No comments about A Christmas Choral Spectacular.

No comments about Tinsel Town Tunes.

1 comments about The Christmas Album.

1. This album makes me wish I were from a big family. Of course, not all large clans have the talent and connections that this group does: this is a really FUN album, featuring lots of great performances, not only by family members, but also by some of the top session musicians around, guys that have played with Chicago, the Stones, etc. As you would expect, the horn parts are great (very Chicago-esque), but so are the strings (especially the cello), and there's an amazing vocal duet by a couple of Michael's nieces who sound like a female version of Simon and Garfunkel. The thing I like best is that the there's a lot of variety in the production, the classics sound great, and the originals are nice too, like the excellent "Christmas Time Without You", and one which sounds like it could have been a newly discovered track from a "Christmas with Elvis" session. Pretty cool stuff.

3 comments about A Winter's Night; Christmas in the Great Hall.

1. I've been to several of the ensemble's Christmas performances and can agree that their music is a wonderful fusion of the best of early music- unique and beautiful early music instruments and Cetlic instruments- the Celtic harp, the scottish small-pipes which are mellow sounding; and then even a classical instrument and a "new -age" touch with the addition of the oboe and its haunting plaintive sounds that create a beautiful reed sound. There's an amazing variety to the sounds and great use of arrangements that brings out a wonderful blend. And, best of all, its ancient carols and not so familiar christmas music that's good any time of the year.This CD does indeed captures their performances.



2. Absolutely brilliant. This is not at all the same old Christmas music. Only a few of the songs are well known, but their takes on them are so fresh that you won't mind. All the songs are quite good, but What Child is This/O Come O Come Emmanuel is possibly the best.



3. I bought the CD since I was looking for "Rorate" which is performed beautifully on this CD as are a number of other tracks. My husband and I both thought the CD was not very festive and found some of the original compositions to be slow and lackluster especially the second track, "New Prince, New Pomp". It did not put us in the Christmas spirit as we were driving many miles for the holidays...was rather dull. Overall, I was disappointed with the CD.

5 comments about The Best of Jackson 5 - The Christmas Collection: 20th Century Masters.

1. Great purchase at a great price . Would gladly recommend to all. Perfect for the holidays but great year round as well.



2. What's better than hearing classic songs? Hearing them sung by The Jackson 5. Whenever I bring up J5 someone mentions their christmas songs so I had to get this and am glad for it.



3. I had a 8 track tape of this album when I was a kid and when X-Mas rolled around I played that tape till my family couldn't take it anymore! LOL! I'm 44 now and still don't know what happened to that tape, truly tragic! ^_^
   Happy holidays to all!



4. 
   I searched for the Jackson Five Christmas Album because my sons had played it on Christmas morning when we opened gifts. We only had the LP version. Now my sons and several of their friends from childhood have the Jackson Five Christmas Album to enjoy over the years.
   
   The CD recording is great and the music is as good as we remembered.



5. I ORDERED THIS CD FOR MY DAUGHTER AND SHE REALLY LOVES IT. I AM TIRED OF IT BUT SHE LOVES IT. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME ORDERING FROM AMAZON AND I REALLY ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE. I GOT MY PACKAGE ON TIME AND EVERYTHING WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WORKED PROPERLY. THANK YOU.

No comments about Handel's Messiah.

5 comments about Sugar Plums - Holiday Treats From Sugar Hill.

1. This is the best bluegrass Christmas album I have listened to. If you like bluegrass and would are looking for something to put you in the holiday mood this is the CD for you. There is a good mixture of artists and a good mixture of musical styles to make up a very enjoyable CD.



2. A really good Christmas album. This is the first one that comes off the shelf the day after thanksgiving at my house. Communicates the miracle of Christ's birth and the significance of the incarnation in a down-to-earth, thoroughly enjoyable and moving compilation. All that and it is still a load of fun! I love "That White Christmas Song." What a hoot! Everything is tasty and well-executed. Normally I don't go for compilations but this one is a real gem. I think the Bluegrass Cardinals tune is not one of their better efforts, but is still ok.



3. This is heartfelt but also a lot of fun. A fairly diverse group of artists without straying too far from the bluegrass/traditional vein. On my Christmas favorites list, right up there with Elvis' Christmas Album (the 1st one) which also has the great Santa Bring My Baby (Back To Me), The Ventures' Christmas Album, The Chieftains' Bells of Dublin, and Chris Stamey & Friends' Christmas Time.



4. This is a very mellow album - even Christmas time's a coming, the bluegrass standard covered here by Peter Rowan, is performed in a comparatively relaxed manner. That's not a criticism, but it is important to know what you are buying. This is definitely not party music but it is great to listen to during quieter moments.

