The Hipwaders - A Kindie Christmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt34T8nSNHdQJUvGIm7hBm_l38FLsRn2QCzfVxGhV_U9YjOm_Y0ulbfnsI0rtYcKmLBpQ-vgv2n4jumAMY7oQrgfTvuldWuGkJzrjZEnlzgrzD7zPtbff3fn0JnQDMdsD3t4scXg_TCYmI/s1600-h/hipwaders,+the+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397861831342619730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt34T8nSNHdQJUvGIm7hBm_l38FLsRn2QCzfVxGhV_U9YjOm_Y0ulbfnsI0rtYcKmLBpQ-vgv2n4jumAMY7oQrgfTvuldWuGkJzrjZEnlzgrzD7zPtbff3fn0JnQDMdsD3t4scXg_TCYmI/s320/hipwaders,+the+-+A.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 285px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br />This is the last of four new Christmas releases that I received at my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> that I'm reviewing this week. Ironically, this was one of the first of those four that arrived. It's been sitting patiently while I reviewed <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/emmanuel-shall-come-to-thee-noel.html">Emmanuel Shall</a>, <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/kevin-koelbl-this-is-christmas-time.html">Kevin Koelbl</a>, and <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/silvia-fleming-love-for-christmas.html">Silvia Fleming</a>, eyeballing me the entire time, tempting me with its artwork.<br /><br />To quote the press sheet:<br /><br /><span style="color: red;">"Since 2004, The Hipwaders have performed their own original Christmas songs along with their 'wader-ized' versions of Christmas classics. Finally, the band got around to recording their original compositions for the holidays.</span><br style="color: red;" /> <br style="color: red;" /><span style="color: red;"> "Christmas music has traditionally always been "family music" and The Hipwaders carry on this tradition with their songs celebrating all aspects of Christmas with a special admiration for Santa Claus and his exploits. Some say The Hipwaders 'exploit' Santa - but that's for you to decide..."</span><br /><br />Indeed it is... and I must admit, I'm pretty intrigued already...<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) Santasploitation<br /><span style="color: red;">Quick, fun 49 second track that opens the CD. Don't take my word for it:</span><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X048xj8xIcg&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X048xj8xIcg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />2.) There's Too Much Good<br /><span style="color: red;">Not sure if this qualifies as a Christmas song ("Silver Bells" is mentioned) but its sound is great and leads into...</span><br /><br />3.) It's Wintertime<br /><span style="color: red;">Again, not too heavy on Christmas but the winter sounds make up for it. Everybody dance...</span><br /><br />4.) Santa's Train<br /><span style="color: red;">WOW! Great song with a definite country feel to it! Well worth the train trip.</span><br /><br />5.) Goodnight<br /><span style="color: red;">A Christmas lullaby that I wished was sung to me when I was a kid (instead of the usual cries of "SHUDDUP AND GO TO SLEEP!").</span><br /><br />6.) Wake Up<br /><span style="color: red;">Natural follow-up to "Goodnight". I love this track but you decide for yourself:</span><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZsR3RY3Lm34&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZsR3RY3Lm34&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />7.) Yes, It's Christmas<br /><span style="color: red;">For a brief moment, I thought this was R.E.M. - it has that sound! Standout track.</span><br /><br />8.) Tinsel & Lights<br /><span style="color: red;">There's not many modern songs that detail Christmas decorations, photos, and the small nuances that make up Christmas. Until now... Another standout track.</span><br /><br />9.) Wake Up (reprise)<br /><span style="color: red;">Quick instrumental version of track six (see above) that has a video game feel to it that has me chuckling.</span><br /><br />10.) Christmas Vicuna<br /><span style="color: red;">GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! Latin-flavored tale of a lonely </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicu%C3%B1a" style="color: red;">vicuna</a><span style="color: red;"> in Peru who wants to join Santa's sleigh. Amazing, clever, and a whole lotta fun!</span><br /><br /><br />At their official <a href="http://kindiechristmas.blogspot.com/">blog</a> this past Tuesday (official release date of this album), head Hipwader Tito Uquillas writes "It's the day that's been over 20 years in the making. Really. A couple of tracks from "A Kindie Christmas" date from the late '80's and, like a good fruitcake, have been properly aged to perfection. OK, I can't believe I just wrote that either."<br /><br />I can't believe I cut and pasted that, either.<br /><br />The album is a genuine gem of Christmas tunes - all original, some more Christmas than others, fantastic sounds throughout. It was worth the 20 year wait. Well done, 'Waders, one and all!<br /><br />XM Satellite has been playing The Hipwaders' kiddie CDs for some time now and I suspect their seasonal Christmas stations will be cranking out their holiday fare. I only wish several of the tracks make it onto terrestrial Christmas radio to give us a break from the same 20 - 30 Christmas songs on shuffle mode.<br /><br /><br />Capt<br /></span></span>

The Hipwaders - A Kindie Christmas

This is the last of four new Christmas releases that I received at my P.O. Box that I'm reviewing this week. Ironically, this was one ...

