5 comments about Songs for Christmas.

1. Cool and ambitious takes on old and new tunes...plus fun packaging that makes the "hard copy" well worth it (actually, a steal.)



2. great twist on the classics and beautiful orginal compositions, though the collection is 5 CDs deep it is not a chore to listen through all, each song has wonderful holiday sentiments and melody. Sufjan continues to brighten the standards with his signature.



3. All five cd's are fabulous, I played them the entire holiday and gave this as a gift to everyone. A perfect blend of classics and new songs.



4. This box set is full of fun times as soon as you open it. Besides the amazingly complex yet honestly raw christmas songs, there are short stories that we can all relate to about the materialism of christmas and the coming together of dysfunctional families, as well as chords and lyrics to all of the songs so you can sing and even play along. My mother and i sang together for the first time ever when i put these CDs in the player.



5. This is what introduced me to Sufjan (and I have never been the same!). My mother, who is in her mid 50s, loves this set. I secretly look forward to Thanksgiving because I can put the album in my cd player for the next couple of months...and we play it while we're taking our tree down so we can enjoy it one last time before putting Christmas stuff up. It has many traditional Christmas songs, as well as some he has written, and some stellar renditions of old hymns that will be familiar to many. This has to be the best Christmas album ever.

5 comments about Baby Einstein: Traveling Melodies.

1. I picked this up for driving around music and was very pleasantly surprised. Quite enjoyable (and my son seems to like it too!) and perfect for exactly what it says--traveling around. Easy listening and could possibly make your child smarter, great!



2. My husband and I are musicians so I inwardly groaned when we were given this CD as a gift--I'd rather play the originals rather than some synthesized kiddie version. However, on a recent road trip we got desperate when our colicky son would not stop screaming. We popped this in the CD player and it calmed him down immediately. I swear, it's like aural crack for babies. We now play it at bedtime to help calm him down and it still works. You may not love this CD, but your baby will.



3. Hello everyone,
   This CD is great!
   My son has ADD & when we are out & he gets Anxious I put this CD in his portibale CD player.
   It seems to help him calm down & better cope with things.
   I think that every parent should have this CD that has a special needs child.
   Thanks so much for putting it online for people to buy.
   Thanks Again,
   A Greatfull Mom



4. This tape is short and the melodies are not engaging for kids. It was waste of money.



5. My baby, the dad and I love this cd! It makes car rides FUN! She relaxes and sleeps too!!!
   Whoever buys it won't regret!
   Baby Einstein must know what they're doing cause it is really amazing.

5 comments about Christmas and the Beads of Sweat.

1. A word that is overused and cheapened is "Genius." If you look in the dictionary for a definition of that word, you may find a picture of Laura Nyro with a link to her best music. This album was one of her very best. As late as 1991 Rolling Stone defined this album as the "worst" of her career. Doesn't take a genius to understand the quality of that review. Listen to this CD in the dark. Be alone with "Christmas and the Beads of Sweat." After it has seeped into your soul, invite a friend to join you in the darkness and listen again. Close your eyes and bathe in the luminescence of Ms. Nyro. Genius.



2. I remember it well: my big sister and I went to Tower Records on Sunset Blvd. the day after Christmas 1980 to buy Laura Nyro's "Christmas and the Beads of Sweat." And who was there in the store but Peter Bogdonavich and Cybill Shepherd! I was very young at the time but I still rememeber that day well. And it wasn't because of Peter and Cybill. It's because this music is still so vibrant, vulnerable and magical. "Freeport," "Blackpatch," "Brown earth," "Up on the Roof" and on and on...songs of love, songs of despair, songs of protest.
   What people don't know is that Laura Nyro was the consummate musician: she wrote, she played piano, she sang, of course, she produced most of her albums and she wrote the arrangements.
   To appreciate Laura is to appreciate New York, Spanish Harlem and the music of the streets. It has been rumored that when Laura was directing back up orchestras at her recording sessions, she would say things like: "play it bluer," "play it like you are sad and crying..." If you really really listen to her albums...you know that this is true.
   She is gone now but she is certainly not forgotten. Rest in peace, Laura.
   When is someone at Columbia/Sony going to realize how important an artist Laura Nyro was and digitally re-master complete versions of "Christmas" and "Smile." It is long over do.



