop/rock beat to it, you'll easily be dancing to it! Overall, if you like Christmas songs and Pokemon, this is a good mix!
   
   2. I'm Giving Santa a Pikachu this Christmas~Probably THE worst song on the cd. I'm not kidding. If you absolutely hate Ash-like me!-you won't like this song. Professor Oak isn't exactly the best in this song either. It has a slow beat to it, which can make an already boring Christmas song even more boring, if even possible. Not cool.
   
   3. Winter is the Coolest time of Year~A good song, but not my favorite. I like the fast-paced melody and the words aren't that bad. Misty sings this song, and it's pretty good. I'm not a fan of "Team Twerp"-as you can probably tell! TR rules!-but this song is one of the better ones.
   
   4. Nobody Don't like Christmas~Fans of Meowth rejoice! This is, by far, the 2nd best on the cd, and the funniest Christmas song you'll ever hear! Our favorite kitty sings about the good and bad parts of all the holidays. A word of advice: get the tissues before listening to this song for the first time. You'll laugh so hard, you'll cry!
   
   5. I keep my Home in my Heart~A good, heartfelt Christmas song about missing your family if you happen to be away on Christmas day. Sung by Brock and Misty, this is an unlikely combination. But the fast melody makes up for all the weirdness and overall it's a pretty good song!
   
   6. The Christmas Song~We now come to the climax of this review, with the very best song on the cd, end of story. Our favorite bad guys, Jessie, James, and Meowth completely redefine the term "classic" by updating the old Nat King Cole hit. I must say, they do a pretty darn good job of it and the song is very good. I think even though this song is an old one, Team Rocket's updated version overrides any other song on this cd. A jazzy, yet good melody, little bits of humor, a good instrumental background; what more could you ask for?
   
   7. Under the Mistletoe~Cute to some, lame to me. Like I said before, I absolutely can't stand the twerps, as I want to tear my hair out at the sight of them. This song has an unusual melody to it, and all it's about is Misty trying to kiss Ash under the mistletoe. Um, he's, like, 10 and she's, like, 11? See a problem there? I'm 14 and I have no desire of kissing anyone (except my crushes...hee hee! :D). I understand the whole shipping shebang, but COME ON.
   
   8. Must be Santa~One word: lame, Lame, LAME! (Okay, maybe three.) This song is set to a weird melody and Team Twerp sings about seeing Santa Claus on Christmas. It's quite weird, and anyone who's heard it and didn't like it can probably attest to that.
   
   9. The Night before Christmas~Team Twerp and Team Rocket (first is the worst, second is the best! :D) read the classic poem "The Night before Christmas". Granted, it's not an actual song, but it's still good! The best part is when they both start reading the poem together (world peace rocks!)
   
   10. Christmas Medley~Cute! The whole gang sings this song. It's all the famous songs with different arrangements of words and melodies rolled into one! However, the only reason this song scored two less points with me is that Team Rocket was once again denied a fair amount of lines. One thing I hate is that Team Twerp takes all the lines and leaves Team Rocket with barely anything. But the 12 days of Christmas is awesome!
   
   11. I'm Giving Santa a Pikachu this Christmas (karaoke)~I hate this song and always will, so what makes you think I'll like to sing along with it? Those who don't like the original version don't listen to this song unless you like the melody.
   
   12. Christmas Medley (karaoke)~A good original version can only mean one thing: People will love to sing along to the karaoke version! Are you the competitive type? Think you know all the words? Then bring the heat! Or if competitions aren't your thing you could just listen to the melody and try to get all the words right.
   
   That's it. Song overviews, my ratings and opinions, the whole nine yards. Bet you can't wait till I get out of here after reading this whole thing, so I guess I'll go. But if you're considering buying this cd, please read what I wrote, and what others have said about this cd. It really will help you and this cd is so good, you'll just have to get your dancing shoes on! Anyway I'm outta here! :D



3. This is a Great CD, especially for this time of year. Just like I did with Backstreet Boys Mellinnium, I'm going to do a review of each song. Here goes:
   
   1. Pokemon Christmas Bash- I love this song! Catchy lyrics, great beat. But the "Pika-pika" "Squa-squa-squirtle" part does get kind of annoying in this song.
   
