Post by SAT-I need more room!! on Nov 28, 2003 14:56:11 GMT -5
I wanted to do today because this is usually my official first day of listening to Christmas music, so I wanted to review one of my favorite holiday albums!
Martina McBride
White Christmas
1999
Martina originally put out this album in 1998 with a different cover. (The 98 cover ended up being a picture inside the 99 CD booklet) The 1998 edition also had two less songs. Some guides refer to the 98 release as Martina McBride Christmas, but that title clearly says White Christmas too.
Anyway, Martina re-released it in 99 with a new cover picture and two new tracks, numbers 1 and 4. I am assuming they did this to capitalize on the huge success Martina was experiencing in 99, so by recording 2 new songs, they'd have a "new" product out there.
The booklet is pretty simple, lots of cute seasonal pictures of Martina, but no lyrics. Martina explains in the liner notes that she wanted a CD you'd put on every year. Classic. Nostaligic. And that is EXACTLY what this is.
She goes for all the traditional songs on here, no silly or kiddie songs, and no originals. And the sound on it IS very classic, from the background singers to the instumentation. It is very timeless.
And I am not just saying this because it's Martina, but you DO NOT have to be a country fan, traditional or modern, to like this album! If you never heard of Martina in your life and listened to this, you would not know she is country. It is just great holiday music.
So here are the tracks.
1. Do You Hear What I Hear-When I was making a compilation years ago, I wanted a version of this song, and ended up taping Whitney's. Martina must've known my feelings on her and recorded this for the 99 edition so I wouldn't have to listen to Whitney's anymore! LOL! (In actuality, Whitney's is good) Anyway, Martina does a wonderful job on this, and I think I will have to make a replacement on that compilation!
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas-I will never say Judy Garland's version of this isn't great. And it IS the definative version. But Martina just does a fantastic job on it. Her voice just blasts out on the final "Bough!" of the song. I still have Judy's on that same compilation, but Martina's adds a little something special.
3. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow-You can tell by looking at al the titles on here that Martina chose mostly the solemn holiday songs. This is pretty much the one exception. Definitely the bounciest song on the album. Under 2 minutes, it is also the shortest. But it is great hearing Martina doing a fun little number the kids can sing along to.
4. O Come All Ye Faithful-I am so surprised Martina didn't choose this song the first time around. It's perfectly suited to her kindof voice, plus it just seems like one a traditionalist like her would love. Her voice leaps out at you at parts like "Joyful and triumphant" and "Christ the Lord". You would think she couldn't outdo her own singing on this one. But wait til track 6....
5. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting)-Minimal instrumenation on this one. Great choiral arrangement as well, almost GULP, like on Lawrence Welk!
6. O Holy Night-This is it. The absolute highlight of the album and of her Christmas show. I know this gets lots of radio play around the holidays. As great as the song is on here, you HAVE to hear it live. When she does this in concert, she does it accapella and it is UNBELIEVABLE. I grew a beard waiting for her to finish the note on the final "DE-VINE!!!!" With recent live albums by Alison Krauss and the Dixies, I hope someone gets their sh!t together and puts out a live CD and DVD of Martina's Christmas show. They say some artists were made for the live show-Martina is one of them.
7. Silver Bells-There is two ways to do this song. Slow or upbeat, and Martina chooses the latter. Not as upbeat as Let it Snow, of course, but nice and light after the preceding song.
8. Away in a Manger-What can you say. Another great selection, and again, great background singing. You could really have this stuff on while sitting around the tree.
9. White Christmas-Martina does the title track as several others have done it. She starts it out with minimal instrumental backup, and after about half the song, starts it up all over again with more backing, including light drumming.
10. What Child is This-Here is a song I never knew growing up. It's not a fave for me when others do it, but Martina does a wonderful job on it, especially, as you can imagine, near the end during the "This is Christ the Lord" part.
11. I'll Be Home For Christmas-I like the positioning of this song on the album. Second to last, like she's heading home and getting to wrap up the album. Another great combo of Martina's voice with the choir.
12. Silent Night-At first I was thinking I was disappointed that this, not O Holy Night, was last. After all, she uses that song to finish her concerts. But this really makes sense in the context of the album. It's the last song before the album finishes and you go to sleep. What really helps the atmosphere of the song is that she almost whisper-sings the song, not unlike Alison Krauss. A wonderful finish to a great holiday album.