3. In 1974 I hung out in dingy smoke filled bistros absorbing atmosphere and jazz. I bought a record for the title! Christmas and the Beads of Sweat.
   My friends loved it too! We created our own bistro in my flat with Laura's haunting presence of voice and words transporting us to heights of relief. Rhubarb pie was the climax with "Christmas in my Soul".
   A timeless escape from beginning to end, "Christmas and the Beads of Sweat" is a must-have for anyone who wanted to climb up on the roof!
   
   The CD cover unfolds and there in beautiful handwriting are all the words.
   What a fantastic bonus!



4. I got this CD to replace my original vinyl album, for which I no longer have a turntable. I had forgotten how beautiful this album is... Between the haunting poetic lyrics and Laura Nyro's truly incredible soprano (which frequently soars so high in this collection that your dog may be the only one who will be able to make out some of the lyrics), you may feel as though you're listening to an angel--and you are! If you like Joni Mitchell, you're going to love Laura! Be sure to read the lyrics in the liner notes. She's not just an accomplished singer--this girl can WRITE.



5. I first heard Laura Nyro when I was in my second year of high school. I was listening to an AM station and they were playing Laura's single "Up On The Roof." I thought it was wonderful. I knew of her for a couple of years as a songwriter for selections of the 5th Dimension and other artists but this was the first time that I had heard her sing.
   Someone that I knew told me that she had this album so I borrowed it. I loved it from the first time I listened to it. It also became the first of Laura's albums that I would buy.
   My favorite selections are "Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp" and "Map to the Treasure." The lyric to "Upstairs" give you such detail of what is going on and it makes you feel as if you are right in the scene. The vocals are perfect for the song and the instrumentation flows beautifully throughout the song. The wondrous moment comes when Alice Coltrane comes in with the harp and you are now transformed into the song "Map to the Treasure." It is not something you can stop. You have to stay for "Map" and hear it out. It starts slowly with two short verses and then Laura's piano work begins to take you on a journey as it starts slowly and begins to pick up the tempo as it goes until the crescendo where she starts singing again and you are totally hooked to it. The tempo has become very fast as you feel as though she is singing to you saying "Take my hand now." You can't let go and then the tempo slows and she repeats the first verse and close with the fading piano. You think you hear the last note and then there a few addtional short notes that close the song.
   "Up on The Roof" is a fresh version from the faster paced versions of the early Sixties. Carole King did a slower version on her album "Writer" and maybe Laura heard this version and used it as a basis for the slower tempo. This was the only Laura Nyro song that I ever heard on AM radio at the time and I never have heard it on FM stations.
   The song "Christmas in My Soul" is a beautiful tribute to some of the troubles of the time. Unfortunately it also dates the album but it is a strong testament of the times.
   "Brown Earth" is a great opener and then "Freeport" and "Blackpatch" come in followed by the haunting "Been on a Train." "Train" was also a testament of the times as deaths from heroin use were becoming epidemic.
   "Beads of Sweat" is a rocket paced tune not unlike "Eli's Comin'" from her earlier album. Like "Eli" it starts off slowly and then picks up a very fast pace with a great electric guitar along with Laura's piano playing.
   I highly recommend this recording to any fan of Laura Nyro. Laura has stood the test of time and never received the recognition that she deserved but maybe her songs by other artists that were played on the radio then and now gave her enough satsisfaction since recording a song written by someone else is a great reward in itself.
   Thank you Laura, you were a great writer and you are missed.

5 comments about The Hits--Chapter One.

