Customer Reviews

This Time of Year

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

On a couple of Capitol Christmas collections of various artists from the 1940s through the 1960s, I was introduced to June Christy. The first three tracks from the superior album THIS TIME OF YEAR were included on those Capitol collections (in there with Peggy Lee, Dean Martin, Nancy Wilson, The Lettermen, and Tex Beneke, to name a few...) June's contributions were standouts: tuneful, familiar yet unusual, and most of all, haunting. It's amazing that songs like "Christmas Heart" which opens the THIS TIME OF YEAR album, followed by the breathtaking showstopper "Ring A Merry Bell," aren't standards for the season. Listening to these songs (and "Hang Them On The Tree" a sobering review of a year's wrongs) I fell in love with June Christy's voice, as well as these few wonderful songs. In time, I'd discovered many of June Christy's recordings, including her seminal SOMETHING COOL. I learned of June Christy's legacy and the enduring THIS TIME OF YEAR record album, and, after searching, and hunting, and being outbid more than once, I finally found an LP in an online auction. Though my great old turntable is long gone, I do have a record player...mainly to play THIS TIME OF YEAR, and I was not disappointed to find the whole album a stunningly straightforward, artful and evocative record. Now we have the CD !! This record is for music lovers who love Christmas music, but hunger for something different; something with history, substance, mood, great song writing, and just plain great music (in short supply these days in so many holiday recordings). Pete Rugolo arranged and conducted impeccably, Arnold and Connie Pearce Miller wrote the songs, each one of them a gem. Apparently the Millers knew June Christy and though the songs don't necessarily reflect Christy's personal life (she was happily married for 40+ years until her death to Bob Cooper of Stan Kenton's band) there is sweet pathos and haunting tunes all of which sound like jazzy holiday standards you should know; the reference to drinking apparent in the title tune is perhaps even more jolting today, and there is a wonderful poignancy and poetry to the lyric and arrangement of songs like "Seven Shades Of Snow" "The Magic Gift" and "Winter's Got Spring Up Its Sleeve" (the upbeat close to this thoughtful album). What a treat to find THIS TIME OF YEAR finally available on CD (I bought 4 copies, one for me and three for friends, and will be back for more.) I don't give 5 stars easily. There isn't a more thoughtful gift than music you yourself love.

I ran across the LP shortly after moving to Chicago in 1964. I, who had everything June had ever recorded, had no idea such an album existed. I in fact got a disc jockey copy. Only Capitol recorded albums of entirely new material with its traditional pop artists, most notably Nat King Cole's "Wild Is Love" later recorded by Patti Drew, and Judy Garland's "The Letter" with Gordon Jenkins. June's Christmas album was a hidden treasure. Such mature, wistful, melancholy and wise holiday music was seldom attempted by any artist and the songwriters who fashioned this album found the perfect voice to interpret it in their friend Shirley Luster Cooper. Everything here is amazing, from the vocals to the arrangements to the songs themselves. I can't think of another Christmas album like it. And now here it is finally, an unexpectedly, on compact disc to enjoy Christmas after Christmas and all yearround. You really must hear it to realize what a work of genius this album is.

I bought this CD after purchasing "Something Cool" and then wanting more of June's music purchased "Misty Miss Christy" and "June's Got Rhythm" along with "This Time Of Year". Everyone a gem. I'm beginning to wonder if June ever put out a bad album. This album is superb and I have been playing it nonstop. I'm glad it's on CD as I'm sure I would be needing a second copy by now from wearing out the first one.
There isn't a bad selection on this album. Every song touches a different emotion. The arrangements are wonderful and melodies are indeed haunting. It makes a nice addition to your Christmas music library as the songs are all unique and is a must have for your June Christy collection. Although I have only owned my copy for a couple of weeks I have a feeling I'll be playing it long past the Christmas season.

It was great to finally see some of the old great recordings come out on cd now. Being a collector of holiday music, & a fan of Christy's, had me jump at the purchase of this disc. Nice to have refreshing & origional holiday songs instead of the same ones year after year. I had several of these songs on about 6 different cd's, but to have them all together on one is great. Hopefully more of this style of great music will be re-released in the future? You can't go wrong with this one.