   2. I'm Giving Santa a Pikachu this Christmas- This isn't a half-bad song. Professor Oak has a pretty good voice, although he could use some improvement. Otherwise it's great.
   
   3. Winter is the Coolest Time of Year- Good song, this is the one that Misty sings on. She's a good singer.
   
   4. Nobody Don't Like Christmas- OK, other than the bad grammar, this is a pretty good song. This is a good one to listen to if you want to add a little bit of humor to your day.
   
   5. I Keep My Home In My Heart- This is a good song too. Eric Stuart (I think he plays as Brock) has a good voice. Didn't he used to have his own band at one time? Hmmm...
   
   6. The Christmas Song- OK, now this one was a laugh. Team Rocket doing a remake of a famous Nat King Cole song??? Give me a break!!! I happen to like the origional one better, but Team Rocket didn't do too shabby (bad) on this one.
   
   7. Under the Mistletoe- Another song that wasn't too badly done. It's actually quite good. I can't make any comparisons because I've never heard the origional version of this song before.
   
   8. Must Be Santa- Not bad... Not bad at all. Ash, Misty and Brock do a pretty good job of this one.
   
   9. The Night Before Christmas- I don't have much to say about this song, since I normally don't listen to it. But when I do, it's really not that bad.
   
   10. Pokemon Christmas Medley- This is one of the ones I liked the best. I sing along to this one all the time.
   
   Tracks eleven and twelve are Kaeroeke versions of tracks two and ten. Overall I liked this CD, and I recommend it to anyone who's a Pokemon Fan. Those of you whom have heard Eric Stuart (Brock) Sing Two Perfect Girls on the Pokemon 3 the Ultimet Soundtrack, know that he has really good talent and a very good singing voice. That's it for my review, I hope it helped.



4. This is a great CD for children and Pokemon fans alike! It features songs sang by the original voice cast of Pokemon. A MUST-HAVE for any pokemon cartoon fan! It puts the spirit of christmas into your home, with a pokemon twist. It has 12 songs and is a little over 39-minutes long. The only reason I don't give it a perfect 5 star rating is because it's not my # 1 favorite christmas cd, but definately one of the best! I do however wish it was longer.



5. My son just loves this CD. We purchased it in 2007 after Christmas 2006 and had to listen to it well into June! A must for any Pokemon lover! Warning - may cause occasional slip ups when singing the original Christmas songs! :-)

5 comments about A Classic Rock Christmas.

1. I have long been a fan of all kinds of Christmas music and Styx and REO are two of my favorite bands, so this purchase was a no brainer. Most of these guys have worked together recently, either touring, recording or doing benefit shows so the lineup of artists is very familiar. My favorite tracks include Styx - All I Want, Felix Cavaliere - Christmas in Your Arms, REO - I Believe in Santa and Eddie Money and Ronnie Spectors - Everybody Loves Christmas. REO really sounds great. These guys really need to make some more new music. Who cares if radio ignores it, radio is lousy nowadays anyway. They need to get back in the studio because they make great music, not for all the wrong(i.e. commercial) reasons.

   One of the most unusual tracks is Keith Emersons Gospel Choir take on Silent Night. Very nice, but not really my style. I like the John Waite track but the line "The snow fell like cocaine". Huh? John, what the heck is that about? I must admit I really hate the 12 Days of Christmas and even though I am a Tommy Shaw fan, I have to skip that one after about 10 seconds. Of all the Christmas songs, Tommy why did you have to cover that one? Isn't that the most annoying song of all time? Oh well.

   Overall a very cool album. Buy it. Buy one for a friend.




