Customer Reviews

Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What a fun Christmas CD! Like many people I've come back to the series this season after last year's more than disappointing outing. And like many people the reason I've watched was Robert Downey, Jr. After hearing his two tracks on this CD I can't wait to see the episodes! His version of "River" is great, his voice rich and throaty. Jane Krakowski is up to her Broadway standards with her fun versions of, "Run, Rudolph Run", and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

Diehard fans of the show will want the CD just for Vonda Shepard's soulful takes on the traditional holiday classics. My two bummers with the CD and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars was I (and I'm probably in the minority here) felt the Macy Gray track was so out of place.It sounds like Louis Armstrong, does Xmas. The second reason is at thirty seven minutes, the disc is way too short. There should be at least twenty more minutes of holiday cheer. Well, maybe I just didn't want it to end.

Four stars because the cd's too short. Give me more! I bought this because I'm an Ally fan and enjoy the music from the show. I enjoyed Vonda's vocals on her cuts, and thought Calista's song, "Santa Baby" was perfect for her Ally "I want, I want" character. Lisa Nicole Carson's song is much too short, she's got a powerhouse of a voice. Jane Krakowski's two songs are sung with tongue firmly in cheek and give the cd a light-hearted touch. However, the song that absolutely blew me away is Robert Downey Jr.'s take on a nearly 30-year-old Joni Mitchell song "River". If you saw the show where he sang it, it didn't do it justice. They should have let him sing the whole song (on the show). This bleak song is certainly no Jingle Bells. Adding to the poignancy of the song is RDJr.'s well-publicized troubles with the law. With his most recent arrest the song reads like it could be a page out of his journal. Perhaps he even wishes he could just "skate away" but if he did the world would be missing a most gifted and talented person. Hey Robert, are you listening? Get Well.

I hate Christmas albums. I very nearly never bought this. But in the end I gave in to fandom (and my wallet) and I'm glad I did. The CD is a new take on traditionally cheesey songs, with most of the Vonda Shephard stuff done as smooth jazz, Macy Gray's voice fitting perfectly with Winter Wonderland, and Robert Downey Jnr surprises everyone by his ability to sing. The contributions by the female cast members are also nice little additions, although I have to complain about Lisa Nicole Carson's all too brief offering. And where's Richard Fish singing 'I love you even more today (than yesterday)'?

So, maybe I was having a particulary emotional day, or maybe Christmas just does this to a person, but the first time I listened to Robert Downey Jr. sing "River" (OK, OK, I admit it! At Tower!) my eyes got all full and my throat ached and, of course, it was all over but the shoutin'. I feel vaguely uncomfortable that his real-life trials and tribulations contribute to the emotional punch of the song but it HAS been one of my favorite songs for years and he certainly does it justice. Can't wait to see the episode. Hope to see him sing it. (By the way, THANK YOU David Kelley for resucitating Ally after a fairly abysmal season! I'm so glad to be a fan again.)

Anyway, the whole album is nice, with a good mix of up tempo stuff and more sentimental (in a good way) numbers. (Although I personally would have loved to hear more by RDJ.) I figured I would probably never admit to anyone that I bought it, but I think I'll take it for Thanksgiving and our annual 12 hour or so Christmas music marathon.

I was a bit disappointed with the show last season, but the music is a continually pleasant, sweet nugget of nostalgia. This CD (finally!)gathers the best and worst of Christmas past (Santa Baby -- alright, a guilty pleasure) and hopefully future (is anyone else breathlessly awaiting the night when RDJ performs "River" after work?). Andrew Slater solidifies his place as one of my favorite producers with the Macy Gray "Winter Wonderland" (a can't-miss for Gray fans and possibly the best cut in the album). The rest of the cuts are more traditional standards and definitely gave me some much-needed early Christmas cheer.

A VERY ALLY CHRISTMAS echoes the show almost perfectly -- it's bittersweet and full of laughs and longing in equal doses. It's really a Vonda Shepard Christmas album with some of the actors past renditions of Christmas songs thrown in for good measure. I've seen some comments complaining these actors can't sing well enough to carry off the songs, but I found Calista Flockhart doing "Santa Baby" fun! I'm a fan of the show, and I can see her in my mind in that great Santa outfit flirting with the whole audience. It's not Eartha Kitt, but come on! What were you expecting? Lisa Nicole Carson's song is very short, and I wished for more from her (great voice). Jane Krakowski's contributions are taken from Elaine's first two scene-stealing performances at the annual Cage and Fish Christmas party -- "Run Rudolph Run" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (complete with Ikettes!). Both of these are great! Robert Downy JR gets to do a couple of songs including Joni Mitchell's "River" and a duet with Vonda that was with Ally in the show. His voice is not professional, but he puts some heart into it. Macy Gray is also on here doing "Winter Wonderland"! That's a nice touch, and something different than the rest of the CD. The Vonda songs are a little more jazzy than usual, she uses a lot of brass from the very start of the CD "This Christmas". It's brighter in tone than what you will find on previous ALLY recordings (both great as well!). Should be a nice addition to anybody's Christmas celebration, but seems most appropriate for anybody out there who is single and longs to celebrate with someone special! Basically -- if you're a fan you are gonna love this! If you're not...you'll be wondering why everybody likes the actors doing Christmas songs, and enjoying the Vonda and Macy songs.

