Customer Reviews

One Wish / The Holiday Album

5 star:		(158)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

Whitney Houston's One Wish: The Holiday Album is in my opinion one of Whitney's most rewarding and uplifting albums she has ever heavenly sent to her fans. Forget about the media, the tabloids, and the disappointment of her last album, Just Whitney, "THE VOICE" herself has made a tremendous effort to rise once again through this body of art. The first song I just WANTED to hear before my mother bought this was "Little Drummer Boy" featuring miss Bobbie Kristina Brown! Immediately from hearing that sweet and already womanly voice from Bobbie Kristina, I fell in love with all the rest. My other all time favorite Christmas songs on here are "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "Joy To the World" (it's hard to tell if that version came from The Preacher's Wife soundtrack...i believe that she added a little something special in there...it sounds completely different from the soundtrack). All in all, I hope any fan or used-to-be-fan can give Miss Whitney a chance, she has come back with something very rewarding and special for us to share with loved ones on the holiday through peace, joy, and love from heaven to earth.

I own all her albums & soundtracks, and I think that with this christmas album, she has delivered her best work yet! Her delivery is so full of emotion (something that lacked on her earlier records) and her vocals are extremely strong. Highlights are the haunting and powerful O Holy Night, the very original and uplifting Deck the Halls/Silent Night and basically every track.

The production is TOP NOTCH! And the vocals are TOP NOTCH! It doesn't mean that she sounds like "Saving All My Love For You" when she was 21, the innocence is gone, but she sounds close to the Preacher's Wife, just a little deeper. Her voice is now mature and full of emotion and soul. In my opinion, her voice and singing is superior now because it's not bland like it was in the 80's. But do not worry, with this album, she hits all the high notes and her vibrato is back. She sounds much better then her last effort last year.

All the clips on amazon are taken from the beginning of the songs, so each song builds up later into something VERY special.

When I heard that Whitney was doing a Christmas album, I had mixed feelings. After buying and hearing this CD, I am more than happy that I bought it. The feelings she puts into each song can definitely be felt and sends a sense of love, happiness, and joy through your being. I am generally not a holiday person, but this cd has inspired me to put a bit more effort in being cheerful for the holidays. Ms. Houston has chosen songs that have been recorded in their traditional style and made them her own. One Wish is excellent and a must have.

Its very easy for listeners to take cheap shots at Whitney because of the previous difficult years heightened by bad press, obviously having a reflect on the negative reviews and opinions. If there is one thing for sure, One Wish is an exceptionally fabulous CD and unique in a not so typical holiday fashion. With a gospel twist in most of the songs stemming back to her strongest vocal roots. The proof speaks for itself One Wish has sold over an estimated half million copies for a Christmas Album. This is obviously one of the most popular Christmas CD's this 2003 if not the best.

Okay, Whitney has had her share of bad press over the past couple of years. What has this got to do with her music? After listening to this holiday album, you'll know the answer to that is nothing. Does she carry the same flavor or style of singing since her debut album in 1985? For the most part, yes. The only thing that's changed about her singing is that she has developed her own style. When you listen to her latest album, you realize she has matured and more importantly, has the ability to make any song uniquely her own. Her vocals are still as smooth as silk and range as high as Everest. Admittedly, she can at times get a little carried away with the melisatics. But compared to Christina Aguilera, Whitney is a traditionalist. I applaud her continued efforts and showing the critics she is here to stay for years to come. Compared to many of the fly by night performers out there, Houston has been well established now for 19 years. Music styles may change but this is one vocalist whose legacy will continue for generations like Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson & Ella Fitzgerald. You need to add her Christmas album to your collection!

I thought Whitney was through but she proved me wrong!! When you open up Webster dictionary under singing, her name is still there! I thought the album was wonderful and i hope she get her life on track because she still is the BEST!!!!!1

Every song on this christmas album is perfect. It's too bad that some people still can't get over that Whitney is human and that she has done mistakes like the rest of us. All the negative reviews have the words Crack or Bobby in them, it's getting ridiculous. The *MUSIC* on this album is what matters and Whitney did EXCELLENT. Her voice is very warm , she belts powerful notes, she sings soft, she does it all.

The highlights for me are O Holy Night (wait til you see the powerful notes she does late in the song), also Joy to the World taken from the Preacher's Wife is perfect. Other highlights include One Wish, the Christmas Song (where she belts the word "fly" extremely high you will be amazed), Silent Night/Deck the Halls which is BRILLIANTLY arranged, and The Little Drummer Boy with her daughter again with very interesting arrangements once the song evolves. Also on the song "I'll be Home For Christmas", Whitney ends the song with a perfect soft note that is 15 seconds long.

I'm telling you, if you want a perfect christmas album full of great singing and great arrangements, then this is it. Whitney is not perfect as a human being, she's done mistakes like the rest of us, but it is clear that she's putting her life back together. This album is AMAZING.

Whitney Houston uses her rock-solid gospel foundation as a basis for her stunning readings of many of the Christmas classics. Houston's sacred influence can best be heard on the mesmerizing "O Come O Come Emmanuel" and spellbinding "Joy To The World."

Whitney's amazing vocal dexterity allows her to glide into other genres of music including jazz and blues. On the breathtaking "O Holy Night," Whitney and producer Mervyn Warren wisely borrow from jazz great Ella Fitzgerald in this haunting interpretation. Whitney's diction is letter perfect as she enunciates every syllable of every word and her vocal power is earthquaking. With the assistance of only a electronic keyboard and some inspired vocal runs, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is transformed into a bluesy cry for a place on earth where peace and tranquility reside.

On Torme's "The Christmas Song," Houston takes the her captivated audience on a soaring ride as we all wonder if reindeer really know how to flyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Of all the singers who've covered this standard, only Nat King Cole can claim a superior version.

"One Wish: The Holiday Album" is the brightest collection from Whitney Houston since "The Preacher's Wife." I only hope she continues to navigate her career into unexpected territory, for it supplants her as the quintessential VOICE of her generation capable of doing anything she chooses.

This CD is one of the best Christmas Cd's I have ever heard. Many people talk about how she doesn't sound like the "Old Whitney", but given the events in her life, I think she sounds wonderful. The only complaint I have about this CD is there aren't enough songs. I would have loved to her Whitney sing, "What Child is This", "Oh Come All Ye Faithful", "White Christmas", "Ave Maria", and "Go Tell It on the Mountain", but I guess there's always next year. God Bless You Whitney.

Whitney Houston is so blessed. It's a shame that most of us agree that she is not at the top of her game, Yet she sounds better than anyone out there, whoa!! Sad for them. This CD is very soothing to the soul, it's very moving. Her voice is mature and heavy now, she sounds like a mother and a wife, a sister and a best friend. She just sounds so wise and "been there and done that", if you know what I mean. Her voice is strong, the production of the music is top notch and the song selection is perfect. It's a must have, Whitney fan or not. She's on her way back. It will not happen over night but she is definitely on the right path, just listen and you'll HEAR it. God Bless!