No comments about DJ's Choice Smooth Christmas.

5 comments about A Joyful Noise.

1. Jo Dee built her success on predominately up-tempo songs recorded in a contemporary country style. I therefore expected that any Christmas album would reflect that, but I realized from other reviews that this album is not like that at all. In fact, this is a generally mellow album, with an orchestral backing used sparingly but effectively. The result is an album that bears no relation to the contemporary country scene, but is nevertheless a very enjoyable listening experience - at least to me, though some country fans will inevitably be alienated. While this is different from Jo Dee's other work, it is an easy-listening musical style that I appreciate in a different way.

   Jo Dee demonstrates that she can sing with restraint as she works her way through a succession of classic Christmas songs. Only towards the end of the set does she loosen up, but even then she does not use the full power of her voice, which is on her other albums. After all the classics, the album ends with two excellent original songs.

   Jo Dee's die-hard fans will accept this change of style as a contrast to her other albums, as will those (like me) with eclectic tastes. If you are looking for a contemporary country Christmas album, this is not it. Likewise, Jo Dee's less committed fans may hesitate. If in doubt, you might be wise to listen to some of it before buying. I thought long and hard before buying this but I'm very glad I did.




2. This CD is really nice at Christmas time. The songs give you a nice feeling since they are new and fresh but grounded in a traditional style. Jo Dee's voice is beautiful and strong - truly a joyful noise.



3. I love Jo Dee Messina but this was not my faviorte Christmas CD. How many artists can possibly do a Christmas album? They all seem to have the same songs on them. I have Leann Rimes Christmas CD and love it because there are more orignal works on it than other CD's. But still this is a great CD for the Christmas season.



4. I like Jo Dee, but I don't think she has the right voice for these songs. Martina McBride's Christmas album, White Christmas, has almost all of the same songs as this one. If you're contemplating buying this album, I would check out Martina's. She did a beautiful job with all of the traditional christmas songs.



5. What a diva. Does it make a difference how many albums she makes if she can't even invite her own mother-in-law to her wedding?

5 comments about My Christmas EP.

1. I'm revealing my age here a bit, but Tennessee Earnie Ford and Jim Neighbors have lost their exclusive hold on "Go Tell It On The Mountain" as far as I'm concerned. I have never enjoyed the song more than while listening to George belt it out. Goosebumps! His infectious joy is conveyed in every note of this EP. That slighlty breathy warm tone may not always meet technical requirements, but who cares when you feel like your snuggled in a warm blanket the entire time your listening to it. Indulge!



2. This album is a must-have for anyone who loves to listen to beautiful singing of timeless songs for the holidays. The musical arrangements are nothing new and can at times sound a little simplistic, but that's okay because GEORGE HUFF IS AMAZING! Always nuanced, his rich, recognizable voice really shines in these traditional songs. The joyous version of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" is especially well-suited to both his spirit and his talent. The only bad thing that can be said about this album is that it's SO DARN SHORT. The music industry is long overdue for a unique, warm and infectious voice like his, especially coming from such a genuine and nice guy.
   
   And yes, folks, he really is that nice ALL the time. My little boy and I met him in the summer of 2004 when the AI3 tour came to Miami. We got backstage passes from a friend, and so I'm happy to report that not only is George as vocally flawless live as he was on the show, he is also really that sunny, warm and hilarious in person. I wish him all the best of luck... but if you listen to this album, you can tell he doesn't need it. ;)



3. George picked the worst way to show his voice.Songs are so boring and he doesn't stay in the right key!
   Save your money and buy Bo Bice's new AWESOME, AMAZING, album called The Real Thing! Bo will show you how it's done! Bo's the REAL DEAL folks! Bo blows all the other Idols who ever went on the show out of the water, makes them look real bad, yuck for Georgie!



4. What's the deal with people who obviously have agendas reviewing a particular CD by saying "Bo is better," etc. I like Bo too, but you don't raise him up by trying to bring Huff down! They each have their own style; it's like apples and oranges, and there is plenty of room in our society for both kinds of music. Bo is a rocker (although they made him very pop-ish on "The Real Thing" and Huff has his own gospel style. They're even from different AI Seasons, for goodness sake, so they're not in competition with each other! This CD shows the promise of many good years ahead for Huff fans.



