5 comments about Elvis Christmas.

1. what more can you say its ELVIS singing the best Christmas songs only like ELVIS can......



2. Great CD of a collection of Elvis Christmas songs in which I enjoyed very much. Great listening.



3. The CD is exactly what I wanted for a true elvis fan. The receiver loved all the songs and now has a true ELVIS christmas Album.



4. It just isn't Christmas until you have heard Elvis sing Blue Christmas on the radio. A must have for all Elvis fans!!



5. Known as the King of Rock and Roll,Elvis surely showed his musical talent
   in preforming these great Christmas ballads.A must for everyone who likes
   traditional and up beat Chrismas songs

5 comments about The Joy of Christmas.

1. One of the most magnificent performances ever of holiday music comes from the combined efforts of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, accompanied by the NY Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.



2. This is the traditional Christmas CD by which all others will be judged. The choir is perfectly blended, and while the music is traditional, it never gets boring. Bernstein is a genius. It's a huge, lush, gorgeous mix of vocals and orchestra.



3. I have loved this album since the 1960s and had owned an LP record, but had been looking for a CD. Excellent arrangements and performance. Glad I was able to track it down.



4. For years I walked past the LP "The Joy Of Christmas" in record shops little knowing the treasures it contained. Now I own it on CD wish I too had grown up with this wonderful album. While I'm more used to the slightly restrained English choral tradition, "The Joy of Christmas" reveals not only the joy but all the anticipation and wonder of the Christmas message. Every carol is a delight with even the most familiar so beautifully and imaginatively arranged that it sounds fresh. From the sparkling, almost foot-tapping arrangement of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" to the hushed and exquisitely moving treatment of "Silent Night", this is in my opinion not just a great Christmas album but one of the greatest recordings of all time. I was not at all familiar with "The Twelfth Night Song" (a delectably exotic arrangement), "The Animal Carol" (humorous and very catchy), the almost chant-like Gustav Holst "Lullay, My Liking" with its fine unbilled tenor, or the lovely Mexican "La Virgen Lava Panales" but all of these have become instant favourites. What a team - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Richard P. Condie (who never seems to get enough credit) and The New York Philharmonic all conducted by Leonard Bernstein and all recorded on one day, Sept. 3, 1963. It must have been amazing to have been part of the "acoustic padding" audience as one reviewer was. Surely much credit must also go to the original producer John McClure and to the 1997 remastering team for recorded sound that must rival just about any produced today.
   If you only ever buy one Christmas album, make it "The Joy Of Christmas".



5. Raise the roof and sing praises on high! Play this if you cannot make it to church, and you will feel like you are there. The incomparable sound of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with all the religious classics. A few oddities are tagged on at the end, the Nutcracker, Children's Prayer from Hansel & Gretel and the ubiquitous Handel's Messiah.

5 comments about Christmas.

1. Now if you ask me, and a lot of them what are caught up in the yuletide spirit do, you ought not put this one on your wish list - you should just go ahead on and buy it. Like so many Christmas albums, you will find yourself playing this for a limited time each year - mainly because moist of us want to hear Christmas music around about Christmas time and aren't too enthralled with hearing it in April of August. However, truth be node, I pull this one out now and again when it ain't the Christmas season and listen to a few tracks that are so nice that they are pleasant to listen to any time of year... especially Early On One Christmas Morn and Mary Had a Baby. The former sounds like something from a Yukon territory Bawdy House a hundred years ago and smacks of a good time even though it is in fact a Christmas song. (I guess the whole concept of Christmas comes down to having a good time when you get to the root of the equation, i.e. ultimate redemption due to a savior's birth... that's a fairly good deal). The latter is a call and response song from Saint Helena Island off the coast of South Carolina and it also sounds like it is from a hundred years ago (or more) and every time I hear it I keep expecting to hear the singers break in to Gullah Dialect.
   
   This here album also has the first Canadian Christmas Carol on it and, I wouldn't be surprised, the first Christmas carol written north of the Rio Grande. The Spaniards may have been writing a few away down south before then, but the French Canadians probably beat out the English settlers on both sides of the 49th parallel. The Huron Carol is kind of hard for me to listen to because the language sounds so unfamiliar to my ears (kind of like having to listen to a whiny woman from Ohio) but the content of the song is pretty substantial if you look at the translation.
   
