Customer Reviews

We Three Kings

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Every once in a while, you come across a Christmas album that stays with you long after the holiday season is over. The Roches WE THREE KINGS is definitely in that category for me. Somehow it remained close to my CD player long after the other holiday CDs were tucked away for another year and helped see me through the unusually bitter winter of '02-'03. What differentiates this from the thousands of other holiday records available? Well, the Roches have carved out their own special turf over the years. They can always be counted on for tight harmonies, intriguing arrangements, and a touch of whimsical humor.

Some people I know never did care much for the whimsy--and I guess it wouldn't be too unfair to say that there have been times in the group's career when they crossed the line into preciousness. But that's hardly the case with this recording. The album consists mostly of the usual holiday classics, but with strikingly unique arrangements and inventive harmonies. Get irritated when everyone is singing "Jingle Bells" and some jerk keeps inserting "I like a sleigh ride" between every line? Well, you won't find anything that hackneyed here. What you will find is a fresh approach to almost all the standards.

There are two original Roche compositions on the record, and they are both stunners. Suzzy's "Christmas Passing Through" and Terre's "Star of Wonder" are two of the album's highlights, along with an uptempo version of "We Three Kings" that sounds like it was arranged by Mark Knopfler (I checked the credits to verify, but no...). For those whose taste leans toward the classical, check out the gorgeous versions of "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" and "Break Forth, O Beautious Heavenly Light." Some will doubtless find their versions of "Frosty" and "Winter Wonderland" (replete with Brooklyn accents) a bit on the cutesy side, but what's a Christmas record without a little cuteness? Again, is it whimsy or preciousness?--you be the judge. One additional confusion, the album seems to be available in two different versions (different covers and different sequencing of the tracks). I wouldn't purchase both, but it's hard to see how you could lose with either.

Not only is the Roches' "We Three Kings" a superb Christmas album, it is jam-packed with a full TWO DOZEN songs--talk about getting a lot of bang for your buck! I have seen the Roches in concert a couple of times, and always loved to hear them do Handel's "For Unot Us a Child is Born" from "Messiah." In concert, they often do it wearing jeans, black leather jackets, and nonchalantly examining their fingernails while they carol--juxtaposing the ethereality of the song with the visual effect that they're street toughs. The effect is intentionally silly and lots of fun. When they do it here, however, you see that their tightly woven harmonies are just amazing and you really appreciate the song for its own pure beauty.

There's a lot more here than Handel. Bach makes an appearance in the very first song--"Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light," on which the Roches are accompanied by an organ--and there are scads of traditional Christmas hymns too ("Angels We Have Heard on High," "Away in a Manger," "We Three Kings," and more). Everything here is superb in terms of musicality and their amazing sisterly braiding of harmonies. Particular stand-outs, however, include a snappy and energetic rendition of "Sleigh Ride," which they perform a cappella (as they do much of the other work here); "The Holly and the Ivy," which has a weaving, dreamy quality to it; "Frosty the Snowman," on which the sisters use thick New Joisey accents and a boisterous chorus of little kids to dust this chestnut with new life; "Winter Wonderland," on which they use the same New Joisey accents to great effect again, while never abandoning their crystalline harmonies; and "Adeste Fideles," on which they carol in both English and Latin. There are also a couple of new songs here, both of which were written by the Roches. "Christmas Passing Through" is a meditative look at the holiday, and "Star of Wonder" is a shimmering, awe-filled a cappella piece which will absolutely send shivers down your spine with its beauty.

The only song on here that really falls flat is "The Little Drummer Boy." Never a personal favorite of mine anyway, I found myself nearly rolling my eyes at the plodding slowness with which they perform it here. Still, this one minor disappointment is nothing compared to the chockablock treasures you'll find in every other song. This CD is a must-have modern classic for any lover of either the Roches or Christmas music.

Unlike the average Christmas CD from a Pop vocalist or vocalists, "We Three Kings" gives substance to (often) over-familiar material. I ask you, does anyone really NEED thirty versions of "Jingle Bells" or "Silent Night"? Especially when the only difference between those thirty versions are superficial music arrangements and vocal affectation. As Christmas albums go, the Roches have left their competition in the ditch with Grandma.

This album blends a sublime mix of traditional (religious) and popular tunes, all rendered in those unique Roches harmonies. Though some selections in their back catalog could be described as "inacessible" to the average Britney fan, the Roches' obvious love for this music shines through, and just about every tune has appeal. Portions of this disc are haunting a capella: "Star Of Wonder" and "Angels We Have Heard" are prominent vocal highlights. Stylistically, this collection covers a lot of bases: there are synth-Pop arrangements, organ-backed hymns, Rock-Pop flavorings, and Folky accoustic moments. And with the exception of one track (the awful Brooklynese take on "Frosty The Snowman"), "We Three Kings" is a seamlessly pleasant listen from start to finish.