5. I was fortunate enough to meet and spend some time with George a few months ago. At the time I didn't own any of his cd's, but now I do, and I gotta say he is incredibly talented! I don't usually listen to this style of music, but my wife loves it, so I try to find artists that I find bearable so we don't end up fighting over the car radio on trips. I find myself being the one to recommend putting George in the cd player. He is a great artist, and a wonderful person to boot. In person he is just as genuine, kind, and nice as he appeared on Idol, and that carries through to his music. Great guy. Great music. Great purchase!

5 comments about Angelis.

1. Absolutely moving and inspiring music from immensely gifted young voices!
   Even though there is a bit of traditional holiday music, the secular offerings will move your soul.



2. I bought this cd becasue it simply caught my attention.
   
   The songs are amazing, and the voices are just beautifull, I love " Even though you are gone" and "Angel".
   
   Can't wait to hera more frm this kids
   
   Good for you Simon.......



3. I'm afraid I can't recommend this album as highly as all of the previous reviewers. I bought this album because I like the sound of children's voices; my CD collection features albums by groups like Libera and The Cottars, as well as young singers like Hayley Westenra and Chloe Agnew. I thought that this album would be similar. Unfortunately, the problem is that it is too similar to those other albums!
   
   The kids sing fairly well (they're on key), but there didn't seem to be much emotion (I noticed this especially on songs like "Even Though You've Gone", which I would expect to be a little more... well, moving). That's not entirely the kids' fault, though. I don't think the selection of songs was very good. Seven out of the eleven songs have been covered by Hayley Westenra alone, and she did a better job. There are so many beautiful songs out there; to choose to cover songs that other people (quite recently) made famous doesn't seem like a very good decision. I also wasn't crazy about the arrangements. In what I'm assuming was an attempt to make all the songs sound ethereal, the producers ended up with an album of songs that sound boringly similar.
   
   Will there be another album from Angelis? I suppose it all depends on when the boys' voices change. If there is another album, though, I hope the songs are chosen a little more carefully. And releasing a version in North America wouldn't hurt, either. I'm feeling a little annoyed after shelling out so much money for an import that didn't live up to my expectations!



4. I write and produce children's CDs. Angelis is sung by children that were handpicked from many who auditioned for Simon Cowell of 'American Idol. After having purchased and enjoyed Simon's CDs by il Divo, I had high expectations for Angelis. However, I was very dissapointed. It is lackluster and boring. Every song has been given the same orchestral treatment. All of the songs are slow and dreamy, lacking in originality with very little harmony even with 6 children singing. They are singing old traditional songs, not written for children. They have good voices, though not exceptional. I'll probably not listen to it again. I feel like sending it back. I'm listening as I pen this review. Thank goodness the last song is getting ready to play. I kept listening, thinking the production and creativity would improve as it continued to play. It never did. The last song is 'Oh, Holy Night.' Nothing new there. The children are taking turns singing solos on each line. Oh no! on the last chorus, they added an adult choir...unusual and unnecessary. If their next production is 100% above this one, it will be worth buying.



5. The voices of these children ring so pure and clear. Every song is beautiful, but Somewhere Over The Rainbow brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to it. beautiful.

1 comments about Redneck 12 Days of Christmas / Here's Your Sign Christmas.

1. Fine cd, funny, etc. Apparently I read the description wrong because there are only two songs on the cd! OOPS! Well I got it as a combo with another CD so no big but felt a little sheepish when the person I gave it as a gift told me there were only two songs.

5 comments about Winter Tracks.

