In the Spirit: A Christmas Album

Michael McDonald | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 16, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca Nashville
• ASIN: B00005QKC2
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,816 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Angels We Have Heard on High

2. To Make a Miracle

3. Children Go Where I Send Thee

4. Every Time Christmas Comes Around

5. Peace

6. Medley

7. One Gift

8. On This Night

9. House Full of Love

10. On Christmas Morning

11. World Out of a Dream

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In the Spirit is an appropriate name for Michael McDonald's first Christmas album because the ghosts of the Doobie Brothers are all over it. Which makes perfect sense since McDonald penned all but three of the songs in this collection. And while each make titular references to Yuletide, most of them would be at home either on a Doobies album or one of McDonald's solo discs, being that the subject matter is similar--overcoming obstacles, living in the moment, and the necessity of having deep convictions. In addition, these songs are dominated by McDonald's distinctive, husky baritone and idiosyncratic rhythmic sense, making them more his own songs than holiday classics. When McDonald does cover a traditional carol--"Angel's We Have Heard on High," "White Christmas/Winter Wonderland"--he jazzes them up and bends them into a new form until they're almost unrecognizable. No doubt the idea is to escape the clichéd treatments that others have given these timeless tunes, but as a result, they lose much of their natural beauty. The album comes alive when smooth crooner James Ingram steps up to the mic, and adds sparkle and warmth to "The Gift," even though it still sounds like a Christmas version of "Minute by Minute." --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Getting "In The Spirit", October 25, 2001

By 

David T (Ormond Beach, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Spirit: A Christmas Album (Audio CD)

Never one to follow convention, Mike McDonald takes a daring turn away from your standard Christmas release and graces us with In The Spirit.....A Christmas Album. It's a joyous, spiritual, rocking collection with 8 of the 11 tunes written or co-written by McDonald. The lyrics here dance around the usual themes of Christmas tidings, and offers more.......the joy of everlasting hope and the belief that our faith will see us through....surely helpful in these recent difficult days. The highlights: "To Make A Miracle", smooth and jazzy......."Children Go Where I Send Thee", a funky 16th note gospel rave-up with with killer vocals by Mike and Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark......."Every Time Christmas Comes Around", with it's sing-it-all-day chorus and wonderful background vocals by The Man........"Peace" is so emotional. A hymn-like prayer of one reaching out to God in his greatest time of need.........."One Gift" has great potential as a single and finds Mike teaming up again with James Ingram,a pairing that produced a Grammy for "Yah 'Mo Be There". The chorus is guaranteed to bring bird leather........"On This Night", written by Mike, co-producer Marc Harris and Bernie Chiaravalle, offers an achingly beautiful string arrangement, a memorable melody, and sings of the birth of Christ and that "...all men might know the meaning of mercy and of love beyond all love..." "House Full Of Love", with it's joyous chorus, bubbling bass lines and Motown strings is a delight........"On Christmas Morning" is a Kenny Loggins/David Foster composition and McDonald makes it his own. It's my favorite vocal performance on the album. With the recent release of the excellent "Blue Obsession", McDonald seems to be entering a busy, creative period in his career. It's all our pleasure.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive..., December 20, 2001

By 

Torquemada "dunlopilo" (Atlanta, Georgia USA / Madrid, Spain.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Spirit: A Christmas Album (Audio CD)

A friend of mine who lives in Europe asked me to get this album for him. When I read what he was asking for, I was hesitating and asking myself why he wanted to get Christmas music by Michael McDonald. The answer came by itself, just listening to the cd before giving it to him.

This collection is simply impressive, for two reasons. First, it has the Christmas spirit, but it doesn't contain the tunes we have all heard ten zillion times; most of the songs are from Michael McDonald himself, and they are excellent. Second, it shows that Michael McDonald is not musically dead. After the controversial "Blue obsession", a commercial flop (kill me for this if you want, but facts are facts) containing several weak tracks, where MM showed signs of fatigue in his voice, there is nothing to object here : the songs are sung right, the music is excellent, and there is just one track which is a bit repetitive and you end up skipping it. The cd was recorded in Nashville and that also gives a special dimension to the result. The peak moments to me are "House full of love" and "To make a miracle".

I really recommend this album because it is versatile and you will enjoy playing it even if it isn't Christmas. However, be aware that if you are looking for the "typical" Christmas music this might not be for you (despite the cover version of "White Christmas", which by the way is very bluesy). In which case, you have two options : go for the original recordings, or go for the pasty Boney James type cover versions. You see, you really have a choice here...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rockin' Soul Christmas, January 2, 2002

By 

Keith Hughes (Wheat Ridge, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Spirit: A Christmas Album (Audio CD)

Like fine wine, it gets better over time. And this CD proves Michael McDonald just gets better as the years go by. Michael McDonald truly sings "In the Spirit", by the true meaning of that phrase. This CD lacks many of the traditional selections that one would see on a Christmas record. But this record speaks to the "true" spirit of Christmas, the birth and gift of Christ. Hey, what an idea. This is a very spiritual recording decorated with sharp production, powerful arrangements and soulful singing by McDonald. Probably his best vocal recording to date. "In the Spirit" mixes an "old school, Gospel feel" with smooth R&B and a touch of Blues Rock. This is best exemplified in "Children Go Where I Send Thee" an old Black Traditional that McDonald helps makes you feel like we're all dancin'in the aisles at church. This CD could easily be played all year long.