Customer Reviews

CHILD - Music For The Christmas Season

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was fortunate enough to have been at The Bottom Line in New York on one of the nights that this CD was recorded - December 18, 1996. On my first visit to New York, I happened to see this concert advertised in The Village Voice. I'd seen Ms Siberry perform twice in my home town of Sydney, Australia and had been enchanted by her imaginative, left-of-centre songwriting. The concert I saw on December 18 is something I will always cherish for opening my ears to some new Christmas carols, for bringing out the spiritual dimension of some of Siberry's best songs and for the sheer joy and spirit in the playing and singing of all the musicians present. Apart from Ms Siberry, the musicians include Rebecca Campbell and Phillip Brown on vocals, Tim Ray on Piano and multi-instrumentalist, Peter Kiesewalter.

Ms Siberry certainly changed my conception of Christmas music by avoiding hackneyed carols and by choosing songs that, to her genuinely said something about the meaning of Christmas. The French carol, "What is this fragrance softly stealing?" and Harold Darke's setting of Christina Rossetti's "In the bleak midwinter" are real discoveries.

Siberry songs like "The Valley" also come across differently and have their spiritual dimension amplified when placed in the context of Christmas music.

But apart from the wonderful selection of songs in the concert, which is almost reproduced in full on this CD, there are the heartfelt performances and imaginative arrangements of these musicians. Their version of "The Twelve days of Christmas" is truly ecstatic and inspired.

This CD is a remarkable souvenir of a remarkable concert, something to play when you need a dose of Christmas spirit. I do, however, recall that "Calling All Angels" was performed as an encore at the concert I attended. It's a shame it hasn't been included. Maybe one day we'll get the full recording.

This lengthy album is a wonderful alternative to otherwise often vapid holiday music. Mixing obscure christmas/yuletide related tunes and charming originals, Jane Siberry actually evokes the spirit of the season in her songs. A highlight is the giddy version of her song "Hockey." And a beautiful version of "The Valley" shines. Her versions of traditional holiday tunes are equally stunning. This is also a fine album to listen to during non-holiday times as well. A winner.

You have to appreciate Jane Siberry and her reality-based look at Christmas to love this CD. She doesn't sugar-coat, yet her voice is sugar. Her incredibly unique selection of songs, funny, sad, pretty, even informative, are all refreshing. And her voice and the voices of her ensemble band are to die for. Gayle Ann Dorsey? Ridiculously good. You are in for a treat.

First of all, if you're looking for an ultra tradtional Christmas album, this is not it.
Jane Siberry sings songs that are so resonant, powerful and breathtakingly gorgeous that you couldn't do much better than this one for the holiday season. The songs range from the well known ones (Christmas Song, What Child is This?) to ones you've probably never heard before (SHe's Paying the Taxidriver, New Year's Baby).
Time and again, as I listened to this album I was surprised by joy - or tears. It is a powerful work, each piece stamped with the ring of individual interpretation..a rare treasure. It should be a classic.

Actually brought back the X-mas spirit and made me feel and appreciate the season again. Underated and misunderstood (thank God!), Siberry offers history, wit, comedy and sensuality within her choir-like songs. Breathtaking backup vocalists lend versatility and strength, while Siberry sings more simplistic than usual, exposing a barren warmth that intensifies as the album progresses. Will make you wonder why all X-mas albums insist on sounding the same. A bold and refreshing addition to old X-mas standbys.

Great original holiday music by the one and only Jane Siberry...perfect choice in some of the best holiday songs out there from other countries. This is a holiday album you'll want to listen to throughout the year because it doesn't have the typical feel of the holidays. A RARE FIND. You can't get this in the stores as it's no longer distributed!

During the 1990s, Jane Siberry's work often veered on the overtly religious in tone, especially on her acclaimed 1993 album When I Was a Boy, so that the failure artistically of her 1997 Christmas album "Child" comes as a real surprise.

Although she does not use a radically different approach from the albove-mentioned album, it is clear that the relatively dense piano foundations on the newer version of "An Angel Stepped Down", for instance, are completely inappropriate because the beauty and paradoxical danceability of the original version are completely lost. "Twelve Days of Christmas" might be really funny, but it is really slight. Even Maria's "Caravan" does not have quite the beauty to be found on the original album, and Siberry sounds really, really silly on the French "Quoi, Ma Voisine, Es-tu Fachée?" It is true that she captures some of her former beauty on "New Year's Baby" that she would later exploit on Shushan the Palace, but this does not compensate for the lack of the atmospherics that made her final three Reprise albums so gorgeous. At times, the piano of Tim Ray seems even soppy in a way hitherto unknown with Siberry.

All in all, "Child" stands as one of the most disappointing albums from a major talent, especially given teh character of much of her work around this time.

I'd choose the Lime, because like a rind from the fruit this recording is something thats been left behind.When you squeeze a Lime or you play these live recordings, an exceptional expedtious essence extraction experience may change your preception by adding some juice to stir within your seasonal soul. The taste of Lime juice is neither sickly sweet or stingly sour, yet it is best served when mixed within a wide palette of flavors, within the tracks of this recording Jane's juju juice is showcased by a wide assortment of musicianship that aids in a unquie journey from light to dark to light again. A single Lime serves up multiple portions, this Wintery Wonder Woman's seasonal songsmithing has crafted much merry mirth worthy of deep digg'n in addition to this live double disc, which any YULEtide Treasure Seeker can attest to the rarity of. ~~~Merrily Mix~ disc one = 2#1\2, 6%, 7#1\2, 9$1\2, 10#1\2, and 12$1\2 ~ disc two = 1#1\2, 6#, 7#1\2, and 8#1\2 ~~~Post Script: The liner notes and the recorded narritive speak of this artist's quest to bring forth an experiance away from the tradtional trappings of a loungey YULEtide, she has achievied an admirable testimonial toward that end.I'd add an extra 1\2 star for the liner and front cover excellence. While like white ( the color of truth ), this recording may not be mainstream, the message hidden throughout is.***buyit*saveit*sharesome*** YULEridGEMality Factor = 13