1. This is a wonderful album that does exactly what holiday albums are meant to do, capture the spirit of the season and get you into a holiday mood. Susan has a beautiful voice that is just perfect for this material and the arrangements are touching, not overly done or garish. I usually don't like suggesting that others buy an album, because people have such varying tastes, but I would eagerly recommend Winter Tracks to anyone



2. As the title of this CD suggests, it isn't a Christmas album per se - the songs included cover Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's. Egan first skyrocketed to fame as the original Belle when Disney's Beauty and the Beast opened on Broadway (she appears on the cast album). Her soprano is so crystal-clear and controlled it sounds as though it could cut glass. With Winter Tracks, Egan has delivered a laid-back collection of classics mixed with new material that evokes the warmth and comfort of the season like drinking a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter's day. The arrangements have a classic, orchestral feel to them and perfectly frame Egan's sparkling vocals. My favorite tracks are Sondheim's "We Are Lights" combined with the traditional "Shalom Alaychem" (absolutely beautifully done!) and "Silent Night/Greensleeves." The newer tracks blend nicely with the more traditional fare - "The Turkey and the Stuffing" by producer Christopher McGovern gently skewers the stress the holidays can bring by suggesting a worry-free alternative - "Swansons and a six-pack," while "Cold Enough to Snow" examines heartache around the holidays. Definitely worth checking out, Winter Tracks is one of the best offerings from a Broadway vocalist in recent memory.



3. Though I love anything that Susan sings, this compelation will surely fit into everyone's holiday collections. The song choices are nothing short of fabulous and will get you into the spirit of the season as soon as you press play. From Thanksgiving to Chanukah to Christmas and New Year's, there's a song for them all - and each is unique and completely faultless.
   
   My advice is to get cozy, sip a cup of tea, and sit back while Susan Egan and Christopher McGovern help you relax into the joys that the holiday season undoubtedly brings!



4. Am fan of Susan Egan but did not know what to expect with this album.Must say that I was more than pleasantly surprised at how good it is.Miss Egan has a voice like few others and it soars on this album.One of the greatest surprises is the 2nd track, asong called "The Turkey and the Stuffing" first time I have heard it but but this song is one of those that every time you hear it you like it more.This is a Christmas album but it will stay out and be played all year long.A great addition to any collection.



5. Susan Egan is amazing. A Christmas album from this wonderful songstress is a treat. Please Susan, keep producing such wondeful albums.

1 comments about Live, Christmas Night.

1. There is a brief moment when you first put this completely obscure CD in, and that first song kicks in, that you'll be totally in the dark as to which way the song/band style will head. Rest assured, though, when that first guitar solo kicks in, everything will fall into place and you will have realized that you've just purchased one of the most unknown, kick-butt Cds ever released. Grasping for definition, the power-format of Cream wouldn't be far off, but the songs move and groove too fluidly to let themselves get mired down in heavy blues--nay, a nip of the Grateful Dead would be in order as well, especially on "Boogie With Me Mama" and "Movin` On", which also recalls the Let It Bleed era Stones. Then there's that great opening line just before the heavy guitar blitz from the second song, "Billy Goat": `Well I walked down the road/the road got muddy/I stubbed my toe/my toe got bloody/and everybody gonna holler Billy Goat!' Need more? Half the songs are loooong-over seven minutes, so getting your money's worth won't be an issue (which it often is with Radioactive Cds) on this one. In all, this is an amazing piece of music from a band that had no identity neither before nor after this performance-but for that moment, the day was theirs.

5 comments about Frosty the Snowman.

1. My family loves this CD.



2. This CD is absolutely perfect if you love angelic childrens voices singing the beautiful classical Christmas songs. I guarantee that you will absolutelly love it. And you won't tire of it like you do all the Hollywood music singers CD's - although I have many.



3. This is my Mom's account. This is my very favorite Christmas CD!!! The children have the loveliest voices I have ever heard and the accompaniment is also wonderful. I love all music sung by children, but this is by far the best! There is a very good mix of beautiful religious songs and fun, upbeat kid's songs.



4. I just 1-clicked this Christmas CD because after five great years, our copy is nicked. I panicked thinking it might be out of print, but NO. Thank you Amazon and Delta Music Inc. It's traveled yearly to a family party and has held up til now. I made song sheets to go with it a while back; I just hand it to the DJ and all the kids sing along. It's in the perfect key, too. The best!