Like many who have already reviewed this album, I agree that "River" stands out as the best track and alone makes this a five-star album. I had already liked Downey's character on the show prior to the scene in which he sings this song, but once I heard him singing I became much more interested in not only the show and his character, but who he is as a person. I was surprised to find out that this isn't the first time he has recorded a song and that he seems to have a desire to produce music in addition to acting, which is something I've experienced myself (with music becoming something of a secret passion for a number of reasons). I had already thought of him as a talented and intelligent person, but finding out more about his musical self showed me that there's even more to who he is, and because of that I've come to greatly admire his abilities both as an actor and musician. Rarely does a song inspire me as much as "River" has and I still find it surprising that all of this came from a person I had only known through news stories prior to the show. As far as the song itself is concerned, I love the grittiness of his voice, the way he's able to easily sing on the higher notes, and the emotion that comes through in his voice... which is another reason I love the song so much. Every time I listen to it I feel like he's relating to the song because of experiences he's had, and I almost feel like he's showing the world a very private and/or intimate part of himself. I also like the song because it applies so perfectly to the show and what's going on with Larry and Ally. When I first heard the full version of the song shortly after the show in which it was aired, the second verse really hit me because it seemed like a premonition of sorts... we all know Larry has to leave Ally at some point because Downey's contract will end, and the lines about being hard to handle, losing "the best baby that I ever had," and saying goodbye all sounded like things Larry would soon be saying about Ally. There are just so many layers to the song, which is why I think so many people like it.

Other than that song, the rest of the album is great for the most part. The only songs I don't like are Vonda's "Silver Bells" and "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" just because I don't think her voice is the right sound for either song. And even though I love Robert Downey Jr, I do not particularly like "White Christmas," not because of anything he does but because I don't like the way he and Vonda sound together. I REALLY don't understand why Calista didn't sing the song with him since she did on the show and they sounded a million times better together (especially with Downey's harmony and the different things he did with the song).

Besides those three tracks, the rest are good. One of the things I especially love about this album compared to the last two Ally albums it that more of the cast members sang on this one, which in my opinion makes the CD as a whole lot more enjoyable to listen to all the way through. I love Lisa Nicole Carson's voice and I'm glad that she's doing more singing this season. I also disagree with someone who said in their review that Macy Gray's song seems out of place, because I like that someone contemporary is being brought in for once (not that I don't like Al Green or Barry White or whoever, but it's nice to have someone current mixed in with them). I also think that her voice goes well with Vonda's and Robert Downey's (the same kind of grittiness and all). One last comment is that my second favorite track on the album is "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," which I think Vonda does a great job with. The singing on that song is some of the best singing she's ever done.

It's an excellent CD that matches an excellent season of the show!

I am an old fan of Ally McBeal and haven't watched the show since Robert Downey Jr. joined but I want to start watching now just to her Robert sing more. I never knew he could sing and, wow, what a voice! When he sings 'Rivers', my heart melts. And then Robert teams up with Vonda to sing White Christmas and once again I loved it. Their voices compliment each other beautifully. I also enjoyed Mommy Kissing Santa Claus sung by Jane Krakowski, she seems to have so much fun singing the song and I couldn't help but smile.

This CD has become one my all time favorite holiday choices. I originally bought it as a gift and had to get another one for myself.

I love this album. I rated this album 5 stars because of one song. I went to my local cd store looking for this after I watched the very talented, Robert Downey Jr. perform an old song entitled, "River." I was VERY shocked at the fact that he can sing. Anyways, to make a long story short, try the cd. If not for the Christmas songs, but to hear an amazing song done by a very talented and gifted actor. You won't regret it. I know I haven't.

Definitely a top Xmas CD! I have listened to this one over and over and I never tire of it. I am a fan of Vonda Shepard, but this one is a nice mix of artists. Downey's singing definitely makes this CD. River is a crusty,moody, complex song just like the man. Well, maybe he's not crusty, but he sure can sing!! Wish he would tackle an album on his own. Anyway, buy it, you won't regret it.