Does the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season make you more than a little blue? Have you decked the halls and trimmed the tree yet still don't feel the warm glow of the holidays? Do all the incessantly cheerful carols and timeworn standards make you want to pull your hair out this time of year? If so, then June Christy's 1961 holiday album should be just the gift you never knew you wanted!

I've been a fan of June's for quite some time now, and when I read that Collectors' Choice Music was re-issuing "This Time of Year," I immediately ordered a copy. My only familiarity with the album was her hit song, "The Merriest" which was included on some other Christmas compilation CD I already owned. I knew nothing of the other songs - production style, lyrical content, vocal styling - and was a bit worried about the lack of traditional fare on "This Time of Year." Would I dig a seemingly non-holiday Christmas album? The short answer to that question is a resounding "YES!" Despite the omissions of "White Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland," among other holiday chestnuts, "This Time of Year" sparkles with the spirit of the season in such songs as "The Little Star," "Hang Them on the Tree," and "The Merriest." June's voice echoes the sentiments that the holidays are not the same wonderful occasion for everyone and provides the flip side to each beloved Bing Crosby, Nat "King" Cole, and Dean Martin carol piped incessantly throughout shopping malls from Thanksgiving till December 24th!

June sums up the theme of "This Time of Year" on the final track, "Winter's Got Spring Up its Sleeve," when she sings:

"So the season makes you sad and sentimental/Memories it brings to mind are things you'd rather leave behind."

"This Time of Year" has something for everybody and if you're like me and often find something lacking in the celebration of the holidays, do yourself a favor and buy this album. Give it an honest listen and I can all but guarantee June's voice will win you over with songs of her sometimes joyous, sometimes melancholy Christmas.

Isn't it nice to know you're not the only one who feels a little blue this time of year?

CHRISTMAS ALBUMS JUST DON'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. OF ALL THE CHRISTMAS ALBUMS I HAVE--THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL AND BEST. CAN YOU IMAGINE ANYONE ELSE DOING THESE SONGS [LIKE "THIS TIME OF YEAR" "THE MERRIEST" "CHRISTMAS HEART" AND THE OTHER SONGS ON THIS ALBUM] OTHER THAN THE LATE AND GREAT JUNE CHRISTY

Having discovered June Christy only a year or so after she passed away in the early 90's, and having had so many holiday albums and CD's over the years, this one has to be the best. For those who long for a non-religious holiday album with sharp arrangements, witty lyrics, and superb singing need look no further! I can't remember a holiday album with all the "stars aligned" from conception through rendition. The vocal stylizings of June Christy, probably too difficult for many other vocalists to emulate, save perhaps Sarah Vaughan or Keely Smith, explains why others simply haven't tried to re-create this wonderful ode to the sophisticated holiday season.

This CD from 1961 was apparently so different when it was released that it went by without much fanfare. However, this Collectors' Choice reissue of the Capitol LP has gotten better with age. The concept of recording NEW songs written specifically for the project rather than a collection of standards was ahead of its time, but is certainly welcome to revisit 46 years later. The songs deal with feelings people have at holiday time and good wishes. It accents blue feelings that Christmas can generate as we think of things lost and people gone from our lives. "Seven Shades of Snow" is a fascinating song with a lovely arrangement with a cello that adds lovely depth and flutes that trill, "When the lights come on I see snow red as the holly & snow green as a pine tree, Everyone I meet wears a smile just for a little while." "The Merriest" is a delightful uptempo jazz swing track, "Friends for the loners, a song for the singers, grins for the groaners." The opener "Christmas Heart" is a gorgeous track with Christy's vocals oozing sweet sincerity, "For Christmas I would like to give a friend to every lonely heart, a peaceful country stream to the folks afraid to dream, that would be a start." This set bubbles with creativity and is well worth discovering for those looking to celebrate with variety in holiday music. Enjoy!

I have been searching for "this one song" my parents always played at Christmastime. I grew up with very few Christmas albums in my house and what we had were played over and over. CHristmas Heart was on a Capitol collection that my parents got for purchasing 8 gallons of gas at a Texaco station. The record has since long "passed on". Through much searching on the web my son finally located what he thought might be the right words ( I only knew the beginning of the song and not the title or artist). When he played it for me, I was in tears. It brought back so much for me. And with the recent passing of my mother this was extremely touching at this year's holidays. Thank you for re-releasing this album. Most of the other songs are a bit too "torchy" for me, but the having "Christmas Heart" back in my life was just plain nice.