Customer Reviews

A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Kristin Chenoweth has put out her first Christmas CD and it is absolutely beautiful. It's full of Christmas classics that everyone knows and a few lesser known Christmas songs. She sings the songs in the traditional way and some have a country twang to it.

1. I'll be home for Christmas- 5/5 One of my all-time favorite Christmas classics. Kristin does the song well.

2. Christmas Island- 3/5 A song I hadn't heard of before. It's got a Hawaiian sound to it. It's an okay song but not one of my favorites on the cd.

3. The Christmas Waltz-5/5 Kristin's voice sounds gorgeous on this song. It's a softer version than other versions of this song that I've heard before.

4. Do you hear what I hear?- 5/5 Another one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. I love Kristin's version of it. I love how her voice echoes during the "Do you hear what I hear" part. It's sounds lovely and has a twinkly sound that is throughout the song (I'm not sure what instrument makes that sound.

5. Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow world- 4/5 I prefer the beginning of this song. It's an okay duet wth John Pizzarelli but it's not one of my favorites.

6. Sing- 4/5 It's another song where the beginning of the song is my favorite part.

7. Silver Bells- 5/5 This is my all-time favorite Christmas song. Kristin presents a version with an intro that I haven't heard before. It then goes into a version that has a country twang to it. But it's still one of my favorites on the album.

8. Come on ring those bells- 5/5 This is a full-blown country song. It kind of reminds me of a Dolly Parton song. I like it though.

9. What Child is this?- 5/5 This is my favorite Christmas song right after Silver Bells. I adore Kristin's version of this song. It starts with a Celtic sound and goes into Kristin singing softly. I think it's gorgeous sounded and one of the best versions I've heard of this song.

10. Home on Christmas Day-5/5 I hadn't heard this song before but I like it. For most of the song, it's just Kristin singing with a piano but then it goes into an orchestra sound.

11. Born on Christmas Day-4/5 Another soft song. It's a nice song but I'm not sure it will be played as much as some of the other songs on the album for me.

12.Sleep well little children/What a wonderful world- 5/5 A beautiful way to end the album. I love how she put the two songs together. It works really well. It's a great lullaby sounding song.


So if you're a fan of Kristin from "Wicked" or "Pushing Daisies" or just enjoy Christmas music, I think this would be a great addition to your Christmas music collection.

As much as I love Christmas music, there are very few CD's that grab me from the moment I first start listening to them. But that was the case with this CD. From the very first note of "I'll Be Home for Christmas," I was drawn into a world of snow and twinkling lights and presents. Kristin's voice made me want to snuggle up by a fire, and its still 80's degrees here in Southern California.

The CD ranges in style from jazz on "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (with a lovely sax solo), to big band on "Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow World" and "Christmas Island" and even a hint of country on "Silver Bells."

Speaking of country, she goes full blown country on "Come On, Ring Those Bells." I have another version of this song I consider my favorite Christmas song, so that choice was a bit of a disappointment. Even this song won me over after a few more listens, however.

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" is amazing. The music starts quietly with just bells as Kristin sings the first verse. As the song progresses, the orchestra builds. Kristin even echoes herself at times.

"Home on Christmas Day" is at once sad and beautiful. It's a song to the loved ones no longer in her life letting them know they will always have a home in her heart at Christmas.

I've never heard the normally upbeat "Christmas Waltz" performed this slowly before, but I fell in love with it half way through.

I'm not normally a fan of artists recording songs that aren't normally Christmas on Christmas releases, but even that works here. "Sing" incorporates a Christmas themed second verse while "What a Wonderful World" is combined with Christmas lullaby "Sleep Well Little Children."

I know this is a disc I will pull out often over the coming years whenever I need to get into the Christmas mood. I have no qualms calling it a masterpiece already. I am sure it will stand the test of time.

