You would think that 100 CDs of Christmas music would be enough, but somehow each year I buy a couple more. I read some positive reviews of Rhonda Vincent’s Christmas album and AMAZON had it on sale for $6 on Cyber Monday so I ordered it. If you’re a fan of fiddle and bluegrass music, you’ll really like these songs. Check out the sample below. There are some standards with some new songs mixed in. I found it entertaining. GRADE: B+
SET LIST:
Dreaming of Christmas
Angels We Have Heard on High
Twelve Days of Christmas
Christmas Time
Christmas Time at Home
Milk & Cookies
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Jingle Bells
Away in a Manger
Silent Night
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Christmas Medley: What a Child Is This/We Three Kings/It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
I judge every new Christmas album by if they include a version of my favorite Christmas carol: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. Sadly, most come up lacking.
Deb, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a beautiful carol. I don’t know why it’s not included on these Christmas CDs. But, there are some very fine songs for the Holidays on this CD. I’m sure you would enjoy them!
Deb, that’s my wife’s favorite also. Mine is “I Wonder As I Wonder,” which appears on even less albums than “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Evidently, we are farmore discerning than the average listener.
Jerry, I think songs like “I Wonder As I Wander” are wonderful. I remember Julie Andrews singing it!
Liked the music on MURRAY CHRISTMAS, the Bill Murray Christmas show on Netflix. Maya Rudolph knocked my socks off singing the motown ,CHRISTMAS, A very enjoyable hour.
Patti, we plan to watch MURRAY CHRISTMAS this weekend. Thanks for the pithy review!
I’m sticking with the Kelley Book Recommendations. My Christmas favorite music list is very small.
I read a fairly negative review of the Murray Christmas special. We’ll see.
Jeff, Diane loves Christmas music so we play it pretty much from Thanksgiving to Christmas. But, after that, it’s over.
Rhapsody doesn’t have this one, for some reason, but BEAUTIFUL STAR, an earlier Christmas album, is on there. It’s pretty good, but , “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is missing.
Bill, I’ll have to check out BEAUTIFUL STAR.
My husband reminds me that “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is really an ADVENT carol and not a Christmas carol. It’s about waiting, not celebrating, the birth of Christ, but to me that’s small potatoes technicality. It’s a beautiful carol and I wish more artists would consider recording a version of it.
Entertainment Weekly gave the Bill Murray Christmas Special a rather middling review, but since we pay for Netflix whether we watch anything or not, we may give it a look-see.
Deb, we’re interested in the new MARVEL Netflix series JESSICA JONES. That’s been getting rave reviews…from my students!
Krysten Ritter is looking a bit less anorexic these years, which doesn’t hurt.
My favorite Christmas carol performance is Mannheim Steamroller’s Deck The Halls. I think my favorite carol would have to be O Holy Night
My next tech purchase is going to be a blue ray player that plays streaming. Murray Christmas will top the list of what I want to watch.
Maggie, I’ve seen plenty of great Holiday deals on Blu-ray players. We have a SONY and it works great!
I have to clear my dvr i think before i can do anything, not sure though. I definitely miss not having netflix streaming. I just have the dvd option, and have it on hold at least 1/3 of the year
I’m not much into country or bluegrass, so this would be a skip. I have a lot of Christmas music already, so no need for more. I prefer the choral Christmas records, though I also have the classic albums by Crosby, Sinatra and the rest.
Rick, I’ll be featuring a few more Christmas CDs that might tempt you later next week.
I won’t be tempted, but will enjoy your reviews.
Once you’ve heard the Porky Pig-like version of Blue Christmas, everything else is just noise!
Entertainment weekly had an article about upcoming albums. One that sounded weird was by RuPaul. The one that sounded best to me was Kylie Minogue and James Corden. I have still not seen the movie he did about the working class guy who won an equivalent of American Idol. I’d watch his show more often, but the guests aren’t too interesting.
Maggie, I’ll check out that Kyle Minogue/James Corden album.