Customer Reviews

The Hotel Cafe Presents...Winter Songs

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Each of the songs on this album reflect the style of the various singers, and there are a few standouts. Fiona Apple's version of Frosty, Sara Bareilles does a lovely job with hers, and Silver Bells is a full-throated, gorgeous rendition. In fact, all of the songs are well done with one glaring exception: Katy Perry. Her rendition of White Christmas makes me think that she was either drunk while recording, or deliberately mocking the song. Really unlistenable. It's a pity that such the one track would be so jarringly off-key in the midst of a very good mix.

I've enjoyed most of the songs on the holiday album, especially Sara Bareilles' Winter Song with Ingrid Michaelson and the Lenka song. Each artist put their own spin in these songs and for the most part they are enjoyable. It's worth buying if you're looking for a modern all female Christmas album.

If you could get rid of Silver Bells and White Christmas on this CD, it would be a must-buy.
However, at the price it is now... I'm probably going to buy it anyway!

Seldom am I driven to buy something as quickly as this. Having Prime, I got it in time to listen to it in the car on the way to Christmas Eve family party. Two twenty-something daughters and my picky wife all agreed. It was great. Played it on Christmas when we opened presents as well. The best part, some songs will weather a listen all year long.

Truth be told, I recently heard "Winter Song" a few months ago and just had to have it...purchased it through Itunes. Then my daughter told me the whole cd was probably worth getting, so I purchased it through Amazon. I am not disappointed. I am really looking forward to playing this through the Winter Season. "Winter Song" still is my favorite track. It's a feel good, yet heart tugging song -the simple piano chords, the cello and the gorgeous harmony makes this one of my favorite songs ever. I really enjoy the very different renditions of other classic songs here by some very different, talented women.

I bought this disc mostly for the first track, but after listening to the whole album, it's really grown on me and introduced me to some artists I hadn't been aware of.

I won't bore anyone with a track-by-track review. Suffice it to say that the entire album has a folksy Lillith Fair type of cadence to it, which is great when you're tired of being beaten to death with the usual holiday fare.

That said, I seriously doubt that this album will have the universal appeal (or staying power) as the Very Special Christmas albums. Nonetheless, it should be a welcome addition to anyone's holiday collection.

This CD features both new and traditional Yuletide tunes, performed by an impressive all-female lineup of artists. For me, the original standouts are Lenka's "All My Bells Are Ringing", which has a sweet, fifties-era feel to it ("Take my heart this Christmas", she sings, "I'll wrap it in a ribbon and a bow"), and Meiko's "Xmas Song (Maybe Next Year)", which has a sultry, soulful feel ("I don't think Santa's coming this year", she confides, "I've been a bad, bad girl . . .". Standards are not neglected, with fresh versions of "Silver Bells", "Blue Christmas", "White Christmas", "The Christmas Song", among others. Finally, the true "reason for the season" (for me, anyway) is not forgotten with a haunting, meditative "Silent Night". Then it all wraps up with "Auld Lang Syne" to ring in the New Year. All in all, you won't be disappointed if you add this to your holiday CD collection.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Cheers.

Not your traditional X-mas album. Some nice renditions of Christmas classics: Fiona Apple's "Frosty the Snowman" and Holly Conlan's "I'll be home for Christmas" are solid. The real stand-outs on this CD are the non-traditional songs: Colbie Callat's "Mistletoe" and Brandi Carlile's "The Heartache Can Waite", and Sara B's "Winter Song." Most the others are nice, if not unremarkable. A few are absolutely unlistenable: "Silver Bells" (way overwrought), and Katy Perry's "White Christmas" is a mockery. (Why does she do an X-mas song that she carries such obvious disdain for?)

Final note: Just listen to these songs and tell me that I'm not 100% right -
KT Tunstall's "Sleigh Ride" is going to be the soundtrack to the next Gap commercial.

Lenka's "All My Bells Are Ringing" will be the next iTunes commercial (or Target).

And Colbie Callat's "Mistletoe" will be the song playing in the background as Meredith looks pensively at her dying patient on the Christmas "Gray's Anatomy"

I wish Vegas gave odds on these... I'd be a kajillionaire...

This is a great CD especially "Winter Song" by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid
Michaelson. It's a beautiful song and really touches you!

Unfortunately Alice Smith's "Silver Bells" is too throaty and oversung (sorry Alice! -- your other tunes aren't bad), but for a 15-track compilation Christmas album to only have one that is questionable is far better than expected!

When I heard there would be a Hotel Cafe Christmas CD, I was definitely anticipating hearing some Joshua Radin and Cary Brothers, but having the all-ladies album wasn't a bad idea at all. The mix of a couple originals and new takes on traditional tunes is wonderful, and Ingrid/Sara's "Winter Song" is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in ages. It's also nice to have Meiko's "Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song)" on a CD. Priscilla Ahn, fast becoming one of my favourite singers, does a unique and haunting arrangement of "Silent Night".

If you like Christmas songs and beautiful voices, you definitely can't go wrong with this disc.

(Note: You do get a bit of Radin, Brothers -- and a few other Hotel Cafe regulars -- on the album closer, "Auld Lang Syne".)