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Emmanuel shall come to thee - Noël

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHUmZKvmbCp-qb_KSKbItuw8GCtyl3gWnWzgcN-RKx8T1iJkhfWzLCioJ74cORSJhJgRWco66T7kbYVG-zKJQHwfdEtArlxmsIbVb2eHds4X_ZI-Jf6vHgZYhjHPYfozPyoQma__Ds3dy/s1600-h/emmanuel+shall+come+to+thee+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397861229800235842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHUmZKvmbCp-qb_KSKbItuw8GCtyl3gWnWzgcN-RKx8T1iJkhfWzLCioJ74cORSJhJgRWco66T7kbYVG-zKJQHwfdEtArlxmsIbVb2eHds4X_ZI-Jf6vHgZYhjHPYfozPyoQma__Ds3dy/s320/emmanuel+shall+come+to+thee+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 286px;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />This was the third new Christmas release to arrive at my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a>. Unfortunately, no press sheet or additional material accompanied the CD. So it was off to their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emmanuel-Shall-Come-to-Thee/105096773750">Facebook</a> page to find some threads of info off their wall. A post on October 25th states "this album is currently the top-selling holiday album at <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emmanuelshall">CD Baby</a>!"<br /><br />I clicked on the CDBaby link and found the answer to several of my questions:<br /><br />"Emmanuel Shall Come to Thee is a Chicagoland collective of musicians led by composer Matthew Prins. The group incorporates classical, folk, new-age, orchestral, jazz, and minimalist influences into their progressive interpretations of familiar works.<br /><br />"Featuring 19 new holiday arrangements and compositions by composer Matthew Prins, Noël fuses a myriad of influences into a Christmas album quite unlike any heard before. Performed primarily by Prins and multi-instrumentalist A.J. Nelson, Noël features a harmonious blend of hand bells, hand chimes, carillon, strings, woodwinds, and brass, as well as the talents of vocalist Amy Yassinger."<br /><br />While there, I found yet another review from the good folks at <a href="http://www.christmasreviews.com/wemmanuelshall.shtml">ChristmasReviews.com</a>:<br /><br />"With just a hint of new age drama and a gentle heart, Nöel is touching in its understated brilliance....[T]he most striking fact about Nöel is its integral construction and execution. The tracks flow seamlessly, one into the next, and remind one of butter being stirred into hot fudge, swirling and glistening, warm and sweet."<br /><br />Well... this could be interesting...<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) Verbum supernum, prodiens.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Played on the carillon and lasting 39 seconds... understated intros are sometimes the best!</span><br /><br />2.) O come, all ye faithful.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The different arrangements sound amazing but as it moved past the four minute mark, I was done.</span><br /><br />3.) The holly and the ivy.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This instrumental is beautifully constructed and executed with all elements firing on all cylinders.</span><br /><br />4.) Good Christian men, rejoice.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A 21st century take on a 14th century carol - excellente!</span><br /><br />5.) Who mourns in lowly exile here.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Take the first few measures of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and repeat. Different.</span><br /><br />6.) Infant holy, infant lowly.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Another well-constructed carol - very good work all around.</span><br /><br />7.) Carol of the bells.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Harp, hand bells, chimes, carillon, soft piano all meld together into a great instrumental version of this song. Skipping back to hear it again...</span><br /><br />8.) God bless ye merry, gentlemen.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Right as I was thinking "it's stretching a bit" around the 2:30 mark, Yassinger's sweet vocals arrive. Good save!</span><br /><br />9.) And ransom captive Israel.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The woodwinds on this track make the song - a definite change of sound! I like the way they keep playing with the arrangements...</span><br /><br />10.) Let all mortal flesh be silence.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The steady cannon drumbeat and church bells with snatches of "The First Noel" coming through gives this one ambiance deluxe!</span><br /><br />11.) 'Twas in the moon of wintertime.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I thought I had switched on Mike Oldfield for a moment... another well done, well arranged carol!</span><br /><br />12.) O come, o come, Emmanuel.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This one lasts just around 1:30... why so short? </span><br /><br />13.) What child is this?<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Shades of Philip Glass! This one's going to need several re-listens as well... Amazing track from start to finish!</span><br /><br />14.) Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">At 36 seconds long, this is the shortest track on the CD. </span><br /><br />15.) Sleep, holy babe.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Very pretty - I will need to look for this carol in my church hymnal and show it to the music director there.</span><br /><br />16.) Until the Son of God appears.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Some of these tracks have a transition feel to it (see tracks 5, 12, and 14 above) and I'm guessing this is one of them.</span><br /><br />17.) Holy night.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A re-working of "Silent Night" that I didn't warm up to at first. After another listen, it clicked - nicely done.</span><br /><br />18.) Rejoice, rejoice... o Israel.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The transitions culminate with this loop track that repeats over and over and over... </span><br /><br />19.) Benedictus Agnus Dei (hundredfold).<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Which leads into this loop track (6:45 !!) that's a disappointing way to end the CD.</span><br /><br /><br />When I first got this CD, I had my doubts - the track list looked very public domain. The fact that really scared me was CDBaby's recommendation that if you like Mannheim Steamroller, you'd like this album. After listening to this, I'm glad to report it's nothing like Steamroller's synthesized purile pop.<br /><br />Producer/arranger/musician Matthew Prins really deserves a congratulatory pat on the back. There are some tracks on this album that are sheer artistry and deserve to be heard. He chose some wonderful carols forgotten by the passing of time (when was the last time you heard "Good Christian men, rejoice" on the radio at Christmas time?) and given them new life.<br /><br />Yes, there were some tracks that rambled but I'm willing to overlook them. <a href="http://www.emmanuelshall.com/">Emmanuel Shall</a> could have made a Christmas CD with the usual mix of safe carols and Christmas pop standards. Instead, they made a unique album that mixes new age, jazz, orchestra, and even minimalism with Christmas. Listen for yourself - click on the link!<br /><br />Kudos to Prins, A.J. Nelson, and Amy Yassinger for top notch work!<br /><br /><br />Capt<br /></span></span>