   This is only the second album Bruce produced for himself by himself, the first being Inner City Front. If you want to nit pick, then Bruce did do some production work on earlier albums, but by looking at the credits I reckon he was always at the elbow of Gene Martynec on those albums because they are given joint credit and Masseur Martynec had such a big production impact on his music for so long... I just can't see him being in the studio and not being the main force in production.
   
   The other notable standout cut is "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear," which is a traditional song we all know, but rearranged by Leslie "Sam" Phillips-Burnett in to something that is a joy to behold. I can see why Bruce opted to include it here because the tune takes on a brand new feeling without coming across as being tampered with... and the harmony is mesmerizing.
   
   Well, that's about all I am fixin' to say at this point. I need to take Junior up to the roller rink for competitive roller skating. That boy can't skate too good, but he likes to stand in the corner and watch the other youngin's skate and he gets a kick out of the colored lights they have there... and the sno-cones.
   
   Get this album even if it's not in the Christmas season, and hang on to it until the third week of November and then open it up and be amazed.



2. I have been collecting Christmas for many years and I have an extensive collection, but no matter what I buy, I always come back to this CD. I have given it to many people as a gift. This album has been completely overlooked. If you are looking for something a little different and something poignant for the holidays, this is it.



3. This is a great album on any account! The fact that's it's Holiday oriented makes it even better! Bruce Cockburn is a great guitarist & writer- maybe he'll do another simmiular someday! Enjoy! Greg!



4. I'm enjoying this more than I even really expected to -- it's not your typical Christmas collection, and each track is different enough from the other to keep the excitement going, throughout.
   
   I've always liked Bruce Cockburn's music, but when I caught a bit of 'It Came Upon The Midnight Clear' on the radio once, I was also interested because, though I'd been singing the song for years without knowing it's history, it turns out that I live in the town Edmund H. Sears (the lyricist) once lived in -- in fact, I think his house is somewhere around the corner...so, I'll play that one LOUD so if he's hanging around he can enjoy this new treatment of his beautiful song!
   
   We had no snow here on Christmas -- now, it's March, and we just had a big snowstorm. I found it so much easier to endure shovelling all that snow since I'd just received this CD! My mailbox got knocked down but the CD was safely inside it and my dear husband carried the entire thing into the house for me.....mailbox and all....a very special delivery! Heheh.



5. I love Christmas music. I own over 60 Christmas CDs and I drive the folks at work crazy when I start listening to Christmas music before Halloween. Bruce Cockburn is simply the best Christmas CD I have ever heard. This one could be played year-round.

5 comments about Choral Moods.

1. Even as an avid fan of classical music with very picky tastes, there was just so much good music packed on these two (cheap!) discs for me to take in at once!
   The perfectly balanced and locked chords can really give you chills.

   I gave this CD as a present to a good friend of mine who was not so familiar with the genre, with tremendous results. I think this would make a great gift to anyone with the slightest inclination towards classical music.




2. I am a semi-professional singer with a BA in Music, and I bought this CD with some trepidation because it looked like one of those dreadful "pop classical" compilations that are everywhere lately. But it had lots of great repertoire all in on place, so I decided to risk it, and I was not disappointed! In fact, this is now one of my favorite choral CDs.

   As usual, the Choir of Trinity College delivers stunning performances, and the music itself is just gorgeous. Lots of "church" favorites from a wide range of musical periods. The mood of the CD is definitely on the mellow side, but it's perfect for those quiet moods. I love this CD -- highly recommended!




3. I keep finding new things to love on this CD, including the fact that it has the first recording I found of Gabriel Faure's beautiful Soprano (or Soprano/Alto) duet Ave Maria., Opus 93. The same recording appears on another CD where the singers are named. The above description of this selection unaccountably adds a baritone. Incidentally, Faure also composed a shorter SATB Ave Maria, which John Rutter has recorded.

