Customer Reviews

Chris Squire's Swiss Choir

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an album of older Christmas carols, many of them unknown in the US outside some church circles. "Silent Night" and "3 Ships" are here. Lesser known hymns like the Old Testament themed "Adam Lay Y'Bounden" and the Latin-language "Gaudete" are given the Squire treatment. 1981's "Run with the Fox" has the choir dubbed onto the original in the chorus. It's a relief from over-commercialised Christmas songs like "Winter Wonderland" (which only works for a fraction of the globe anyway) and "Frosty the Snowman" (which is for little kids).
This is the third solo Yes Christmas album after Jon Anderson's "3 Ships" and Rick Wakeman's "Christmas Variations". It's also the first solo album proper from Squire since 1975's "Fish Out of Water".
Steve Hackett guests on guitar on most tracks.

Take Chris Squire, Steve Hackett, Gerard Johnson and Jeremy Stacey and you have the nucleus of a great band. Add the English Baroque Choir - conducted by Jeremy Jackman - and you have a Masterpiece of an album. Chris has outdone himself on this album. In fact, I don't believe anyone has pulled off this type of album. Yes, there's the Trans-Siberian Orchestra but this is really different. I can see Chris put alot of work and effort into this album...nothing tongue and cheek here. This is an album you can listen to year round. I highly recommend this CD to any Chris Squire fans, or fans of progressive rock. This is really something different and it comes off as a great cd.

I must say, this Christmas CD is full of some of the most beautiful Christmas songs that I have ever heard. As an import currently, it is worth the money without a doubt.
Chris Squire has brought his childhood roots as a choir boy in England into full harmony here. Plus his solo vocals are outstanding, perhaps this is music he has been singing in his heart for years and it shows. His magical way of arranging these olde English classics with a modern twist and his ever present bass guitar work will have you playing this CD for many Christmas Season's to come, there is something here for everyone in your family.
I say buy it now and enjoy it well into the new year. Thank you Mr. Squire!

Simply one of the most beautiful Chirstmas CD's I've heard in a long time.

Always a PROG fan, how can any fan of the legendary supergroups not jump for joy when something as beautiful as this comes along?

I guess you just can't please everyone. I scratch my head in wonder when I read the negative review about this CD. How could you not be impressed & amazed at the full spectrum that Squire & Company has created for us here?

I view musical maturity as one who can do it all. Chris Squire can get down and rock like few other's today. But, his talent has come full circle. I'm amazed that he was able to create the beautiful music contained on this CD.

Take a chill pill everyone, it's a Christmas CD, with an Olde English taste that I find refreshing.

My hat's off to you Mr. Squire...Let's see what else you have up your sleeve!

I am so absolutely sick of the obligatory "holiday-song-collection-sell-out-crap" that most "rock-stars" dish out all-too-often. Thankfully, this is quite the opposite.

This is a 5-star rating for a "Christmas Album", not a regular rock release. So please consider that as you read on.

The TRUE, true-meaning of Christmas is in-your-face on this recording and I absolutely love it. Thank you Chris for having the cahones to proclaim the truth about the Christmas story. If you don't like hearing about the birth of Jesus Christ, then don't buy it because that message is in just about every song.

This is a class-act, huge-sounding production that is an all-new sonic experience for most of us Americans. Like another reviewer stated, there are some very, very old European classics here that are unfamiliar to American ears. They are truly awesome masterpieces, treated with respect and beautifully done with a touch of tastefully added flair in the form of Squire's bass, Steve Hackett's guitar, Squire's unmistakable voice and many professional, high-quality singers.

Chris seemed to be re-discovering his choir-boy roots here.

This CD should be in everybody's Christmas album rotation during the holidays.

What a very pleasant surprise this CD was.

Thanks Chris.

It is an interesting mix of traditional choral music with some modern touches, such as bass guitar (of course). Recommended.

The bass work is impeccable and inventive as always with Squire. Fans of his bass style will not be dissapointed at all

I absolutely adore this CD! And in the past, I've never been a big fan of Christmas/holiday music. I just happened to be a big aficionado of YES and decided to venture into some of the musicians' solo projects. I love repeatedly listening to this CD in the month of December. It is amazing. It is fantastic. I recommend it to anyone/everyone who happens to read this. This CD has greatly enriched my life. This is the first review I have ever written on Amazon (and I've been a customer for years). That's how much I love this CD.

Hard to believe given the very very good quality of this release. Chris Squire looks back fondly on his choirboy youth as he reinterprets classic British Christmas carols (and a few popular ones) though the lens of his bass guitar, helped along the way, in no small measure, by the English Baroque Choir (and hopefully future collaborator) Steve Hackett, ex-guitarist extraordinaire of Genesis, who adds his signature electric and acoustic accompaniments. It's an interesting holiday offering for those tired of the usual Muzak one hears mostly during this season. Fans of prog rock will be very pleased as Chris' unique bass playing is up front but without the heavy-handedness one might expect from such a famous proponent of this instrument. This release straddles the difficult territory between traditionalism and new vision, and does it with quiet aplomb. Chris' voice never sounded better (when he does sing) and the added addition of a remix, with choir, of his late '90s UK hit "Run With The Fox" rounds out the experience quite nicely, ending on high, positive note. Happy Holidays! : )

I'm sure that this CD is worth purchasing, but where are the music samples? I'd like to hear this before purchasing