Customer Reviews

Chicago 25: Christmas Album

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is it! I collect Christmas music and am always looking for a nice combination of fresh twists and classic renditions of Christmas tunes. This CD has a very distinct Chicago flavor and is sure to be a holiday favorite of yours from the first listen! It rocks at times, is thoughtful at times, but is a fantastic listen for any Christmas music fan! Without a doubt the most played Christmas CD in my house!

The arrangements, performances, and recording quality on Chicago 25 are absolutely top-notch. If you are a fan of Chicago's original sound (and not the over-synthesized power ballads of their '80's work), and then this CD is a must have. My faves are Little Drummer Boy (outstanding vocal arrangement), The Christmas Song, Christmas Time is Here (from Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack, beautifully arranged), and Let It Snow (rockin' horns).

This has to be the best Christmas CD ever! If you love "Chicago" you will love this CD. I start playing this CD in July and by the time Christmas is here, everyone I my office loves this CD. I have been a fan of Chicago for many years and believe me, this CD is one of their best. Bill Champlin and Robert Lamm sing like no one else can. Add this CD to your Christmas Collection and you will not be sorry. You will enjoy it for years. This is the first one I play every year. The Christmas Song and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas are the "BEST"!

without this CD in our house. I'm not going to get technical.... I've always been a Chicago fan, and, as a previous reviewer said, I was delighted to hear them get back to their style roots.

Look - I play "The Big Chill" soundtrack to clean the house, and I play THIS one for trimming the tree and wrapping gifts. This and Michael Doucet's "Christmas Bayou."

Don't over-analyze... just have some fun.

I really enjoyed this CD. I have become hooked on it! There is a lovely version of "Feliz Navidad" that I could play over and over!

This CD is my most favarite christmas record.Some tracks are popular Christmas songs, but Chicago plays them in their great performance. So if you were not familiar to this band, you may enjoy enough. Especially Chicago's many Lead Vocalists(Bobby Lamm, Bill Champlin, etc )that have each some different singing style and voice, make very colourful Christmas party. Personally, I like Jason's "O Come All Ye Faithful" best. And "Let it snow" sung by Trumpetter Lee Loughnane is a very nice tune, too.(The band plays this song at their show often.) I think this is one of the most successful Christmas CD by single artist(Songer or Band).

This is a creative CD. They don't just duplicate songs that have been done over and over. They play new songs and play old songs as if they were new And one new song--Child's Prayer--is worth the price of the CD itself. Simply stunning!

Chicago 25 is not just a great Christmas album, it is a great Chicago album, period. On this CD (and on Night&Day, their previous release which I also strongly recommend), Chicago rediscovered their sound after turning out several albums of heavily synthesized pop ballads in the '80's. On Chicago 25, the horns are out front and have never sounded better, thanks to great arrangements by James Pankow. The big drums and tacky synthesizers from Chicago 16-21 are thankfully absent. Bill Champlin is in fine voice - his vocal arrangement for Little Drummer Boy is simply outstanding. And its nice to hear Robert Lamm singing lead on several songs - his vocals and arrangements are terrific. The album's sound is clear and well balanced, a truly excellent recording job. If you are a fan of Chicago's real sound, then this CD is a must have.

Heard it with a friend and then downloaded. Almost so bad that it's funny... but not quite.

Pankow's horn arrangments are in fine form and the old Chicago harmonies are wonderful when they show up. However, much of the album is too pop, "new" Chicago and not enough the greatness of Chicago's 1-7.

The nasal opening vocal of "Little Drummer Boy" starts the album off on a sour note, though the song recovers in the second two verses (one with a great gospel choir, and the next with 4 part old school harmonies. This typifies the album, part average and part great.

There are a few standout songs on this album like a wonderful arrangement of "Christmas Song", the very fun "Santa Clause Is Coming to Town", and a good revival of "Christmas Time is here" (yes of Charlie Brown fame).

I'll include probably 1/3 of the album on my MP3 playlist for Christmas songs, but if I had prelistened to the album, I wouldn't have bought it.