1. ...only buy it if you don't want to buy the real albums (backstreet boys, millennium, black and blue). see i'm being fair and honest =)
   
   anyway, you probably know it already, it's a CD which consists of their greatest hits over the years previous to 2001. as one can imagine, the order of the songs probably has to do w/the individual success of the songs. that easily makes "i want it that way" number one.
   
   i don't personally "approve" of some of the songs on the album b/c i really didn't think some of them should've been a single (i.e. get down, the one). not that i don't like them but there were songs that were better. i guess nick messed up when he called TRL and said that he wanted "the one" to be a single instead of "don't want you back"? ah there's a whole story behind that i won't get into.
   
   well, if you'r not a huge fan of bsb then you probably wouldn't want to buy all their albums. so this one will do. it has all the greatest hits, the ones you'r kinda "required" to know in order to call yourself a "fan" (LMAO).
   
   there's one setback tho -- you probably have heard these songs a million times on the radios before...so it's kinda a waste when you think of it that way. but other than that, by all means, get it!



2. If you like the backstreet boys' old school songs, but don't feel like buying all of thier albums, getting more songs than you really want, this is a great alternative. Including all of thier singles up till 2001, it has most of the songs you will remember and love. Great Album.



3. Love these voices. One song has some suggestive lyrics, but the rest are wonderful.



4. BSB' and Britney (many more by these are the prime evils) need to be put on a "no talent not worth S*IT" rockship and fired into the sun.
   
   The word "Hits" on this package is laughable. It should be called "The Hit's: that 14 year old girls like"



5. The CD was not new as had been advertised. I felt conned after receiving the item

5 comments about Time-Life Music: Treasury of Christmas - Holiday Memories.

1. I purchased this item from the television ad the year it was released directly from Time-Life. As a result of getting divorced, I needed to repurchase this great set I had bought from Time-Life years ago. After seeing the price for the bundle and recognizing the album covers, I was elated to finally get a new set for myself. Upon receipt, I immediately discovered that it is not "As Seen on TV" at all. the song selection is a fraction of the original, with a different discograpghy, but still the same album covers.
   The songs are indeed great classics, however, if you have experienced the original "As Seen on TV" set that was released in 2001 you, too, will be as disappointed and left feeling rather robbed.



2. I enjoy Méhdi"Christmas Treasures",Charlie Brown Christmas ,Mannheim Steamroller etc.and this a magnificent production that I also enjoy just as much. Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: Holiday Memories collects 24 classic tracks of the holiday genre spread out over two discs, including "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" by Nat King Cole, "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt, "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms, "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Greg Lake, and "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Many of these artists will appeal to a broad range of ages, making it perfect for family gatherings.



3. The CD - Treasury, from Time-Life was not the one I wanted. I wanted the first Time Life Christmas collection.



4. This CD has a good selection of traditional Christmas songs from the original artists that I remember from my childhood. You know, when it was still OK to say "Merry Christmas" to someone on the street. I played this CD and the other Time-Life Christmas CD all December long. I want my kids to have these songs as their Christmas memories as I do.



5. This CD is a "must-have" in anyone's Holiday music collection because it contains practically every "classic" version of your Holiday favorites. There is even the almost impossible to find " Little Drummer Boy" duet by Bing Crosby and David Bowie for that all important "where did you find that?" cachet at your Holiday Party. Heck, it will make you feel cool on a 95 degree day! The sound quality is amazingly good considering that some of the songs were recorded decades before the digital age.

5 comments about Christmas With You.

1. Sad really. Rick's voice is pretty much shot, very little range, he sounds hoarse on every song. The best track by far is an instrumental faux-Beach Boys "Deck the Halls." My copy is already on the way to "Goodwill".