5. My children that I teach, as well as my grandchildren, love this CD! It's beautifully performed by the International Children's Choir, yet is easy for the kids to sing along with. This is absolutely one of my very favorite CDs during the Holiday Season. I had lost my original copy of the CD, so I was very excited to find that it is still available - it's one that I did not want to be without during the Christmas Season!

2 comments about Christmas With Kiri Te Kanawa - Kiri Te Kanawa, Michael George,.

1. I was delighted with this DVD. Te Kanawa's voice is radiant, and she is beautiful and dressed elegantly for the season. The DVD has a great deal of variety featuring a singer with a marvelous bass voice, superb orchestra, and a boys' and men' chorus that are all well-trained. I plan to watch and listen to this wonderful DVD for many years to come. I love to hear the standard and familiar Christmas carols, as well as some more unfamiliar ones that are included. Thumbs up on this one.



2. I first experienced this concert six years ago in a television adaptation, where each carol was introduced by David Frost with an astonishing amount of misinformation. Even with that intrusion, Kiri te Kanawa's performance of such carols as "There is no Rose of Such Virtue" and "Of the Father's Heart Begotten" was superlative, and on this DVD, Christmas with Dame Kiri can be savored without commentary. She is well supported by the choirs of Coventry and Lichfield Cathedrals, by the BBC Philharmonic, and by the trumpet of Jouko Harjanne. She is perfectly complemented by bass-baritone Michael George, who deserves more acknowledgement in the packaging of the DVD. Kultur International is furthermore quite Scrooge-like in failing to provide any information about the versions of carols performed here, but that's my final "humbug" for this item. Kiri te Kanawa and Michael George perform with sincerity and art, the recording is good, and the camerawork and editing are satisfying, with panoramas of the cathedral juxtaposed with Graham Sutherland's Christ the King, and candle flames that resonate like the music itself.

5 comments about Happy Holidays (A Very Special Christmas Album).

1. It's a great holiday album, but not in Billy Idol's trademark style. He gets a little close to his 80's rocker shouting on tracks like "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" and "Merry Christmas Baby". The real missed opportunity here, in my opinion, is that he didn't sing "White Christmas" to the tune of "White Wedding". That would have been awesome. (It's a nice day for a...WHITE CHRISTMAS!) What about "Dancing With My Elf"?



2. I have been a fan of Billy Idol's for 30 years, and I could not have been more disappointed in this CD. He (normally) has such a powerful voice with a nice range, and this CD almost sounded like he was joking around. He could have done so much justice to the songs he chose, but they all fall painfully short of even his mediocre work. C'mon Billy, we know you have much better things to offer.



3. I bought this CD last year and had to listen to it several times before I got over wanting it to sound like the 80s BI, and started to appreciate what a creative and bold leap it is. He used his voice in a totally different way.
   
   I wanted this album to contain rocking versions of Christmas songs, but I appreciate the courage it took for him to put out an entire album in a totally different genre. He must've known he'd get flak--but he did it anyway.
   
   I, for one, can appreciate an artist who wants to try different things commercially--as long as they're good at them. And no one can argue that these aren't excellent versions of standard Christmas songs. A bit shocking coming from the guy who used to ride the blue highway, but a good solid offering, totally appropriate for any Christmas gathering, with just the right amount of sneering. Love it.



4. Billy Idol doesn't take himself too seriously on this record, which is just the way to be on a Christmas record. This is the way any of us hacks would sing Christmas songs, so why shouldn't he share the holiday mood (even if he is a professional)? If you want something pretentious, get an American Idol Christmas record, and if you want punk, buy Billy Idol's other records. If you want a fun Christmas record, buy this one. And if it's out of stock here, try Billy Idol's (ever-relocating) website for the best deal.



5. I was a Billy Idol fan in the 80's and found this album when I was updating my cd catalogue. I love Christmas and Christmas songs and Billy does a great job of these Christmas classics. It's good to here him acoutic and this album proves he can actually sing and doesn't need to yell lyrics to get them across. 10 out of 10 from me!!! :-)