   Aside from Peter Rowan, many of Sugar Hill's finest are contributors, including Tim and Mollie O'Brien, Doyle Lawson, Doc Watson, John Starling, Ranch Romance (who do an excellent cover of Santa bring my baby back to me, previously recorded by Elvis Presley), Dan Crary, the Seldom Scene, Robin and Linda Williams, the Bluegrass Cardinals and Jerry Douglas. The songs are an excellent mix of covers (including Steve Earle's Nothing but a child, performed here by Robin and Linda Williams) and originals. The final track is titled That white Christmas song is actually a blend of different standards, but the one about chestnuts roasting on an open fire gets the biggest share. Red Knuckles and the trailblazers do it superbly.

   This is an excellent collection of acoustic music that will never sell in huge quantities but will please those who enjoy such music. If you are familiar with the artists that recorded for the Sugar Hill record label during the eighties and nineties and you enjoy their music, you will love this album. If you are new to these artists but you enjoy acoustic folk-country music, this is a good way of getting to know them.




5. I ordered this CD without having heard any of the cuts on it because of John Starling's (formerly of the Seldom Scene) singing of "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem," one of my favorite Christmas songs. (While his version is fine, nobody can touch Emmy Lou Harris on that one, however.) My favorite song here has to be Doc Watson's beautifully plaintive version of "Christmas Lullaby." In addition to these two great bluegrass singers, there are selections by Peter Rowan, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Tim and Mollie O'Brien, The Seldom Scene, Robin and Linda Williams, The Bluegrass Cardinals et al. Other great cuts are the a capella arrangement of "The First Novel/It Came Upon a Midnight Clear/Joy To the World" by Doyle Lawsosn and Quicksilver, "Christ Was Born in Bethlehem" by Tim and Mollie O'Brien, "Silent Night" by The Seldom Scene and "The Carpenter Shop" by The Bluegrass Cardinals with their eerily beautiful close harmony. I should point out that-- unlike many collections-- ten of the thirteen cuts here are released for the first time so you get for the most part an all new CD. My only gripe, and it's certainly a minor one, is that with the exception of The Bluegrass Cardinals' song, there's not a banjo within five hundred miles. I don't understand the omission of this beautiful instrument.
   
   This CD, however, really is a plum and will quickly become one of your favorites of the season.

5 comments about Halloween Party Music.

1. Although the versions on this CD are similar to the originals, they remind me of those simple mono midi files of old. The music on this CD is karaoke-like, in that the background beat is weak. Some songs are decent, like Monster Mash and Twilight Zone, but just get the originals, not these satisfactory reproductions.



2. After listening to Drew's Famous Halloween Party Music, I found some of the songs to be good, I especially enjoyed the Monster Mash cut.



3. After listening to Drew's Famous Halloween Party Music, I found some of the songs to be good, I especially enjoyed the Monster Mash cut.



4. This is by far the best Halloween disc I own. I got mine at Walmart for like $10 about 5 years ago, much better price here. I saw all these fake reviews trashing this CD for some reason I'm unaware of, so I figured I had to write a review and stand up for this Awesome disc. Every Halloween like clockwork, I gotta play this disc, wether I'm decorating or partying. I bring this disc to every party I go to, a ripped version of course (you know people). Someone below wrote that these aren't the real versions of the songs, weak backround beats or something.. So not true, these are the exact same songs that I've heard on the movie soundtracks of the movies that they came from that I can tell. But what do I know? I don't sit in my car and listen to this kind of music looking for detrimental sound degradation to the soundtrack of Ghostbusters, LOL ( Don't know what I'm talking about? Take a look at some the other reviews, LOL).
   
   Anyway, I'm getting off the beaten track....Now to the reason I gave this Disc 4 stars and not 5. Because like everything else in life, nothing is perfect. The one true gripe that I have is that most of the songs on this disc do not correlate to the liner notes. Haha, ( I was laughing when I first started playing this ). Yes it's true, They don't match up! Song #3 is really song #6, song #9 is really song #4...etc But whatever, it's just a party disc. So, Unless you own all the songs from the original CD's and listen to them the other 364 days of the year, while you're at the beach, or making love to your girl, or getting married (read below, LOL) I would say stick to this. It's Happy, it's Fun, and while your dancing to "Werewolves Of London", you can comb your hair back, bite somebody on the butt and run outside howling at the moon. This might depend on how much you've had to drink though. Or not, I don't really know you, you might just be like this all the time ; )



5. If you like your music reproduced with a synthesizer and 80's production quality, than this cd is for you. Other than that, you have to ask yourself why it was $10 at Walmart as stated by a previous review. (hint: not because it was a hidden gem)I couldn't give this less than a star because of the song selection. That is all this cd has going for it. So read the songs, enjoy it for what it is worth, move along and buy another comp that closely resembles this. (All in that order) Sorry drew, now go back to the drawing board.

No comments about Berlin Philharmonic: New Year's Gala 1996.

No comments about Partridge Family Christmas.