Merry Mixmas

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000B66PR0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,194 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

A uniqye album featuring respectfully remixed hoilday favorites from artists like Dean Martin, Lou Rawls, Eartha Kit and Nat King Cole. A team of renowned DJ's including Mark Rae, MArcus Enochson, MJ Cole, Ursula 100 and Q-Burns all spin their own special take on some holiday classics. EMI. 2005. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Merry "Un" Mixmas, November 21, 2005

By 

Seb Jarakian "destroyrockandroll(dot)com" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merry Mixmas (Audio CD)

It seems every year there' s a whole stack of new Christmas collections coming out for us the general public to purchase. Most of them are basically just rehashed and repackaged collections of the same old songs we've heard on previous years collections. Within that tall stack of CD's there's always a couple of fun gems that turn up. Which is the story of Merry Mixmas from Capitol Records. It's an excellent collection of Christmas Classics remixed by the hottest remix artists out there. Of course these tracks are all available on Capitols Christmas Cocktails CD collections volumes 1 - 3 in their original forms. This CD basically collects the best tracks from those CD's and offers them on one CD in the hot remixed format.

The CD starts fairly slow with a Bent Remix of Winter Wonderland by Bing Crosby. This remix sounds so good it doesn't really sound like a remix as it keeps the elements of the original track in this version and it feels like nothings really remixed or done to this track. It's a nice way to start a Christmas CD a slower paced track and build up to the more upbeat versions later on in the collection.

Up next is a fun and lively remix of Nat King Cole's All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) by MJ Cole. I think MJ Cole has come up with an excellent remix of this classic track which utilizes all of the great vocals with an updated sound but keeping that great retro feel of the original version.

Dean Martin's Baby It's Cold Outside remix by ARP is what follows next. Again with this remix it feels like the original version but there's that added extra beat that the original didn't have. It's quite nicely done by ARP.

The Latin Project have done a wonderful remix of Ella Fitzgerald's Sleigh Ride by giving it a Latin mid-tempo vibe to it. Ella Fitzgerald's vocals sound so good within a remix as we've heard in the Verve Remixed series and this track is another winner as far as remixes of Ella Fitzgerald tracks go. Next up should be a whole collection of Ella's classics on one CD.

What comes next is one of the better remixes on this collection. Santa Baby remixed by Alexkid & DJ Sleep and sung by the original Catwoman herself Eartha Kitt. This track actually feels like a remix which is what this collection is supposed to be a Christmas CD of remixes. The beatz, clicks and bass just move along with lovely Eartha's voice. That classic track is sung so perfectly by Miss Eartha Kitt. The remix still has elements of the original but it's quite good what Alexkid & DJ Sleep have done. Perfected it for the Remix Generation.

Up next is a mellow chill remix of Lou Rawl's Have Yourself A Merry Christmas by awayTeam. It's a lovely track with fun electronic sounds and cute beats mixed in with his original vocals.

Lena Horn's Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! remixed by Suedojazz fades up to full effect with the beats already in progress. Lena's vocals immediately start up and the jazzy reworked track takes full effect. This remix clocks in at two minutes and fifty five seconds and it's a groovy upbeat reworking of the original. Fun and to the point as it's quite short.

Malibu have done a hip and quirky update to Billy May's Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo by adding the cute vocal snippets to the track. This version pretty much stays true to it's original form except for the added beats, vocals and record scratches by Malibu.

Onto the next track we have Kay Starr's (Everybody's Waiting For) The Man With The Bag remixed by Thunderball. Thunderball are known for releasing loungy downbeat electronica and this track was the perfect choice for them to remix. The beats are loud and Kay's vocals complement them perfectly.

Psapp's Lady Remix of I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Les Brown & Band is another quick and to the point remix of a classic Chrstmas tune. This version has the upbeat Big Band groove with the great female vocals. I like how they have incorporated the sounds of casino tables into the track. I think those sound effects work great with this track.

Fatman Is Coming, Fatman Is Coming yell out the backing vocals in Johnny Mercer's Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town remixed by Q-Burns Abstract Message. The version has been given a big bouncy beat feel to the track and feels more like a remix rather an update to the original track.

Nancy Wilson's upbeat reworking of The Christmas Waltz by awayTeam is quite different in feel compared to Lou Rawl's more relaxed and laidback reworking of Have Yourself A Merry Christmas. This track has the big beats and the cute Christmas feel and charm of yesteryear.

Ursula 1000's remix of Julie London's I'd Like You For Christmas has been given the upbeat energy as the original is quite mellow and it's one of my favorites. Ursula 1000 is known for producing retro sounding loungy electronic music and this remix sure sounds like it's right up his alley. It's a hip swinging remix.

The Merriest by June Christy remixed by Thunderball is another fun upbeat energetic remix of the wonderful track. It has the Big Band samples, the beautiful vocals of June Christies and Thunderballs excellent production and remix skills. This one of the better remixes on this set.

Finally we are up to the last track on this collection and it's Vince Guaraldi Trio's Christmas Time Is Here by remixed by Markus Enochson. This unfortunately is one of the weaker remixes and I was hoping this collection would close on a bang but it's unfortunately a bust!

Overall Merry Mixmas is a fun CD. It has great classic Christmas tracks updated and remixed by top Electronic musicians and remixer's. Unfortunately most of the remixes don't really feel like remixes and they are quite short in length. I was hoping to totally fall in love with this collection like I have with other remix collections in the past for example like the Verve Remixed collection but this collection is 50 percent great and 50 percent just ok.

SJ
www.beatzblog.com

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This One is DIFFERENT (In a GOOD Way!), December 18, 2006

By 

adrienne "adrienne" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Merry Mixmas (Audio CD)

I'm one who really likes this kind of funky, ultra-modern mixed up type of music. However, I've found that once you own one or two discs, all the rest of it sounds the same. I took a chance on this one based on reviews I read here, and I was not disappointed. It is GREAT. A total jam from beginning to end. If this is your kind of music, THIS cd will make you very, very happy. The mixes are different- different beats, different voices, different artists. Try it, you'll love it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delicately Blended for a Smooth Taste, November 9, 2005

By 

David H. "Super8Dave" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Merry Mixmas (Audio CD)

These are classic Christmas tunes delicately blended with some new grooves. They have that classic sound that made you fall in love with them in the first place but with an updated groove. If you have listened to other remixed Christmas CD's and found them over-mixed, then give this a listen.

A few songs that stand out are Dean Martin's "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and Ella Fitzgerald's "Sleigh Ride". Both these artists wonderful voices really standout with the addition of a little bassline. Lena Horne's "Let It Snow!" and Nancy Wilson's "Christmas Waltz" put me squarely in the curved booth in the corner with a warm Hot Toddy.

There is also some fun stuff here. Billy May's "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo" gives Christmas a latin groove. "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" with Johnny Mercer is fun and upbeat as is Kay Starr's "The Man With The Bag".

Bing Crosby almost escapes unscathed here.

If you tire of the originals year after year but still think something would be missing without the classics, then pick this up.

The only reason I give this CD four stars out of five is that I do prefer my remixes a little more mixed. I love the Christmas Remixed CD's but I know a few people who think they remove too much from the originals. This CD really stays close to the originals while still adding some great grooves. Merry Mixmas preserves some true classics for a new generation.