Emmanuel shall come to thee - Noël

This was the third new Christmas release to arrive at my P.O. Box . Unfortunately, no press sheet or additional material accompanied the CD...

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Kevin Koelbl - This Is Christmas Time

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4Y_3wds0L640NwSzzMwi4PSAs-w1HwTChh2HAtqSIQCI8DZzegPcMh0ML7HHF-_WL4wHXIEX1t7K6nr7w9qsK1RPVav2JTDNmMjwRnb0jSQmzjf_f7QYsyAm8wLQ_cI66xFcIzZBM9mQ/s1600-h/koelbl,+kevin+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397860027081263170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4Y_3wds0L640NwSzzMwi4PSAs-w1HwTChh2HAtqSIQCI8DZzegPcMh0ML7HHF-_WL4wHXIEX1t7K6nr7w9qsK1RPVav2JTDNmMjwRnb0jSQmzjf_f7QYsyAm8wLQ_cI66xFcIzZBM9mQ/s320/koelbl,+kevin+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This is the second of four new Christmas releases that I recently received at my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a>. Thanks to the good people at Phil Putnam Public Relations for sending me the CD and cover sheet.<br /><br />Kevin Koelbl (pronounced "cable") has had a long and varied career in music. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, Kevin went on to leading roles at various regional theatres across the country.<br /><br />Some of the shows Kevin's appeared in include "Carnival", "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "The Fantasticks", "A Little Night Music", "Beauty and the Beast", "Oklahoma", "Anything Goes" and "Show Boat" with legendary MGM star <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Johnson">Van Johnson</a> in the early 1990s.<br /><br />This led to his co-starring role with Michael Crawford ("Phantom of the Opera" no less) in the Las Vegas megashow "<a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/efx-1999-las-vegas-cast">EFX</a>", once the most elaborate and expensive show ever to play in Vegas. After Crawford left the role, Koelbl took over the role and held it down until the producers brought in ex-Partridge Family heartthrob David Cassidy.<br /><br />Several years later, Koelbl recorded his first album. "<a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/koelbl">Somewhere In Time</a>" was released in 2000 to good reviews and opened more doors in the music industry for Kevin. Along the way, he never lost his love for live performances and his time was split between the studio and the stage.<br /><br />Earlier this year, Kevin went into the recording studio and recorded the album you are looking at. Working in L.A. with some master professionals (John Bisharat, Matt Harris, Ray Brinker), he wanted an album of lush collection of Christmas classics re-imagined with a modern twist. Drawing on his deep love of jazz, cabaret, and Christmas, this is the end result.<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Smooth, jazzy, upbeat version of this song - Kevin's voice reminds me a little of John Davidson. Fine rendition.</span><br /><br />2.) Snowfall / White Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The two songs are perfect counterparts. Koelbl sandwiches "White Christmas" with "Snowfall" It works!</span><br /><br />3.) This Is Christmas Time<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Original title track written by Steven Santoro. Lyrical walk through the Christmas season that meanders but stays on the path.<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></span></span><br /><br />4.) Snow (duet with Heidi Godt)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Move over <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf71RsyT52c" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Bing, Danny, Rosemary & Vera-Ellen</a>... Kevin and Heidi have a trainload of fun with this rendition!</span><br /><br />5.) Welcome Christmas / Christmas Time Is Here<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Dr. Seuss meets Charles M. Schulz, at last. Another teaming of Christmas songs complemented by Kevin's fine singing.