Customer Reviews

What a Wonderful Christmas (2 CDs)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, I always...well, almost always...try to realize that not everyone agrees with my opinion and I try to write my reviews with all listeners in mind, not just those who agree with me. Yeah, well, I apologize, but I'm not even going to try to consider that there might be people who wouldn't like this album.

Anne Murray has one of the most notably warm, clear-cut, and versatile voices around. She's capable of expressing whatever the song calls for, and she does it. There's no excessive volume, exaggerated breathiness, etc. here. She is accepted by the country music fans, but I don't think there's anyone of those who dislike country who dislike Anne Murray.

This two record set consists primarily of the traditional and familiar with some notable exceptions. However, it is the traditional and the familiar sung to perfection. The secular and spiritually based songs are interspersed rather than grouped together. And with her delivery, it works out well.

The first CD starts out with "Joy To The World", close to my favorite if not favorite rendition of this carol, concluding with "I'll Be Home for Christmas"; the second starts out with a medley of Santa songs, and concludes with "Silent Night". As I have said elsewhere, I consider her "Silent Night" easily one of the ten best recordings of the song.

If a person decided to have one and only one Christmas record (and was open to it's actually being a two record set) and asked me for my recommendation...I'm pretty sure this would be it.

This new album collects almost all of Anne's Christmas recordings from today and yesterday and refashions them into a truly sparkling holiday package. All the music on this album is splendidly presented with sparkling vocals and highly varied accompaniment. Anne mixes just what you'd expect from a Christmas album with a lot you might not. She's great at taking the traditional, the surprising and the eye-winking and blending it all into a great big musical plum pudding. This album will fly off the shelves as fast as Santa's sled and become one of the biggest Christmas sellers in history. You will LOVE it.

This is just a wonderful CD. Certainly puts you in the Christmas mood, and brings back plenty of wonderful memories. Anne Murray is certainly one of our greatest entertainers today.

Un Noël sans Anne Murray ne serait pas un vrai Noël. Année après année, elle fait partie de nos traditions familiales.

When Anne Murray released her boxed set a few years ago, a Best Of Chrstmas cd soon followed. While that set is very well done and comprehensive in itself, it contains all the music from her two Christmas albums and a new track recorded for a Hallmark set titled "Thank Goodness The Season Will Never Grow Old," all us fans thought that was it, no more holiday music from Anne.

This two disc set appears a few years later, a follow-up to the gospel influenced "What A Wonderful World," also a two cd set. Anne revisits her previous albums and instead of including all the tracks from her previous recordings, all of which have been remastered and featured on the previously mentioned set, she cuts a few new tracks, all of which are very well done. "The Santa Medley" is by far my favorite, Anne's warm alto graces all the verses of that children's songs medley.

Dusting off tracks from the vaults may not be original, but all the tracks fit together nicely and the resulting mastering of all these tracks make this set desirable.

For years now I'm a big fan of Anne and allready owning her "Christmas wishes" CD, I was very excited to finally own almost all of her Christmas recordings. Anne's beautiful warm alto voice was made to sing Christmas music. It brings you instantely into the Christmas spirit with a nice mix of Christmas classics and a few less well known songs. Some songs have a nice gospel touch about them. It's just 1 and a half hour of pure listening pleasure. Anne does it again!

I have always loved Anne Murray. I have three of her albums, including this one of course. I have "Hippo in my Tub," "Croonin'" and "What a Wonderful Christmas," her Best album. She picked some great carols for this album too. For those of you that don't know, "Away in a Manger," has three melodies, and on this album she sings each verse with a different melody. My favorite song on the entire album, I'd have to say is "Christmas Wishes," I wonder if she wrote that song. In such a cruel world with racial bigotry, crime, poverty, and hunger, and polution, I very much agree with that song.

Anne Murray might have received the most publicity in recent years for being the target of the warth of the animated citizens of South Park, but the Canadian songbird has put out a series of wonderful Christmas albums. "What a Wonderful Christmas" proves this a 2-CD collection of 28 songs that range from the religious standards ("O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Silent Night") to the coventional seasonal songs ("Winter Wonderland," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Silver Bells"), and popular kiddie carols in a nice couple of medleys. In addition, you will be introduced to some non-traditional numbers such as "Christmas Wishes, "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," and "Go Tell It on the Mountain." What Murray amply demonstrates on this 2001 album is that she is equally strong whichever type of song she is singing. Murray did triple duty as an arranger and producer on this album, which featurs the string section of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian Brass supporting what is bascially an accoustic setting. Obviously with all it has to offer "What a Wonderful Christmas" qualifies as the one Anne Murray Christmas album you want to have if for some reason you think you should only have one.

I've grown so tired of commercial "Christmas" music -- secular only, and interpreted by the "artist-du-jour" beyond recognition. This collection, however, was just what I hoped Anne Murray would do -- a nice blend of sacred and secular, and also done more true to the original style than I've heard in years. And, surprise of surprises, she actually sings more than the "first verse" of each song! Add Anne's fabulous voice, and I couldn't ask for more -- I won't have to turn the radio on at all, next Christmas!

This latest addition to our Christmas collection is welcome. Anne has a distinct sound, and her settings and expression of these Christmas favorites had everyone last evening singing along.

It has a nice sprinkling of seasonal music, e.g. medley of such as Here Comes Santa, Jolly Ole St. Nick, etc. Plus all the carols that the season should be and in most parts of world are: Silent Night, Away in a Manger.

Can you get any better rendition of "Go Tell It On the Mountain"? The accompanying musicians are excellent, especially the guitars and backup vocal harmonizations are so nice.

This is wonderful addition to anyone's Christmas joy. If you like this, also try out Alan Jackson's "Let It Be Christmas".