- Pigment 20th Century Icons Its Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas
- It's Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas Card
As John Tesh points out in our Beliefnet interview, everyone seems to put out a holiday album these days. The giddy pleasure of hearing a crooner like Johnny Mathis (whose 'The Christmas Album' was re-released this year on CD) taking on our familiar favorites has lost its kick. The trick nowadays is to find the albums that give us the treasured tunes with enough originality to make them fresh, without killing them with gimmicks. What follows is a selection of the pop albums that pulled it off in 2002.
Pigment 20th Century Icons Its Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas
'Christmas Alphabet' was the first song to reach number one in the UK charts that was particularly created for Christmas. For a few weeks it held back the onrushing wave of rock n roll, too. Dickie Valentine sang with the Ted Heath band before having a successful solo career which included another number one with 'Finger of Suspicion' in 1954. It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas (and it's giving me a headache!) I'm linking up today with the folks over at Blog Hoppin for their We Are Thankful linky party. Unit 2 20192020mrs. colville's math classes. My pile of papers to grade must be growing because this is my third post in five days! It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! It's the time of year when Slade, Wizzard, Cliff Richard and Mariah Carey get more air play than ever before! Whatever your personal opinions on Christmas music, you're probably going to hear it at some point in the office.
Nicole C. Mullen, 'Christmas in Black and White' An R&B star in the Contemporary Christian world, Mullen combines original compositions with gospel-infused carols and hymns, like her 'O Come Emmanuel,' that show off her estimable pipes. With songs like 'Gifts from You,' full of happy children's voices, and appearances by David Mullen, the album has the spontaneous feeling of a family Christmas at home. Buy it on Amazon
The Gypsy Hombres, 'Django Bells' The Gypsy Hombres deconstruct both the sacred and profane with their jazzy violin and Django Reinhardt-inspired guitar. The unorthodox interpretations-'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' as a tango or 'Let It Snow' as 'The Mexican Hat Dance'--are charming without falling prey to cuteness. The perfect disc to keep your spirits bouyant and the kids busy identifying the tunes as you negotiate the mall parking lot. Buy it on Amazon
Chris Botti, 'December' Former Sting sideman Botti, on trumpet, plays 13 Yuletide standards in a reflective, after-hours mood. The album nearly teeters into smooth jazz at points, but with the help of Grammy-winning Billy Childs on keyboards, there's enough emotion and imagination--including a bossa nova 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town'--to keep things real. Put this one on after you've spiked the egg nog and put the kids to bed. Buy it on Amazon
City on a Hill, 'It's Christmas Time' Another entrant from the Christian music scene, this country-flavored compilation delivers straightforward, mostly acoustic versions of creche-centered carols, including a purely beautiful 'Silent Night' from Sixpence None the Richer and 'Babe in the Straw,' which pleads to the Christ child, 'Shine like Bethlehem's star/Lead us to where you are/Show us who you are.' Buy it on Amazon
Ellen Kushner and Shirim Klezmer Orchestra, 'The Golden Dreydl: A Klezmer Nutcracker' Okay, strictly this is a Hanukkah album and Hanukkah's over. But this delightful translation of the story and music of Tchaikovsky's ballet into the Jewish dance tradition is worth keeping around for its wry humor and infectious, toe-tapping music. If nothing else, the album is a handy antidote when countless loudspeaker versions of 'The Sugar Plum Fairy' have knocked out your sweet tooth. Buy it on Amazon
It's Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas Card
Various Artists, 'Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration' Some of our favorites folkies--Nerissa & Katryna Nields, Richard Shindell, and Erin McKeown--as well as some more obscure names, team up for this eclectic batch of original, traditional, and offbeat Christmas (not Pagan) songs. Pete Nelson's 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,' with the original Dr. Suess lyrics, adds a touch of humor to a group of holiday hankie-wringers you won't hear from the carolers outside your window, like Peter Mulvey's mournful rendition of Joni Mitchell's 'River,' Louise Taylor's 'Let's Make a Baby King,' and Shindell's moving 'Before You Go.' The CD, which supports the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, is a worthy charitable, and musical, investment. Buy it on Amazon
City on a Hill, 'It's Christmas Time' Another entrant from the Christian music scene, this country-flavored compilation delivers straightforward, mostly acoustic versions of creche-centered carols, including a purely beautiful 'Silent Night' from Sixpence None the Richer and 'Babe in the Straw,' which pleads to the Christ child, 'Shine like Bethlehem's star/Lead us to where you are/Show us who you are.' Buy it on Amazon
Ellen Kushner and Shirim Klezmer Orchestra, 'The Golden Dreydl: A Klezmer Nutcracker' Okay, strictly this is a Hanukkah album and Hanukkah's over. But this delightful translation of the story and music of Tchaikovsky's ballet into the Jewish dance tradition is worth keeping around for its wry humor and infectious, toe-tapping music. If nothing else, the album is a handy antidote when countless loudspeaker versions of 'The Sugar Plum Fairy' have knocked out your sweet tooth. Buy it on Amazon
It's Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas Card
Various Artists, 'Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration' Some of our favorites folkies--Nerissa & Katryna Nields, Richard Shindell, and Erin McKeown--as well as some more obscure names, team up for this eclectic batch of original, traditional, and offbeat Christmas (not Pagan) songs. Pete Nelson's 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,' with the original Dr. Suess lyrics, adds a touch of humor to a group of holiday hankie-wringers you won't hear from the carolers outside your window, like Peter Mulvey's mournful rendition of Joni Mitchell's 'River,' Louise Taylor's 'Let's Make a Baby King,' and Shindell's moving 'Before You Go.' The CD, which supports the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, is a worthy charitable, and musical, investment. Buy it on Amazon
Various, 'O Christmas Tree' For 'O Brother Where Art Thou' fans, Rounder Records has pulled together seasonal contributions from their deep roster of bluegrass artists. While you'll have fun yodeling along with The Shankman Twins on'Winter Wonderland,' the best songs are lesser known mountain melodies like 'The Friendly Beast.' Buy it on Amazon