   I only wish the recording included the complete text of Psalm 50/51 from Gregorio Allegri's Miserere Mei Deus. This might come from John Rutter's recently edited score, published by Oxford Press, if I'm not mistaken. I, for one, do not find this selection (or indeed the entire recording) too long and I believe that the embellishments at the end (mentioned in another review) are probably correct when considering performance conventions of the time of its composition.




4. This was the first choral CD I've ever purchased when I started becomming involved with choir during my senior year of high school five years ago. My director was telling the choir that he had finally found his copy at a music store and referred to it as the "Holy Grail" of choral recordings. So, I went out to find my own copy and I'm still blown away by it today. I've even given copies as gifts. The music is certainly relaxing and such, but what I most value from it is the spiritual magic. The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge (then and now my favorite choir in the world) brings every composition to life in such a way that's pure, elegant, and deep. Listening to this music and enjoying this choir has allowed me to set my own standard of singing and compositional excellence.



5. This is the most uplifting music I have encountered. The angelic sounds of this choral group help me stay sane on California highways!

5 comments about A Bing Crosby Christmas.

1. If you're a fan of pop artists from the 30's and 40's, this disc is for you; however, this is not Crosby's 1977 special "Merrie Olde Christmas," as the inaccurate item description might lead you to believe. David Bowie does not appear in this film.



2. This DVD was a total misrepresentation. Bing Crosby sang one song.."White Christmas"..from a golf course. I bought two DVDs. One for myself and one as a present. If it wasn't for an amusing act by J.Stewart, G.Burns, and J.Benny..."Why vaudeville died"...I would have returned them. I think there were 3 Christmas songs on the whole thing. What a disappointment! I thought it was a Christmas DVD from the title. And I thought it was hosted by Bing...WRONG!!!



3. this was a bad quality. it was hard to see at times, it was a show made for the military to show the troops for the holidays. It was not very enjoyable. But once realizing what it was, it was nice to see the efforts made for the trooops. shipped as promsied



4. Great footage of all the old stars but, the DVD copy hasn't been cleaned up at all. Images are very blurred and the audio is garbled. If you looking for a clean crisp copy this is not it.



5. I thikn the adults enjoyed this one more than the kids did, but my eleven-year-old son did have a lot of fun seeing what I used to watch as a kid (and he has become a real Jack Benny as well as Danny Kaye fan). The adults adored seeing this amazing collection of footage of classic stars in various Christmas specials. It was quite incredible to watch.

5 comments about A Sesame Street Christmas.

1. Unlike some of the reviewers who are looking for more nostalgic reasons, I'm happy to hear Elmo, Zoe, and the likes because it's what gets my 21-month old's attention. Even better, I like the music as well. It has many classic Christmas songs that I can sing along to with my kids. It's good family fun.



2. I really enjoy this product with my kids. It wasn't the full length thing like my record, but enough to bring back some memories.



3. This was my first Christmas albumn 30 years ago and now my 4 year old daughter and I can enjoy it together. She loves it so much that we listen to it year round. Sesame Street never goes out of style.



4. I bought this for my 2-year-old daughter this year for Christmas. It has a few cute songs, and a few that she asked for by name, but others we skipped like Oscar's "I Hate Christmas," not because we are those freak type of parents, but because of our toddler's tendency to repeat words she hears repeatedly and I didn't want the word "hate" on her shortlist, even though she has no idea what it means.
   
   Maybe next year they'll come out with a new collection of holiday songs with more traditional songs for little ones just learning the words.



5. I saw the titles of the songs on this recording and was hoping to hear the original stuff from 1975, but was disheartened to find out that the CD has been sabotaged by Elmo! Yikes! Elmo is not in every song, but does sing in many of them. Sorry, we're just not an Elmo fan here.

5 comments about The Haunted Mansion: Haunted Hits.

1. Let me state up front: I haven't seen the movie. I really don't have a big desire to see the movie. I just like Halloween music. In that respect, this is a really fun disc. It's a mix of R&B covers, some classics, and some original tunes. I particularly enjoyed Bump In The Night and Man With The Hex. This is worth buying if you like Halloween tunes and are tired of the same stuff that gets played every year.