2. Cd was good for not having anything new from Rick in awhile.
   Nice for the holiday season.
   Would recommend if you are a fan of Ricks



3. As a long time fan of Rick Springfield, back to the seventies, I totally enjoyed this cd.
   
   Christmas is my favorite time and even though I got this cd afterwards, I am still playing it. Love it



4. I couldn't buy this CD at Christmastime. It was sold out. I decided to get it after Christmas so that I could have it for Christmas 2008 which is far away. I listened to only the first track and it sounded really nice.



5. Most people don't know that all the proceeds of Christmas With You went to the families of fallen troops here in the USA. What an amazing jesture by the greatest Rocker ever, Rick Springfield. There are numerous hits on here, not just Christmas hits but they should have been played on the radio all the time and gotten the respect they deserved! This is the best Christmas CD ever.

5 comments about Andre Rieu - Christmas Around the World.

1. EVeryone should see at least one of his dvd's they are simple wonderful. I have bought 4 Andre's dvd's and enjoy each one of them. I am using some of them as gifts. They really are the enjoyable.



2. Andre Rieu was suggested by a friend, we like him
   very much but he is not one of our favorites. We
   personally prefer piano music.



3. A delightful disc, with absolutely beautiful Christmas Music and wonderful individual performances, especially the Japanese children.



4. 
   I love Music of Andre. Christmas is the day for the born of Jesus. However, Andre never say about the born of the Jesus. Furthermore, he never celebrate the born of jesus. Maybe, he don't go to the church longtime. He also forget the spirt of chistmas. Everyone know that only 1% of japanese go the church. Most japanese go to the private shrine. Why did Andre enter the stage the japnese chidren? They don't understand the language(german & english), and also the christmas spirit. It was awkward.



5. This Dvd is great, and especially around Christmas,however it can be enjoyed Year round,I have a lot of Andre Rieu Dvds and Vhs's,His style of playing this music is in a class all by itself,I can not say enough good words
   about him and his orchestra,it is excellent,It is great FUN,,interaction within the orchestra is A+++,These people like to play music and do it well,
   Keep the music coming for all the world to enjoy !!,Thanks,Andre and Orchestra,
   given by Albert Bruins,,

5 comments about Now That's What I Call Christmas!, Vol. 2: The Signature Collection.

1. This is a great set. The first cd has all of the wonderful traditional songs, and are nice when the fire is on or just the tree lights are on. The second cd is great when you want more upbeat modern music after getting tired of the first! We have lots of Christmas CDs, but this set gets more play because of the great combination.



2. Now That's What I Call Christmas! gives us a great, extensive mixture of Christmas time songs both new and traditional on a two CD set. The quality of the sound is excellent and we get five star performances all the way!
   
   CD number 1 is subtitled "Now, And Forever." Destiny's Child does a great job on "Opera Of The Bells." They harmonize to perfection and they never miss a beat! Kylie Minogue gives a smashing rendition of the classic "Santa Baby;" the musical arrangement gets strength from percussion and Kylie sings this like the pro that she is! You're bound to like Kylie singing "Santa Baby;" and the backup male vocalists bolster Kylie's performance. Good brass, too! Listen also for B2K doing their awesome rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." The rap beat works well up against the traditional lyrics and the majority of the arrangement which is rather traditional. Awesome!
   
   Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" is sure to please; and Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" features Mariah singing passionately. I predict that you'll like "All I Want For Christmas Is You" very, very much.
   
   We also get Wham! Performing "Last Christmas;" and Norah Jones does a somewhat jazzy number called "Peace" that I really like a lot. "Peace" also has a great piano arrangement, too.
   
   The second CD is subtitled "Then And Always;" this CD features more traditional renditions of classic Christmas tunes sung mostly by artists who were famous or more active in show business in the past. Listen for the immortal Louis Armstrong singing his best on "Winter Wonderland;" and Barbra Streisand's delivery of "I'll be Home For Christmas" lacks nothing--it's THAT good.
   