2. This cd is filled with songs to make you laugh, smile, sing-along, and most importantly for the season, are thought-provoking and remind you the true reason for the celebration, the birth of our Savior!!!

   Styx's high energy, spirited "All I Want" a true anthem in the making gets the cd rolling, and then Felix's "Christmas In Your Arms", a sweet and charming yule-tide song soothes you with a gentle peacefulness.

   REO Speedwagon's "I Believe In Santa Claus", with Kevin Cronin's soft, innocent lyrics give us adults pause when we think of how we will react when asked THE QUESTION about Santa... It's a beautiful song that makes us want to hear more from this band in the season and year-round!

   "Everybody Loves Christmas", Eddie Money's little bopper from the end of the Santa Claus 2 is spunky and fun, John Waites "All I Want For Christmas" has nice sentiment, and " I Believe in Father Christmas" in the Greg Lake (formerly of ELP) spirit is a classic in the making with its strong, almost haunting lyrics and styling.

   As the cd plays on, you hear a lovely, Eagle-esque song by Survivor "So This is Christmas", my favorite song on the cd, as it is a vocal and musical delight!

   Father Guido Sarducci banters his way through a hilarious spoof on the whole selfishness of the season that often errodes its true meaning in "Santas Lament". It pokes fun at what Santa wants, including a Barbie doll, a five-foot one, that is! lol

   "Silent Night" proves there is truly something for everyone on this cd, high-spirited fun, heart-pulling lyrics, and reminders of our youth and our purpose. The gospel choir tone and feel of this one is truly in the traditional celebratory spirit!

   "12 Days of Christmas" with Shaw and Blades warms the heart and toes of those of us over 30 who remember singing this is 6th grade choir at school, and NOW we can sing it along with two of our rock hero's from that very era! Splendid!

   In a tie with my other favorite is the cd's closer, "Mary". This song asks the unanswerable question, gently and lovingly, but with a passion to bring a tear to your heart, HOW did Mary deal with seeing her son crucified before her very eyes. It speaks to our hearts and minds and makes us wonder something we may have never pondered. This song is the whole essence of the cd, and that such a thing was included on a classic rock cd keeps faith alive that the light is still burning in all corners of the world, as we KNEW it was!

   Merry Christmas and Rock On!




3. Christmas records always seems to be a way for singers and bands to cash in on the season. This CD is not an exeption. Most of the songs on here are originals by the bands with only a few being new versions of standard Christmas classics. How many different versions of "I Believe In Father Christmas" By Greg Lake are there? This is the cream of the AOR crop of the 70's & 80's on here, I just wonder why Journey isn't on here. There really isn't a standout track on here but there are no real duds either. Put this on and deck the halls, wrap some presents, or whatever you do around the Christmas time. It is a nice mellow rock album that blends into the background to create a nice atmosphere for a while. Isn't that what Christmas music should do? Even 2 of the songs here mention or at least hint at the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ. Check it out.



4. There are a few very good Christmas songs on this CD, especially those by Styx and Survivor. But it's Mark Farner's beautiful and inspiring "Mary (The Return From Calvary) that makes this CD special. I would recommend buying the CD just for this song alone. Truly inspirational!



5. We seem to be inundated with new Christmas CDs every year. How many CDs out there have Burl Ives's "Holly Jolly Christmas"? It's nice to see something different come out, and this CD is refershingly different.
   
   My favorite band is REO Speedwagon, who at the time of this release had not had a new album out in six years, so I was excited to get a new song from them. I love it! (They have since released a new album, "Find Your Own Way Home," in 2007). "I Believe In Santa Claus" was written by bassist Bruce Hall and vocalist Kevin Cronin, and it helps us parents think of ideas for an answer to the question we'll all get from our kids. The liner notes from the CD talks about the inspiration for the lyrics.
   
   I was also happy to see songs from some of my other favorite artists, like Styx, Survivor, Eddie Money, and John Waite. I truly enjoy every song on this album, and I would highly recommend it to anyone!