Christmas Album

Johnny Mathis

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 22, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00006LWR5
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #145,164 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Johnny Mathis is one of the few classic artists whose names have become synonymous with the holidays. He practically owns "Marshmallow World," for instance. The silky smooth crooner has released at least one new Christmas album every decade since his '50s hit-making heyday. His first entry of the 2000s may not be the best choice for the uninitiated, but anyone who's loved his Christmas music in the past surely won't be disappointed. Mathis's voice has matured, but that tenor is still beautiful, as he delivers his usual mix of carols and pop standards. Like so many other Christmas artists, Mathis is at his best when he's covering the already familiar: "Frosty the Snowman" and "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" pop like Sinatra here, making up for the rather unmemorable "Heavenly Peace." That voice, though, has always been an instrument of romance and fantasy, two elements that blend perfectly with the holiday spirit. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars continues his recent form, but still too short a CD, October 28, 2002

By A Customer

First the bad news. This CD, like many of Mathis's recent releases, is short weight. That, and that alone, prevents it from being considered five star material. He is well capable of filling a seventy four minute disc, and this CD doesn't cut it from that point of view.

Now the good. Mathis remains the pre-eminent singer of the crooning category. On this album he has created further definitive versions of Christmas Classics to add to his already impressive list.

The weakest song on the album is the new one - Heavenly Peace. Whether this is because it is lyrically lightweight, or heavily dependent on cheap sounding synthesisers is a matter of opinion.

However, his version of Frosty the Snowman is a delight which will have you bouncing your feet. Unashamedly retro, it swings with a feeling recalling the best of Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole's Christmas recordings. Another swinger is I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - great tune. Mathis has abandoned the nasal quality of his early swinging material and gone for a much warmer sound.

But it is on the ballads that Mathis proves he may yet be a better singer than he has ever been - incredible to be readapting at the age of 67. The clear winner on the album is A Christmas Love Song by Johnny Mandel and the Bergmans. Mathis brings sensitivity that most of today's "crooners" could only dream of. Of almost equal quality is Snowfall, a beautiful performance which obliterates all memory of the very good Tony Bennett version.

The key thing is that Mathis simply sounds warmer than ever. The voice is deeper, creating that impression of depth. But it has lost none of its tone. Compared with his work of the previous decade, it is in a different league. He may well be a better phraser of a song than even Sinatra.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars JOHNNY MATHIS THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM, November 9, 2002

By	Jeff Carter (Perry, Ga United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

JOHNNY'S NEW CHR0STMAS ALBUM CONTAINS 10 NEW CHRISTMAS SONGS BY
MATHIS.THIS ALBUM WAS TO ORIGINALLY HAVE 12 TRACKS BUT FOR SOME
REASON CHRISTMAS WITHOUT YOU AND IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF
THE YEAR WAS DROPPED.MAYBE THEY WILL BE ON HIS NEXT ONE.MATHIS DOES A GREAT JOB ON THESE 10 NEW SONGS.SOME OF THESE ARE UPBEAT,
AND SOME LUSH.FROSTY THE SNOWMAN IS ACCOMPINED BY SOME DRUMS AND
MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE TAPPING YOUR FEET.MATHISIS VERSION OF SNOWFALL IS AS LUSH AS TONY BENNETT'S.HEAVENLY PEACE IS A NEW
HOLIDAY TUNE.HAVE A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS AND I'VE GOT MY LOVE
TO KEEP ME WARM ARE UPBEAT JOHNNY MATHIS STYLE.JOY TO THE WORLD,
AWAY IN A MANGER,A CHRISTMAS LOVE SONG,O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
AND MERRY CHRISTMAS IS ALL LUSH.I LOVE MERRY CHRISTMAS THIS IS
THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD IT AND IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL.MATHIS HAS
NEW ARRANGERS HERE LIKE BOB KROGSTAD,JOHNATHON TUNICK,AND ALAN
BROADBENT.RAY ELLIS CONDUCTS HAVE A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS.UNFORTUALLY FOR SOME REASON THIS ISN'T IN STORES
UNLIKE KENNY G'S NEW CHRISTMAS ALBUM WISHES WHICH IS EVEN
THOUGH THEY CAME OUT THE SAME DAY.I GOT MINE ONLINE.IF YOU
DON'T HAVE THIS NEW ALBUM BY MATHIS YOUR CHRISTMAS MUSIC COLLECTION WON'T BE COMPLETE.I HOPE THEY PLAY SOME OF THESE
ON THE RADIO DURING THE SEASON.I HIGHLEY RECOMMEND THIS ONE
BY MATHIS AND IN ADDITION I ALSO RECOMMEND KENNY G'S WISHES
CD AS IT IS ANOTHER GREAT CHRISTMAS ALBUM BY KENNY G AND
GOES GREAT WITH THIS ONE FOR THE HOLIDAYS.I GOT BOTH OF
THESE TOGEATHER.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Short But Sweet...., December 19, 2002

By	David A. Preiser "Mannequin Man" (Tacoma, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Johnny's newest Christmas gift to his fans is just that! Clocking in at under 32 minutes, The cd is on the short side! But the music contained within is magical!!! Standout tracks include:"A Christmas Love Song", "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", "Snowfall/Christmas Time Is Here" & The seldom heard gem "Merry Christmas". A Personal favorite is the new song "Heavenly Peace" which shows Johnny's voice is still a GREAT interpreter for new songs!!! Johnny-Next time could you double the length? You are after all the voice of Christmas!!