</span><br /><br />6.) Happy Holiday<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This one's so closely associated with Bing Crosby that many artists don't even attempt it. Kevin's jazzy version will open some ears.</span><br /><br />7.) O Holy Night<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This one's a little too Manilow for me (arrangement wise).</span><br /><br />8.) The Little Drummer Boy<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">WOW! The drums, percussion, and bass give this a Caribbean feel throughout. A standout track.</span><br /><br />9.) The Christmas Song<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">As in <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/silvia-fleming-love-for-christmas.html" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">yesterday's post</a>, any version that adds the intro gets extra points. Nicely done.</span><br /><br />10.) Count Your Blessings (duet with Tami Tappan Damiano)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">What was a small intimate duet in "</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2-XXzYU77E" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">White Christmas</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">" is a full blown Broadway love ballad on this album - disappointing.</span><br /><br />11.) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Add an acoustic guitar accompaniment, the long lost intro to the song, and you get an excellent rendition.</span><br /><br />12.) Sleigh Ride<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Starts with bass and Kevin's voice - then they crack the jazz whip and off on a great sleigh ride. Nice trip!</span><br /><br />13.) Silent Night<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The press sheet states "and an arrangement of 'Silent Night' like you've never heard before". Yep. You can hear every production dollar in every note. And inbetween, the intimacy and power of the song gets drowned out by Michael Bolton-type swelling and singing. Ouch indeed. The song is called "Silent Night" for a reason.</span><br /><br />14.) Merry Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">In 2006, Bette Midler led off her </span><a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/bette-midler-cool-yule.html" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Christmas album</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> with this long-forgotten song written by Fred Spielman and Janice Torre. Here, Kevin ends his album with it, very stylishly and elegantly. </span><br /><br /><br />Koelbl writes on his liner notes: "Every year there always seems to be the usual hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas." To which I agree. During this journey, there are always a thousand and one things to do and process while preparing for December 25th.<br /><br />And in a sense, that's what this album is. There are some fine moments on this drive with some occasional jolts that assault your attention. Like any good driver, you don't take your eyes off the road and the drive continues one smoothly.<br /><br />Koelbl is a very talented singer and some of the arrangements left my head scratching. But never once does his voice fail to deliver and his time behind the wheel was pretty good.<br /><br />If you live in the Los Angeles area, he will be performing a special concert on November 20th to celebrate the release of this CD. For more info on the concert and where to order of copy of this CD if your local music store doesn't have it, visit Kevin's <a href="http://www.kevinkoelbl.com/">website</a>.<br /><br /><br />Capt<br /></span></span>

Kevin Koelbl - This Is Christmas Time

This is the second of four new Christmas releases that I recently received at my P.O. Box . Thanks to the good people at Phil Putnam Public...