2. After seeing the movie, I really enjoyed Mark Mancina's score, but was disappointed to find that the only CD only came with the overature. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great piece, but I don't really like or appriciate rock and pop.
   I did find it halarious to find the singing busts version of Grim, Grinning Ghosts. I enjoy listening to this song every now and then because it makes me laugh and reminds me of the old Disneyland Sing-a-Long movie I used to watched.
   If you're looking for the score to this movie, I'm sad to say that I think this is it. Just get it from the library or borrow it from a friend. Unless it's really cheap on sale, I doubt I'll ever buy this CD.



3. I am A haunted mansion fan as well as a haunter. (Extreme halloween dude.) I can only say that who ever thought that it was a good idea to put this crap on this cd should be fired. This is the worst cd I have ever had the pleasure of sleeping through and then wanting to set on fire. The one, and I mean THE ONE AND ONLY reason for my one star is for the beautiful score by mark mancina. Although, they should have just put a cd full of the music out of the movie, but no! They had to make him do something else! DON'T BUY THIS CD IF YOU ARE A MANSION FAN! It is a big let down.



4. I agree w/ all the other reviewers that we sought this soundtrack to hear the gorgeous score not these "hits." Why are marketing people so dense and out of touch w/ the targeted demo? Hopefully but not promisingly a reissue will make the score available. It's one of the best things about the movie.
   
   Boo.



5. I'm a big fan of novelty Halloween songs and most anything with a spooky theme, from songs from the 50's right through to modern gothy/punk versions. This CD fits right in with my collection but I also like it because it's the only one of it's type that's sort of hip hop. It makes for a nice change. So I don't get all the negative reviews here except that people can't figure out what they're getting from the decription Amazon has up. Plus the song clips are now gone. The score from the Haunted Mansion movie is rather obviously sold here as a different disk.
   
   Track 1. Superstition by Raven - a decent Stevie Wonder remake
   2. Grim, Grinning Ghosts - the Barenaked Ladies version of the song from the movie and, apparently, the ride (which I haven't been on is years and can't remember too much from it)
   3. Somebody's Watching Me by Morris Day - personally I like this better than the original by Rockwell, which I never liked much to begin with
   4. Spooky by Conti Bros. - can never be as good as the Classics IV original but okay
   5. Things That Go Bump in the Night by JACK - no idea who this Disney-type girl band is and it's totally not what I would normally listen to but, darn it, if I don't end up singing this super catchy, upbeat tune for hours after hearing it
   6. Right Place, Wrong Time by Brian O'Neal and the BusBoys - a slower version of the Dr. John song
   7. Dead Man's Party by Oingo Boingo - now I love this song and am a long time Oingo Boingo fan but this song doesn't exactly fit in here and it's on 50% of all Halloween type CD's, so it's a little boring here
   8. Man with the Hex by Atomic Fireballs - fast & hard swing music, love it!
   9. Monster Mash by Brian O'Neal and the BusBoys - another downbeat cover by someone I've never heard of but okay
   10. The Boogie Man by the Jackson 5 - from the time with Michael Jackson was fun to listen to
   11. Tombstone by Suzanne Vega - good to hear from her again with this minimal, jazzy number
   12. I Put a Spell on You by Calvin Richardson - a Screamin' Jay Hawkins cover, also jazzy and scaled down with discordant piano, R&B vocals, and little else
   13. Grim, Grinning Ghosts by the Singing Busts - from the movie but the BNL's version is better and you only need one version on the album. I rarely listen to this and usually stop the CD here
   14. Overture from The Haunted Mansion - I guess they wanted to tie the CD closer to the movie but this Disneyfied classical piece is totally out of place, typical of every other movie they put out, and is a lame way to end the album
   15. So Long by the Singing Busts - only 24 seconds long and exactly what the title implies

No comments about Oculus Infernum [Re-Mastered w/Bonus Tracks].

2 comments about Happy Holidays.

