Customer Reviews

Edge of Christmas

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I originally bought this album for the song "Christmas Wrapping", but once I heard the rest of the CD it stayed in the stereo all season. While most of the tracks are traditional, they are done with a twist. The Bowie/Bing song is masterfully done and The Pretenders "2000 Miles" is beautiful and somewhat sad. Although these songs are done by "alternative" artists, The Edge of Christmas isn't so alternative it will scare off mainstream family and friends. And while many of these songs can be found on various albums (as the reviewer below stated), why buy a lot when all you need is one.

If you like modern rock this is the only holiday CD you need. Contrary to 1st review, the Queen song opens the holiday season for us-a classic. More classics with Bowie/Crosby version of Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy. Fun tunes like Smithereens & Waitresses. I even like the Pretenders tune, despite not liking the group in general and Kate Bush song is very relaxing. Probably my favorite tune is surreal Cocteau Twins rendition of Winter Wonderland-mix that with some spiked egg nog and you'll be guaranteed a merry christmas.

This is easily one of the better Christmas collections I've seen. Sure I'm a fan of most of the bands, but the songs are really good. Just look at the tracklist. It opens with three tracks from Queen, Pat Benetar, and a superb one from The Pretenders. Then, how cool is it to have Christmas songs from Kate Bush and The Cocteau Twins, not to mention the classic from Bing and Bowie. Also worth a mention are the tracks from The Smithereens, the infamous Ramones, and the must have "Christmas Wrapping" from The Waitresses. The rest is good as well. I also suggest "You Sleigh Me: Alternative Christmas Hits" and "A Very Special Christmas 3".

Absolutely my all time favorite Christmas CD. As a servicemember, out of the last four Christmas seasons, I have been deployed overseas for four of them. This one CD has done more to keep my spirits up than anything else, while being away from my family. What I think I like best about this CD is it's unique and effective blend of songs and styles. There is something here to satisfy everyone's desires and moods during the holidays - classics, moving contemporaries, upbeat tracks, and even a couple of off-humor tunes to keep everyone from getting too choked up. For the one Christmas that I was with my family, my kids quickly grew to know and love each and every song. In fact, since this Christmas I am once more overseas, the number one request from my two kids this year was for this CD.

Ok, I've been browsing the site here for countless hours (seven minutes) looking for the perfect Christmas album to put my stamp of approval on. I had many things to consider, first.. Has to have CHRISTMAS WRAPPING by THE WAITRESSES. This in my book is the most important Christmas song ever recorded, any christmas collection without this gem is flawed. Second, it has to have nothing to do with the NOW THATS WHAT I CALL MUSIC series, at first I was a little nervous because, the NOW series was the only place where I could find The Waitresses. I refuse to give that industry a dime of my hard earned money. And thirdly, well I figured I'd leave it up to the mix. I expected there to be some Bing Crosby you know. Some Sinatra. Oh well, none of that here.. and I looked at this and I thought to myself "this is pretty rockin'!" Yeah that's what I thought. FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK is another biggy for me. It is truly a beautiful song, and I guarantee that you will agree. I love the accent on that girl who sings along with THE POGUES. Then you get THE RAMONES' MERRY CHRISTMAS-I DONT WANT TO FIGHT, I haven't heard it in years. THE SMITHEREENS come in and do a Rudolph. HEY! BING CROSBY is on here! all right, Grandma will be happy too! Not a bad traditional style LITTLE DRUMMER BOY even if it does have DAVID BOWIE on it. PAT BENATAR and THE PRETENDERS, I'm psyched.
I get to play Christmas music for the family AND keep my dignity. Yeah. I wish it had FATHER CHRISTMAS by THE KINKS but I ain't complaining.

In terms of modern rock, this is the greatest Christmas cd ever recorded. While Queen's Thank God It's Christmas seems out of place here, every other song succeeds. Sure there are a few Christmas classics missing (Do They Know It's Christmas?, XTC's Thanks for Christmas, and Billy Squier's Christmas is the Time to Say I Love) but you'll want to play this cd year round, it's that good. Shane Mcgowan and Kirsty Macoll's Fairy Tale of New York is one of the most hilarious, scathing, yet beautiful Christmas songs ever made. Most songs are originals: The Pretenders' gorgeous 2000 Miles, Kate Bush's majestic December Will Be Magic Again, The Ramones (!) delightful Merry Christmas I Don't Want to Fight and the new wave classic Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses (my favorite Christmas song ever). However, there are brillant renditions of yuletide favorites too. Pat Benetar's bluesy, heart-aching Please Come Home for Christmas, the timeless duet of Bing Crosby and David Bowie on Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth, the dreamy Winter Wonderland by the Cocteau Twins are just a few highlights. The only downside besides not being able to listen year round as one user pointed out, is that there never were other installments of this excellent, most festive, compilation. This is a must own before it possibly goes out of print.

a good christmas cd to me has either 1) new songs with off-beat lyrics or 2) traditional songs updated, say, with a rock tempo. this cd delivers both. every cut has something going for it. the eerie first cut by 'queen,' which i had never heard before, had me hooked. the production quality of this album is superb. it will make good use of latest technology in speakers and headphones. you are gonna love this one!

If I have to live in a world where John Tesh and Barbra Streisand have dueling Christmas CDs then this CD makes life bearable. Great songs, only one I grit my teeth through is Kate Bush (sorry, but I am the one person who didn't like her in the 80's and still don't, so there). My favorite is the Queen song and the Pogues are great too. How can you not like a song that starts off in the drunk tank on Christmas Eve?

This has become my favorite Christmas album. Starting out with Queen's Thank God It's Christmas and ending up with Christmas Wrapping, this CD will fill your holiday music fix, especially to for those long weeks leading up to the holidays. Other favorites include 2000 Miles from The Pretenders and The Pogues Fairytale of New Your. Keep your Transiberian Orchestra CDs for the family gathering and use this on Christmas Morn as a way to wake up your kids.

You'll have lots of fun playing this cd at both your office & home Christmas parties. Some really cool cuts on this; plus some unusual stuff that is refreshing from the same old holiday fare-especially The Ramones classic Merry Christmas(I Don't Want To Fight)which is hard to find. All in all, quite enjoyable & highly recommended.