Customer Reviews

A Cherry Cherry Christmas

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I'm a huge Neil Diamond fan and I enjoy his music. When I saw he released a new Christmas album I was hoping for an album with new material, only to find previously released material with only a few new tracks. I would consider this a "Best Of" or "Greatest Hits" Neil Diamond Christmas album. You will be much more satisfied purchasing his two individual Christmas Albums: The Christmas Album and The Christmas Album, Vol. 2. It's nice to see a new album by Neil Diamond, however almost all of the material has already been done. Let's hear something new!

A Cherry Cherry Christmas is absolutely wonderful. My favorite of course would be the ones that Neil writes and on this CD "The Christmas Song" is so delightful and happy to hear that the only problem I have is that I can't get it out of my head. It is driving me crazy. The other song that Neil wrote is "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" and that is very beautiful also, I have adored that song for many years. I beleive he write it in the late 70's, but it is still beautiful.

The next song that really is amazing is "Joy To The World" singing with a chorus and done so nice. The whole CD is just wonderful to hear. I don't really like Christmas music that much anymore, but this CD is just wonderful and I am listening to it everyday as I drive to work or on errends. Neil did good with this CD and it is climbing because he also sings the "Chanukah" song. It is very good. Much better than Adam Sadler's. This is a fun CD and I hope that Neil's CD reaches the charts as it is climbing now from 108 tp 26. I have bought at least 11 CD's to give as stocking stuffers so I am helping in that area.

Get it and enjoy it......

I can't get my head around this seasonal offering from Neil Diamond. Love him, or loathe him, he is one of the most talented songwriters that the modern era has produced and has, some terrible over-production in the 80s and 90s notwithstanding, always written some incredible material.

The last 4 years have seen him deliver some of the best music of his career, in conjunction with producer Rick Rubin, with the hugely important and impressive albums 12 Songs and Home Before Dark. These, together with the release of Hot August Night NYC showcasing his most recent and wonderfully powerful tour, have put Diamond back in the forefront of the music industry, bookending a career spanning well over 40 years.

Now, riding the wave of these incredible achievements, he releases a Christmas album which is primarily a re-hash of of two earlier seasonal efforts from over 16 years ago. There are a couple of new songs, it is true, and one of them, Christmas Dream, is quite good. He also does a passable interpretation of Amazing Grace and a weird and wonderful version of Adam Sandler's Channukah Song. That's it! Three songs worth a listen and the rest re-cycled filler! For a man that had clearly re-discovered his muse in recent years and seemed to be ending his career on a high, this is a mystifying backward step.

Let's hope that the rumoured third Album with Rubin will materialise next year and Neil can get back on track.

I heard this Album at a friends house and many of the songs were previously released , but there are new ones as well and they are worth the low price of this CD. It also combines his best Christmas stuff on to one CD plus giving us great new songs.

I am oderering my own copy and can't wait for it to arrive to hear Cherry Cherry Christams and other again! If you're a big ND fan like me, you'll agree that once again Diamond is a gem!

I saw the new CD on my vacation and bought it. MISTAKE! I should have waited and listened to some of the cuts before buying it. Can't believe he put out this CD...I agree with "Neil what were you thinking?"...Don't waste your good money on this one!

Neil Diamond is truly a rare type of entertainer who is exceptionally accomplished as a singer, songwriter, actor and all around entertainer. Once again, Neil proves with this release that he still has what it takes to be on top! It's remarkable how the passage of time has not changed Neil's voice at all--he sounds better than ever and that's grand. Neil's new album entitled A Cherry Cherry Christmas has nothing but some of the prettiest, most sophisticated holiday music I've ever heard--and his fans will want this CD with these creative renditions of classic holiday songs that by and large don't stray too far from the original arrangements. Neil performs very well on this album. In addition, the quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is very nicely done. Great!

"A Cherry Cherry Christmas" is very easy on the ear; Neil sings this new song with great sensitivity. The music fits perfectly with his vocals and it makes a fine beginning number for this album. I like that percussion as well! "Sleigh Ride" boasts a terrific arrangement and Neil never lets go of a single superfluous note; I love it! His excellent diction also enhances his performance. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" has always been one of my very favorite Christmas time tunes; this was first performed by Judy Garland in "Meet Me in Saint Louis" and Neil does this with panache--I'm sure Judy would have loved Neil's rendition of this song! "White Christmas" gets a more spirited arrangement than I'm used to; but it all holds its own very well. The upbeat flavor of this ballad masks the melancholy lyrics, yet it's still quite catchy and I have already played this several times over!

"The Christmas Song" features Neil Diamond front and center in the spotlight--which is exactly where he belongs! The lush arrangement makes this number shine bright and it's easily a major highlight of this album. I think you'll like Neil's rendition of "The Christmas Song" very much. The medley that includes "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is also very well done; and "Jingle Bell Rock" is awesome! The musical interlude jams and this soft rockin' tune fits in with the rest of the album. Indeed, "Jingle Bell Rock" is a bright spot on the CD.

"You Make It Feel Like Christmas" is touching; and there's the beautiful "Joy To The World" with that awesome choir--not that Neil Diamond ever needed any type of backup, but they do sound pretty good anyway! "Joy to the World" is quite lush and memorable as a result of the beautiful arrangement. "Amazing Grace" is quite well done; and "Meditations on a Winter Night" is a lovely instrumental track. The CD ends with Neil tipping his hat to the holiday of Chanukah with "The Chanukah Song;" Neil delivers this well without taking anything away from the humor of the lyrics. Excellent!

Neil Diamond has enjoyed decades of fame and well-earned fortune as a top notch entertainer and musician; and this holiday album by Neil ranks highly in my book. I think you will enjoy it if you want to add a new CD to your holiday music collection.

Neil makes a great CD and this is one that should be in your player at Christmas...!!

In these financially strapped times, I'm EXTRAORDINARILY DISAPPOINTED that Neil Diamond would insult his fans by releasing what appears to be a new Christmas album, only to discover that it's just a re-hash of his other two Christmas albums, with the exception of two wonderful new original songs, "Cherry, Cherry Christmas" and "Christmas Dream." (And two odd covers, Adam Sandler's jokey "Chanukah Song" and the depressing and dreary "Amazing Grace." I'm a Christian, but really don't want to think of Jesus hanging on a cross when celebrating the joy of His birth. An odd choice for a Christmas album.)

With all the great Christmas songs out there, I'm STUNNED that Diamond wouldn't spend a few days in the studio covering some additional material to release a "Christmas Album Vol. III."

I was THRILLED, however, to hear the FANTASTIC arrangements on his new original songs, as I've found the Rick Rubin produced arrangements on his last two albums completely ill-suited to Diamond's powerful voice. (Kind of like watching Kobe Bryant ride a tricycle.)

I was listening to the title cut of A Cherry Cherry Christmas and I was embarassed for Neil (and I like his old music). What poorly written lyrics, it sounds like something that maybe an elementary school student could have composed. Predictable, pedantic lyrical direction and rhyme scheme that practically hits you over your head.

Maybe some songwriters eventually exhaust their ability to write compelling music and lyrics. Not that Neil was ever a gifted lyricist, but with his simplistic style he was still able to create compelling tunes with his voice and the music.

Everything on this album is just so derivative.

The voice of Neil Diamond singing christmas songs is beautiful. There are Christmas songs that I dislike but hearing ND singing them is beautiful