Again, you do not have to be a country fan to enjoy this. If you just enjoy good Christmas music with lots of recognizable songs, I HIGHLY recommend this!!!!
Martina McBride
White Christmas
1999
Martina originally put out this album in 1998 with a different cover. (The 98 cover ended up being a picture inside the 99 CD booklet) The 1998 edition also had two less songs. Some guides refer to the 98 release as Martina McBride Christmas, but that title clearly says White Christmas too.
Anyway, Martina re-released it in 99 with a new cover picture and two new tracks, numbers 1 and 4. I am assuming they did this to capitalize on the huge success Martina was experiencing in 99, so by recording 2 new songs, they'd have a "new" product out there.
The booklet is pretty simple, lots of cute seasonal pictures of Martina, but no lyrics. Martina explains in the liner notes that she wanted a CD you'd put on every year. Classic. Nostaligic. And that is EXACTLY what this is.
She goes for all the traditional songs on here, no silly or kiddie songs, and no originals. And the sound on it IS very classic, from the background singers to the instumentation. It is very timeless.
And I am not just saying this because it's Martina, but you DO NOT have to be a country fan, traditional or modern, to like this album! If you never heard of Martina in your life and listened to this, you would not know she is country. It is just great holiday music.
So here are the tracks.
1. Do You Hear What I Hear-When I was making a compilation years ago, I wanted a version of this song, and ended up taping Whitney's. Martina must've known my feelings on her and recorded this for the 99 edition so I wouldn't have to listen to Whitney's anymore! LOL! (In actuality, Whitney's is good) Anyway, Martina does a wonderful job on this, and I think I will have to make a replacement on that compilation!
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas-I will never say Judy Garland's version of this isn't great. And it IS the definative version. But Martina just does a fantastic job on it. Her voice just blasts out on the final "Bough!" of the song. I still have Judy's on that same compilation, but Martina's adds a little something special.
3. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow-You can tell by looking at al the titles on here that Martina chose mostly the solemn holiday songs. This is pretty much the one exception. Definitely the bounciest song on the album. Under 2 minutes, it is also the shortest. But it is great hearing Martina doing a fun little number the kids can sing along to.
4. O Come All Ye Faithful-I am so surprised Martina didn't choose this song the first time around. It's perfectly suited to her kindof voice, plus it just seems like one a traditionalist like her would love. Her voice leaps out at you at parts like "Joyful and triumphant" and "Christ the Lord". You would think she couldn't outdo her own singing on this one. But wait til track 6....
5. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting)-Minimal instrumenation on this one. Great choiral arrangement as well, almost GULP, like on Lawrence Welk!
6. O Holy Night-This is it. The absolute highlight of the album and of her Christmas show. I know this gets lots of radio play around the holidays. As great as the song is on here, you HAVE to hear it live. When she does this in concert, she does it accapella and it is UNBELIEVABLE. I grew a beard waiting for her to finish the note on the final "DE-VINE!!!!" With recent live albums by Alison Krauss and the Dixies, I hope someone gets their sh!t together and puts out a live CD and DVD of Martina's Christmas show. They say some artists were made for the live show-Martina is one of them.
7. Silver Bells-There is two ways to do this song. Slow or upbeat, and Martina chooses the latter. Not as upbeat as Let it Snow, of course, but nice and light after the preceding song.
8. Away in a Manger-What can you say. Another great selection, and again, great background singing. You could really have this stuff on while sitting around the tree.
9. White Christmas-Martina does the title track as several others have done it. She starts it out with minimal instrumental backup, and after about half the song, starts it up all over again with more backing, including light drumming.
10. What Child is This-Here is a song I never knew growing up. It's not a fave for me when others do it, but Martina does a wonderful job on it, especially, as you can imagine, near the end during the "This is Christ the Lord" part.
11. I'll Be Home For Christmas-I like the positioning of this song on the album. Second to last, like she's heading home and getting to wrap up the album. Another great combo of Martina's voice with the choir.
12. Silent Night-At first I was thinking I was disappointed that this, not O Holy Night, was last. After all, she uses that song to finish her concerts. But this really makes sense in the context of the album. It's the last song before the album finishes and you go to sleep. What really helps the atmosphere of the song is that she almost whisper-sings the song, not unlike Alison Krauss. A wonderful finish to a great holiday album.
Again, you do not have to be a country fan to enjoy this. If you just enjoy good Christmas music with lots of recognizable songs, I HIGHLY recommend this!!!!