1. I usually purchase 3 or 4 holiday albums each year. So far, I have barely listened to the other two new albums. Why? Simply put, this recording is excellent! The song selection is delightful ranging from up-tempo country to a "jazzy" version of "Have youself a merry little Christmas". In my opinion, this "jazzy" version is one of the best arrangements of the holiday classic. Also included is "Blue Christmas", of which Elvis' version sets the standard. Kelly Willis' version has to come in a close second to that of the King.
   
   From a technical standpoint, this recording is fairly clean with limited background hiss or noise. Those songs recorded live maintain the live concert feel and are quite cleanly recorded as well. My only criticism is the total recorded time is only slightly over 38 minutes. Total play time aside, this recording belongs on everyone's CD changer!



2. Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison are amazing, as usual. Add this to your Christmas collection. You won't be sorry!

5 comments about Radio Disney Jingle Jams.

1. 1.Someday at christmas-B5*
   2.Everyday is christmas-Everlife*
   3.Winter Wonderland-Jesse McCartney
   4.A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (christmas version)-Disney Channel Cricle Of Stars*
   5.Santa Cluse Lane (north pole mix)-Hilary Duff
   6.Jingle Bell Rock-Aly & Aj
   7.I Love Christmas-Fan_3
   8.Feels Like Christmas-Caleigh Peters*
   9.One Way Or Another-Jesse McCartney
   10.I'm Coming Home For Christmas-The Beu Sisters*
   11.Sleigh Ride-Jump5
   12.Toy Town-Christy Carlson Romano
   13.Run Rudolph Run-Aaron Carter
   14.My Christmas Wish-Raven Symone
   15.Christmas Past,Present, & Future-Ashlee Simpson
   16.Why Dosnt Santa Like Me-Skye Sweetnam
   17.Circle Of LIfe (christmas version)-Disney Channel Circle Of Stars
   
   (*)New Songs



2. 
   
   
   
   Track Listings
   1. Someday at Christmas-B5
   2. Everyday is Christmas-Everlife
   3. Winter Wonderland-Jesse McCartney
   4. Winter Wonderland-Jesse McCartney
   5. Santa Claus Lane (north pole mix)-Hilary Duff
   6. Jingle Bell Rock-Aly & AJ
   7. I Love Christmas-Fan_3
   8. Feels Like Christmas-Caleigh Peters
   9. One Way Or Another-Jesse McCartney
   10. I'm Coming Home For Christmas-The Beu Sisters
   11. Sleigh Ride-Jump5
   12. Toy Town-Christy Carlson Romano
   13. Run Rudolph Run-Aaron Carter
   14. My Christmas Wish-Raven Symone
   15. Christmas Past,Present, & Future-Ashlee Simpson
   16. Why Dosnt Santa Like Me-Skye Sweetnam
   17. Circle Of Life (christmas version)-Disney Channel Circle Of Stars
   
   
   Even though I don't own the CD yet, I have heard the songs and clips of them. They are awesome! Perfect Holiday album! Disney always puts out the best Christmas Albums hands down! Make sure to pick ur copy up today!



3. Worth it for the Aly & AJ and Circle Of Stars tracks. But some things, such as the not so nice Hilary Duff remix, would have been better off replaced with other tracks from last year's version of this cd.



4. I did enjoy this album for what it was. Everyone has pointed out the best Aly&AJ, Jesse, Raven, and Everlife..
   But, I keep reading that 'Toy Town' by Christy is the weakest.
   
   I slightly agree, only because, It is not dance-pop or pop/rock like the other tracks and gets lost, and the voice is SLIGHTLY whiney. [hoever] Christy's version of 'Toy Town' reminds me ALOT of an updated version of Brenda Lee. Basicly meaning it's current pop meets classic pop. Which isn't a bad thing but, simply doesn't fit this album.
   
   Overall a nice little Disney Channel album.



5. I've seen this happen with the Hilary Duff Santa Claus Lane CD. They release a 2nd CD or special edition later after the first release so you can buy the CD at the same price with 2-3 new songs on it. But with Radio Disney Jingle Jams, they replace some songs with new ones, making you buy both the 2004 (First Edition) & 2005 (Second Edition) Jingle Jams CD's so you have the old songs, (From 2004) the new songs, (From 2005) and the same 13 original songs. (From 2004 & 2005)