   Johnny Mathis sings "Silver Bells" to perfection with, of course, bells in the background; and Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run" is thrown in for a little bit of early rock and roll shock effect! Cool! SMILE
   
   We also get José Feliciano performing "Feliz Navidad" which was extremely popular when it first came out in the early `80s ( and it still remains well liked today); and Burl Ives sings the classic "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" really, really, well. The backup chorus harmonizes well and the percussion works well for this number, too. In addition, listen for Andy Griffith singing "Go Tell It On The Mountain" with a strong country twist--very creative.
   
   Pavarotti sings "Adeste Fidelis" with The National Philharmonic Orchestra & The London Voices; and Barry Manilow does "(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays." The second CD ends strong with Guy Lombardo's "Auld Lang Syne."
   
   The liner notes have great artwork and we get the credits for each song on this two CD set.
   
   Overall, this two CD set really gives you quite a lot for your money. I highly recommend this two CD set for people everywhere who enjoy "high quality control" Christmas music.



3. I enjoy Méhdi"Christmas Treasures",Charlie Brown Christmas ,Mannheim Steamroller etc.and this a magnificent production that I also enjoy just as much. Now christmas: signature collection is filled with great artists of today and from the past. i think it is a set up from the first now christmas. The Signature Collection devotes one disc to contemporary pop versions of Christmas songs and another disc to vocal pop, jazz, and country versions of holiday favorites.



4. This CD is really nice because it has both the older holiday music and the newer holiday music. That way my daughter and my mother both can listen to the same CD and enjoy it together.



5. I really liked this 2 cd collection because it contains one cd with modern contemporary music and one cd with the older classics. So depending on your mood or the people you are with, there is something to please everyone. In my opinion, it was worth the purchase.

5 comments about A Christmas Festival.

1. I'm a Christmas music junkie and I absolutely love the Boston Pops! My favorite on the CD is Sleigh Ride. This would be great background music for a Christmas party or gathering. I recommend it!



2. As far as I'm concerned this is a "must have" for any Christmas music collection. I also own two other Boston Pops Christmas CD's conducted by John Williams and Keith Lockart which are newer and also great but this one from Artur Fiedler is the "Master". Over an hour of pure classic holiday pleasure. Christmas music like fine wine only improves with age.



3. 
   Our whole family enjoyed this CD very much. It was the first CD we played on the 1st of December as the family tradition has been to play the first Christmas CD in the early hours before sunrise. I especially liked the range of music from tradiitonal favourites to more contemporary sounds.Each piece was unique. Truly a musical feast!



4. I like Christmas music that I can play and replay without getting tired of it. This certainly fits that criteria. I listened to it frequently during the season and enjoyed it every time.



5. This album was released on compact disc in October of 1990 but it was released on vinyl records sometime between 1969 to 1972. I grew up listening to it most years until I started on my own path. Of course in my younger days the appreciation for Christmas orchestra music was not there. Only rediscovered it on amazon.com in 1994. It's great to play low as background music on Christmas day while opening gifts or while friends and relatives are talking about. The music has a whimsical flare which really brings out the Christmas spirit. Highly recommended for initiating cheer and maintaining calm in the household.

5 comments about White Christmas.

1. I love Martina McBride.........she has an incredible voice and brings such emotion to the lyrics when she sings. However, I was disappointed when I put this CD in only to discover it is mostly a re-recording of the Christmas songs from her first Christmas CD with a few more additions. I was hoping that she would have re-recorded the songs differently....... oh well, I guess I should have listened first.



2. I love Martina and her wonderful voice. Her latest Christmas album with the new songs added is wonderful, but I hope her next Christmas release includes ALL new songs since there are plenty of terrific holiday songs out there without having to repeat any year after year.



3. I have always loved to listen to Martina McBrides music. This is just another awesome Cd by her.



4. It took awhile to get to me, but was in great condition. It's a lovely cd and I'm glad to have it.



5. Nothin' can go wrong with Martina McBride...Her Vocals Are Awesome!! She can sing the Yellow Pages and make it sound awesome.
   
   Enuf Said
   kareybeth