A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas is Kristin Chenoweth's third full-length studio album (following 2005's As I Am and 2001's Let Yourself Go). While she's been one of my favorite vocalists since her debut, her second disc fell a bit short. Let Yourself Go is a classic concept album - it flows perfectly, the entire disc a throwback to the 1930s big band sound, seamlessly blending classics with new songs. As I Am by comparison was more hit-or-miss. While Kristin's voice shines (most notably on my favorite, "Taylor, the Latte Boy"), the album lacks a cohesive style, running the gamut from country to Broadway to pop. Thankfully, A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas is a classic Christmas album from the first track to the last. The song selections and arrangements perfectly frame Chenoweth's soaring, sparkling voice. She covers many of the classics here, like her rich, emotional delivery of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and the classically influenced "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "What Child Is This?". There's also lesser-known gems like "The Christmas Waltz" and "Christmas Island." The latter is the only "novelty" song on the album, but Kristin makes the song her own and turns it nto a showcase for the spunky and comic side of her personality. "Sing," "Silver Bells," and "Come On Ring Those Bells" have the pop-country feel that Chenoweth introduced on her second album, recalling her Oklahoma roots. "Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow World" is a fun, jazzy duet with John Pizzarelli - his laid-back vocal is a great counterpoint to Kristin's high energy delivery. The disc closes with the stunning, perfectly paired "Sleep Well Little Children/What a Wonderful World" where the richness and depth of Kristin's voice is on full display. A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas is an instant holiday classic. Kristin's crystalline voice is so good here I'll be hard pressed not to listen to this album year-round.

I truly am a fan of both Kristin Chenowith and Christmas Music. This is why I am giving it three stars with great reluctance. Not because the songs were all terrible but because Kristin's voice could have been given a more festive repertiore. With that voice, the possibilities were endless, unfortunately it fell short for me. Here is how I rate each song:

I'll Be Home For Christmas. 4/5. Beautiful rendition. The arrangement gives a chill factor similar to love songs of old. At some point in the song, she sounds a little jazzy which I felt was not necessary, nevertheless she delivered it with poignancy and sincerity.

Christmas Island. 3/5. It sounded like a barbershop quartet. If this song was in another album or isolated from the rest of the songs, it would have worked. However, there is nothing Christmas with coconuts and canoes.

The Christmas Waltz. 5/5. The best song in this album. While I was wrapping gifts it made me stop and listen. The music box intro was somewhat in a minor key reminding me of Danny Elfman's Nightmare Before Christmas. Then the lush arrangements steered it towards a magical experience. By the end of the song you begin to imagine a music box with waltzing dancers beginning to halt.

Do You Hear What I Hear. 5/5. Theatrical that you could actually imagine Glinda gliding and singing the song. If there were a Christmas Play, it could have been Kristin perfomring as an angel. Somewhere in the middle there was a counterpoint to Angels We Have Heard On High, which further sold me to the song.

Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow World. 4/5. A fresh take on Sleigh Ride with a counterpoint of Marshamallow World. This is in the tradition of 70s Christmas Specials, like seeing Gene Kelly and Julie Andrews doing a comedy skit through song. Endearing.

Sing. 4/5. For some strange reason, this Christmas Album reminds me of the Carpenters' Christmas Portrait. First off, The Christmas Waltz and Sleep Well Little Children was not famous before the Carpenters made their rendition. With Sing, I can't help but feel that the producers were inspired by the work of the famous 70s duo, which is certainly not the wrong direction to take.

Silver Bells. 3/5. I never really like this song in the first place. Kristin though executes it well, I felt that it was uneventful and is just passable.

Come On Ring Those Bells. 1/5. I first heard this song in our church programme when I was 13. Did not like it then, did not like it now. For me this was just terrible, even for Kristin.

What Child Is This. 3/5. This traditional carol is a dreaded piece for choirs, the minor key makes it sound so sad even though the lyrics tell of hope. Kristin just manages to make the song work with her classical sounding coloratura.

Home On Christmas Day. 2/5. Forgettable.

Born On Christmas Day. 2/5. Forgettable.

Sleep Well Little Children/What A Wonderful World. 5/5. Just when you thought the album was going downhill with two forgettable performances, it makes a brilliant closing with this number. Strangely enough, the chords for Sleep Well is actually just Wonderful World, but it worked so well that it seems that both songs were made to really counterpoint. A wonderful closing.

Hope this provides an objective review. Have a blessed holiday listening to one of the most outstanding voices in our time.

I am a big fan of Chenoweth. I think she is a lot of fun. Her CD, however, lacks the OOMPH and special feeling that is related to Christmas. Seeing that I am a fan of hers its pains me so much to say this. There are far more better Christmas CDs out there. There is really nothing on here to make it a GEM!