It would be easy to single out a half dozen exceptional tracks in this album, but I think most listeners will find at least that many songs on their own. "We Three Kings" really is head and shoulders above the average Christmas album, and I can recommend it without reservation to fans of holiday vocal music. Fans of Terre, Maggie and Suzze should already have a copy of this disc...it's essential listening simply for the vocal arrangements.

J

I stumbled upon this cd about 4 years ago. A great Mpls. radio station played it in its entirity for the midnight album. At about 1 AM, I rushed to the nearest 24 hour cd store and happily plunked down (money) for it. Since then, I've had about 3 copies borrowed (for life, I can't blame them), I've given 2 copies as gifts and now find myself without my own copy in December! Needless to say I'm buying another right now.
My favorite version of Good King Wensles is on this cd, We Three Kings gives my the chills (great instrumentation & groove!) and Star of Wonder has a line that stops me in my tracks no matter how many times I hear it. The shepard on the hill..."what would make her leave her flock for surely she must love them still". The most breathtaking harmony.
Give this to everyone you love and for heaven's sake, don't forget yourself!!!

I suppose you either "get" The Roches or you don't. I bought this CD on a whim because I could get it used cheap after I listened to some of the music samples and heard the classic Roches sound that I hadn't heard since I had one of their albums on cassette many years ago.

Anyway, I was incredibly surprised. I love this CD and my children aged 3 and 5 do to. It's quirky enough to be interesting but traditional enough to do justice to the great Christmas songs they chose to record. I could just sit in a chair, relax, and listen to it all the way through.

You either get it or you don't. Listen to the sound samples and find out if you do.

Trust me on this...I hate Christmas albums but "We Three Kings" is different. It's a Christmas album for folks who hate Christmas albums. Every December I find myself popping open this C.D. like a fine vintage wine. The Roches have blended their delicate harmonies with humor for the first postmodern collection of Chirstmas songs.

My daughter is eleven and every single Christmas has been sprinkled with the joy of the Roches' Christmas songs. We have zillions of Christmas CDs, but this one is the very first one we play in ritualistic fasion on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and it puts a smile on our faces every morning thereafter until Christmas. It is our hands-down fave! No Christmas tree is trimmed, no gingerbread house is decorated, no egg is nogged, and no packages are wrapped without the Roches spinning. We will never tire of the Roches' beautiful and unique arrangements! This CD also makes an incredible Christmas gift that continues to give joy to friends and family year after year -- I'll bet I've given dozens of them away.

We LOVE this CD.

We have many, many Christmas CDs and if we were forced to pick one to listen to forever, it would be this one! I have given it as a gift at least 10 times. The songs are beautiful, fun to sing along with, have as background music and on top of all that it's a long CD.

I suppose the Roches (Maggie, Suzzy and Terre) count as folk-rock singers, though really they defy musical classification. As I write this, I am not familiar with any of their other music, but this album clearly indicates that I am missing out on a lot.

Their lovely, clear, soprano voices combine to make brilliant harmonies to such great effect that they don't actually need any musical backing. I would have been quite happy if they had recorded the whole album a Capella, but they wisely decided to mix things up by using a variety of instruments on some of the tracks.

Distinctive arrangements of old standards are another feature of this album - not everywhere, but on selected tracks. So the first time you play this you will never know quite what to expect but most of the arrangements are not too far removed from the standard.

Another aspect of this album that I particularly like is the choice of songs. Most of the really obvious ones have been omitted, although their harmonies are so magical that I'd happily listen to any Christmas song they choose to record.

The less obvious songs to be found here include Good King Wenceslas (the best version I've yet heard of this under-recorded song) and The holly and the ivy, both very popular in Britain but apparently less so in America. Also included are such wonderful songs as Angels we have heard on high, For unto us a child is born, Here we come a carolling and the opening track, Break forth o bounteous heavenly light. Two originals, Christmas passing through and Star of wonder, are also excellent.

Of the really obvious songs, their version of Away in a manger is truly inspired - it is one of the songs they sing without backing. I don't know why, but that song often seems to bring out the best in America's finest singers.

I agree to some extent with what others say about their slightly silly version of Frosty the snowman - but hey, it's a Christmas album - loosen up. There are also a few other tracks where the song arrangements will upset some people.

This is the kind of Christmas album you either love or hate, but I suspect that most of you will love it, providing you enjoy great harmony singing and don't need a driving rhythm section. On this album, the sisters' voices are what make this album distinctive.

I bought this CD to play on Warrington Hospital Radio.(www.radiogeneral.co.uk)
I do a live Christmas day prog. and have been looking for something traditional....but different to play. This fits the bill excellently.
Can't recommend it highly enough!


Jim