Customer Reviews

The Christmas Angel: A Family Story

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

Having (regretably) just purchased the new Mannheim Stamroller Christmas CD "The Christmas Angel, A Family Story", I am a little bit miffed about it. This CD is SHOVELWARE! If you already have the other Mannheim CDs, then save your money. There's nothing new here. Maybe I should chunk the CD and liner materials in the trash and use the jewel case for something else.

This "new" offering by Mannheim Steamroller for the 1998 holidays will disappoint many, since it really offers nothing new but a remix and remastering of earlier Mannheim Steamroller holiday music. There is no attribution on the CD that it contains previously released material. The justification to get away with this re-release of old material is provided by a voice over narration of a "family story" by Olivia Newton-John and Chip Davis, along with some ugly percussion interludes, some rap music influence ("Good King Wenceslas"), and even some alien-sounding space music--hardly family holiday fare. This is not a CD to put on the player with your other holiday music; it just doesn't fit in. The holiday narrative poem that provides the structure for this CD would have been more credible (and honest) if it had been set to new music, but it is not, and American Grammaphone should be taken to task for marketing this CD without attribution of previously released material.

Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller's The Christmas Angel has been panned by several reviewers as being a sad rehash or unacknowledged greatest hits album. However, any true fan of Chip and the Steamroller knows that this CD is the soundtrack to a televised ice skating show that aired on NBC back in December of 1998 and will be airing again this December 2000 on NBC (It may even become a Christmas tradition). The music, for the most part, is from previous Christmas recordings, but it has certainly not lost it's magic! The story, narrated by Chip and Olivia Newton-John, is a bit unusual, but makes more sense when watching the ice skating performance. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because most of the music found here is on the other 5-star Christmas releases from Mannheim Steamroller. It's worth having if you're a Chip Davis fan!

I've always enjoyed Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas stuff, and so bought this when it first came out. Wish I hadn't! I like the Steamroller for its music, not constant talking and storybook nonsense. "Carol of the Bells" and "Greensleeves" were great, but they're featured on another CD. I found the melody to "Above the Northern Lights" somewhat intriguing, but had to listen to Olivia Newton-John talking, and the music was strictly background. If one can listen to samples first, do so, then think about buying this drivel!

The title should say it all. Avoid this awful product at all costs. Didn't anyone look at this poem and say "This is an awful poem, Chip!"??? I wish I could get my money back, because it seems a pretty clear case of false advertising to put the Mannheim Steamroller name--which generally means high quality--on this awful thing. Please don't use your money to support bad poetry (and I'm being generous calling it "poetry").

Oh. My.

Please read ALL the reviews on this before you buy . . . (I mean it . . . when you get to the bottom, click on the icon to Read ALL reviews . . .)

Some people will really enjoy this CD. Great. I wish they wouldn't bash those that find fault with it . . . we are not "Scrooges," rather, we simply have our own opinions. And here's mine: As a Mannheim Steamroller fan from way way back, I've listened to the natural change in Chip Davis' music with each successive album. I have truly enjoyed them all, from Fresh Aires I-VIII, Saving the Wildlife, Yellowstone, and the Christmas albums. I even like his "Day Parts" series.

But this one made me truly wonder if his creative well has become, well, contaminated.

Here's the short version: This seems to be a vanity project. (Or perhaps he was coerced into doing it somehow.) This CD is the soundtrack to a ice-skating TV special in which Chip appeared (fortunately NOT ice-skating himself!). The music is great, but most of it has been previously released. The narrated story is extraordinarly weak and poorly written. While Olivia Newton-John's narration is fine, Chip is not the voice-over artist that he thinks he is (Sorry, Chip). The sound mixing is suspicious (see other reviews).

I considered giving this only one star, but I have to reserve that rating for the actual video/DVD of this (Watching Chip narrate is worse than listening to him narrate). (Yes, I watched the original airing on TV with great anticipation: what a disappointment.)

"Chip Dear, Oh Chip Why?"

I am so sorry that I bought "The Christmas Angel" CD. The first three 'roller Christmas CD's were absolute jewels. I could even tolerate the "live" one. I never dreamed that Chip Davis and Company would trick us with a cheap rehash, pointless and intrusive narrative, and electronic flapdoodling for song bridging. I usually chalk a bad Christmas CD purchase up to experience. I'm actually a bit ticked at this one. Shame on you! I'd feel much better if the profits were going to a good charitable cause...

I didn't think it was quite so bad. The vocals were kind of bothersome, but the music was great. Every Christmas my family likes to listen to Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music. This CD has some of our favorites.

This is taking advantage of fan loyalty! First, a LIVE recording rehash. Now, some sappy prose linked to some music done ten years ago. You lost me on this weak effort to capitalize on your name.

Too much talk, not enough music