Customer Reviews

Ultra Lounge: Christmas Cocktails 3

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Volumes 1 and 2 of the Ultra-Lounge Christmas series are classics, hands down. So stick with them if you don't have any of these already. But, for completists, this CD is well worth having. (And the 3-CD boxed set is a great buy).

This CD does have one OUTSTANDING track that's a must-have: Julie London's recording of "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" is probably the sultriest, sexiest wintertime song ever. No wonder it sat unreleased in the vaults of Capitol for more than 45 years. Her voice just drips with insination; it's like she's singing it in a whisper right into your ear. Plus she changes the lyrics slightly at one point:

Off with YOUR overcoat
Off with YOUR gloves
YOU need no overcoat
I'm burning with love

Ho ho hoochie mama.

Christmas Cocktails, Vol. 3, was a big disappointment, and a closer look at the liner notes reveals why: the compilation producer of the first two (and the original Ultra-Lounge Series) was Brad Benedict, whose selections for Volumes 1 & 2 were truly inspired.
The compilation producer for Volume 3 is a Frank Collura, who apparently doesn't get the concept. The result is a very pedestrian Christmas album with none of the flair of the Ultra-Lounge series.
It also has no bonus tracks and is missing the extensive liner notes of the original series.
Too bad.

The Ultralounge series was always very cool, and as pointed out in another review, was compiled by an ealier regime, but these days it seems that the glory days are over. New team. Capitol seems to be reverting back to their 1970s ways of reissuing music with minimal liner notes, no information and a total lack of follow-through. The Ultralounge 1 & 2 have an actual booklet, listing when the songs were recorded, and also giving extra info, drink tips, etc. Volume Three does not have a booklet, doesn't list recording dates and doesn't even list who the singer is when the track features a bandleader like Ray Anthony (who's the female singer?). Very disappointing.

A quick trip to www.ultralounge.com will glean the original tracklist for the CD, which is NOT the tracklist Vol. 3 ended up with. (The tracks from Keely Smith, Bobby Darin and Steve & Eydie are missing, and the June Christy track is replaced with another one) Shame on Capitol for giving fewer songs than the others in the series and for holding back these gems! I will say that the June Christy track included (Sorry To See You Go) is very good. The Julie London track is extremely slow; it almost loses me half way through. The track with Johnny Mercer & the Pied Pipers sounds great (at least I'm pretty sure it's the Pied Pipers - the CD doesn't say!).

I hate to think the wonderful era of Capitol reissues that started circa 1990 is over. It seems that there's a new sherrif in town... :-(

The first two "Christmas Cocktails" CDs were absolute classics--a wide variety of music--some familiar, some esoteric--and a great value. Volume 3? Well, it's got some wonderful tracks on it, but for the most part, it's a very ordinary song selection.

Perhaps most troubling--and why the music industry is in such dire straits today--it the fact that they give you less and less for your dollar. The first two volumes in this series were 72 and 64 minutes, with 21 and 20 tracks, respectively. Volume 3 is under 40 minutes with just 15 tracks. Plus they eliminated the liner notes booklet, and now only have a one sheet insert. And all for the same price as volumes 1 & 2.

If Capitol wants consumers to buy their "physical" product, give them some reason to do so--provide something they don't get via a download (legal or not). And don't cut back so much on the content itself--value "added" gets more buyers, not value "subtracted".

It's impossible for fans of Christmas Cocktails 1 & 2 not to be disappointed by this third set. It's not that the collection is bad...how could a record featuring Sammy Davis Jr, Bing Crosby, Wayne Newton, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, and a host of other stellar artists be bad? It's just that it is such a departure in spirit from the left-field fun of the other volumes. The kitschy campy cheer is gone, replaced by the warm familiarity of these timeless holiday tunes. This is a fine assortment of classic Christmas vocal tunes and is certainly enjoyable. There are a few lesser known songs, such as Billy May's fun "Do You Believe in Santa Claus" (with vocals by Thurl Ravenscroft, easily recognizable as the voice of Tony the Tiger and "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch") and Julie London's slow burning "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," but overall this is a very traditional collection. If you're looking for cool vocals to generate some Christmas warmth, you can't go wrong with this one. If you're looking for a true continuation of the zanier side of the Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails tradition, prepare to be disappointed.

Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails, part three continues the hits that made the first two volumes a huge success. Unfortunately, however, this last segment of the three part CD series seems to have been done hastily--and on the cheap. Just as other reviewers note, there are practically no liner notes and there are fifteen tracks instead of twenty or more.

Some highlights of this CD immediately come to mind; it's not without its good points. I especially enjoyed "Baby It's Cold Outside" by the incomparable Carmen McRae and Sammy Davis, Jr. Bing Crosby's "Frosty The Snowman" is also very well done. Bing never sounded better! Moreover, listen for Wayne Newtown's "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Wayne's excellent diction bolsters his fine performance. The strings and brass make "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" a really good number.

Peggy Lee's "White Christmas" is really very good; and the slight echo of her voice on this track is a great special effect. Love it! Lou Rawls's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" features Lou's vocals squarely in the spotlight; and the musical accompaniment adds an extra jazzy touch so that Lou can put his own stamp on this classic holiday number.

Julie London's "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" is romantic and Julie conveys all the romantic nuances that any man would love; and the CD ends strong with June Christy singing "Sorry To See You Go." Love that brass on "Sorry To See You Go" as June sings this out with panache.

As I mentioned before, the "liner notes" are a real letdown after the great booklets we get with the first two volumes in this series. Other reviews also note--quite correctly--that this third CD in the three part series has much more material that can easily be found elsewhere on other CDs. Sigh. Gotta take off a star for that!

Overall, the quality of the songs is still pretty good but there's less material and what we do get features some rehashed material instead of more numbers lovingly picked from the vaults. If you like lounge music and you don't have too many of these holiday time classics then you should get this CD. People who are diehard fans of Christmastime music will already have a lot of this material and these people should look elsewhere if they want to buy an extra CD of Christmas music.

Four stars.

I just noticed, while shopping in Borders, that this album was available apart from the box set, Ultimate Christmas Cocktails. I have owned and thoroughly enjoyed Christmas Cocktails pts. 1 & 2 for a few years now, but was not willing to buy them again just to get pt. 3. In my opinion, judging from the tracklist, Christmas Cocktails pt. 3 appears to be the lesser of the three albums, with the least amount of tracks, and it was probably bundled in the box set just to entice buyers and sell more copies of Christmas Cocktails pts. 1 & 2. Now that this album is available singularly, I am the proud owner of the complete Ultra-Lounge Christmas collection, minus the nifty box that Ultimate Christmas Cocktails came in...oh well!

Shame on you, Capitol Records, for not releasing Christmas Cocktails pt. 3 separate from the box set initially, but thank you for listening to the fans' complaints and FINALLY giving the public what they've wanted all along!

This CD originally came out only as part of a set with Christmas Cocktails Parts 1 and 2. Some people must have complained that they didn't want to have to buy Parts 1 and 2 all over again just to get Part 3, because a year later Part 3 was released on it's own. It is somewhat disappointing, for a few reasons. While the first two CDs were both over an hour long, this one is under 40 minutes. And this CD has no liner notes to speak of, not even listing when the songs were recorded and other important information. Like, who is the girl singing "A Marshmallow World" by bandleader Ray Anthony? I personally recognized Thurl Ravenscroft as the singer of Billy May's "Do You Believe in Santa Claus?", but most people wouldn't. But forgetting all of that, most of the music on this CD is quite enjoyable. If you enjoy traditional pop music, you'll probably like this CD.

Love this kind of music - can't get enough - have most all of the CDs. Excellent New Jersey-based company with excellent foresight and retro-understanding for the best party and jazz combos. Excellent choice for any kind of day or evening, party or relaxation time.

I love the Christmas Cocktails Cd's. They are my favorite "New" Christmas albums, and although this cd is good, it doesnt fit well with the christmas cocktails I and II. The songs are nice but not as eccletic as the original 2 albums. I dont like the version of "baby its cold outside" with sammy davis jr. and Carmen Mcrae, its more creepy than cute. And what i thought would be good,"Sorry to See you Go" by June Christy, is just a bad song altogether and so is "Do you Believe in Santa Claus",- not good. On the other hand all the other songs are great, "Jingle Bells" by Johnny mercer, is "Cocktail Worthy" as is the slow and sultry version of "ive got my Love to Keep me Warm" by Julie London and Nancy Wilsons "Thats What i want for Christmas".