Kristin Chenoweth charmed her way into my heart with this superb Christmas collection. The album mixes secular and religious in such an honest fashion, that each song works to create a traditional yet charming approach to Christmas music. That being said, this is a pop Christmas album--a little different from her musical theatre background--but, that doesn't mean that she leaves out all the bells and whistles or her personality (give "Christmas Island" or "Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow World" a listen).

What makes the album such a rewarding listen is how immediate the songs are. Although the 3-quarter time of "The Christmas Waltz" is slower here than usual, the new tempo adds nostalgia and warmth. "Home on Christmas Day" features a lovely piano motif that develops into a beautiful and soaring piece of music; one could even call the song the climax of the album. Chenoweth's bubbly personality, her interpretation, and the worlds that each song creates will make this record a mainstay for my Christmas season.

Highlights: Christmas Island, The Christmas Waltz, Home on Christmas Day.

I am always looking for a new Christmas cd when the holidays roll around and after seeing Kristin Chenoweth sing THE CHRISTMAS WALTZ on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade I was very impressed. So I always check Amazon and listened to samples and read other reviews and I was sold. I love the arrangements on all songs on this cd and it is a feel good Christmas collection; bursting with perfect style of Christmas spirit. Kristin Chenoweth has a very showbizzy talent and her voice is unique and just puts you in a warm and happy mood. I hope she makes another holiday cd next year. I give A LOVELY WAY TO SPEND CHRISTMAS an "excellent". *****It sure is a lovely way to spend Christmas.

After reading some of the more negative reviews I felt the need to put one up myself. Being a musician,and fond of all types of music I enjoyed this CD very much. Though some of the songs are not Broadway, or anything most people would probably expect Kristin Chenoweth to sing, I felt that this showed the musical diversity in her voice.
I feel it is amazing when someone that was mostly trained in singing more a long Opera/Classical styles (as that is a focus in most College music programs for vocalists), and learned to develop the wonderful Broadway voice we all hear today, to sing a variety of songs that are included in this album. Yes, a few of her songs have that country feel, but hey with her voice it works quite well. To compare vocal quality of songs,if you have seen any of the movies she is in, where she sings, such as RV and Deck the Halls, she does sing some Country-ish songs in RV which is how she sings in RV is similar to the country type songs in this album. She also sings a Christmas Carol in Deck the Halls which sounds similar to the other traditional Christmas songs on this album.
To add my favorite songs in this album are Home on Christmas day, which has a gorgeous piano part. Then there is her version of Sleep Well Little Children-What A Wonderful World, which is the best reason to buy this CD. This arrangement is amazing,and very beautiful, sometimes makes me want to cry.
Lastly, this is a woman with a wonderful voice, and she shows the capabilities of her voice very well in this album. It would be a good album to add to a collection of Christmas music or Kristin Chenoweth albums.

My favorite day of the year is Christmas. My favorite memories in childhood are almost all of Christmas. Therefore, I am very picky about my Christmas albums. Unfortunately, I tend to buy five or more new ones every year (I have already bought three this year, and it's not even half way through October--Yikes). Most of the Christmas albums leave me wanting. They all have the same songs, sung the same way, and most feel like they are thrown together last minutes and never really had any time or love lavished upon them. When they do try to do something new or change an original, they end up stripping away the magic from the song. As a result, there are only three albums I would ever give a five star rating: Amy Grant--Home for Christmas; Mariah Carey--Merry Christmas; and now Kristin Chenoweth--A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas. Every single song is a winner. Even a couple songs I typically hate (Christmas Island) are fantastic. The good old traditional songs are done with new life and vigor, while keeping a truly magic feeling. She even did a recording of 'Come On Ring Those Bells', a song I haven't heard since I was a kid, and she did it with enough twang and sass to make any country boy proud. (This is the only song with twang--don't let that freak you out.) She has a great duet on Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow World with John Pizzarelli, which I think is my favorite on the album, but there are four or five that are fighting to be tied for first place. It is obvious the time, talent, and painful detail that went into the making of this album. Truly a remarkable Christmas album. One that will last throughout the generations. And if you're worried that you're gonna be serenaded by GaLinda. Get over it! It's a good thing! Buy the Album, light the fire, decorate the tree, hang the mistletoe and get ready for a great Christmas.

One of the best Christmas music CD's I own. Kristine Chenoweth has a lovely voice that melts your heart. Christmas is a family Holiday and listening to this CD brough beautiful memories of Christmas past.