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Silvia Fleming - Love For Christmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbxoIF4AIPGxdZ_9lJZkYxa1eQSWOxbrLP0lj9CPcFIjiqyBtB_LAdnKH9Oh7TOHyzzBQ6nq0Vvha9OL6hlEzPiI4zYAYbkytdy0d2irjAWZshRbHIcNJcGe4jfIYFh_MAATi24thcNd7/s1600-h/fleming,+silvia+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397859319291288034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbxoIF4AIPGxdZ_9lJZkYxa1eQSWOxbrLP0lj9CPcFIjiqyBtB_LAdnKH9Oh7TOHyzzBQ6nq0Vvha9OL6hlEzPiI4zYAYbkytdy0d2irjAWZshRbHIcNJcGe4jfIYFh_MAATi24thcNd7/s320/fleming,+silvia+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 319px;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Silvia Fleming has been surrounded by music all her life. That's not surprising considering she had a mother who was a professional singer and a father who was an electronics engineer and a music manager for his wife.<br /><br />Needless to say, her mother's influence instilled a deep love of Big Band tunes, jazz, and all of the great American standards by George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Harold Arlen, and Irving Berlin. Fleming combined her love of singing with the study of classical piano and received a B.A. in Music Education from California State University, Fullerton.<br /><br />Last November, Fleming released this album which got a tremendous review from our friends at <a href="http://www.christmasreviews.com/">Christmasreviews.com</a>:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Silvia Fleming has one of those honey-sweet voices that are just made for singing jazzy, romantic easy listening pop tunes. And with occasional support from the great Sam Levine on alto sax, she is able to deliver a sound that supports the romantic aspirations of 'Love for Christmas'.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Although Ms. Fleming is primarily striking a romantic pose, she delves more into sacred music here than one might expect. I particularly enjoyed her sweet and reverent More Than A Child. The Joy of Christmas was also quite quite lovely. Though her voice is a bit more sultry, these renditions are reminiscent of Karen Carpenter, and fans of Carpenter will most likely enjoy Silvia Fleming's 'Love For Christmas'."</span><br /><br />A voice of reminiscent of Karen Carpenter? Oooooo...<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Silvia's voice is rich and mellow (like Karen's) and the longing in her voice suits the song's mood perfectly.</span><br /><br />2.) Christmas Time is Here<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">With a great arrangement by Tim Hayden and another dose of Fleming gives this Vince Guaraldi chestnut a new spin that I enjoyed.</span><br /><br />3.) Love for Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The title track was written in 1998 by two Caroles (King & Bayer Sager) and recorded for King's <a href="http://www.caroleking.com/index.php?p=discography&subp=ckalbums_detail&id=3522" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2007 deluxe album</a>. The message is timely in this economically depressed season.</span><br /><br />4.) Santa Baby<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Silvia won't make you forget Eartha Kitt but she'll definitely hold your attention with this Christmas classic.</span><br /><br />5.) The Other Side of Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Unique original Christmas song (written by Tim Hayden) that reminds us about the secular side of Christmas intruding on the real meaning of Christmas. Enjoyed this one quite a bit.</span><br /><br />6.) In a Lowly Manger Sleeping<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Lovely reworking of this standard Christmas carol. Her voice gets more rich and mellow as I continue to listen.</span><br /><br />7.) I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">If only more artists would make standard Christmas carols like this more accessible... wonderful rendition.</span><br /><br />8.) More Than a Child<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Different arrangement showcases Fleming's vocal attributes to a "T".</span><br /><br />9.) My Grown Up Christmas List<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">CONFESSION: I've never been a fan of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grown-Up_Christmas_List" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">this song</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> (too adult contemporary for me). Silvia does a great job but I couldn't warm up to it.</span><br /><br />10.) The Joy of Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">WOW! We need more original songs like this - the Christmas songbook needs new blood! Very, very nice!</span><br /><br />11.) What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Any version of any Christmas song that adds the intro gets an extra star from me. This is exquisite - my favorite track on the album.</span><br /><br /><br />I must admit, the review from <a href="http://www.christmasreviews.com/">Christmasreviews.com</a> made me think of Karen Carpenter quite a bit when I listened. However, if I hadn't read that first before listening, I would have declared the second coming of Karen Carpenter.<br /><br />Fleming has a wonderful Christmas album here and should you want a copy for yourself, <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/silviafleming2">CD Baby</a> has it for sale or you can head over to Silvia's <a href="http://silviafleming.com/">website</a> to listen to samples from this album and learn more about her.<br /><br />Thanks for the CD!<br /><br /><br />Capt<br /></span></span>

Silvia Fleming - Love For Christmas

Silvia Fleming has been surrounded by music all her life. That's not surprising considering she had a mother who was a professional sin...

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OFFICIAL DISCLOSURE - (Thanks, FTC!)

<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On September 21, 2009, I typed a <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-yuleblog-update-really.html">blog entry</a> that dropped a hint that I would be interested in reviewing new Christmas releases BEFORE December 25th. Indeed, I received four new Christmas releases that were sent to my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> by members of the music industry.<br /><br />Then the other shoe dropped.<br /><br />On October 5, 2009, the Federal Trade Commission issued <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm">new guidelines</a> regarding the blogging community: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"The long standing principle that "material connections" (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed."</span><br /><br />Failure to do so could mean fines up to $11,000 <span style="font-weight: bold;">per post</span>.<br /><br />I quickly called my lawyer (a genial fellow whose name I can't use - otherwise he'd sue me) and asked what I needed to do. He informed me these new FTC guidelines take effect December 1st of this year. All posts after this date will need a quick disclosure clause - no statement is needed on any prior posts.<br /><br />After driving home from his office (a shabby place), I began to think about all of the CDs I've received and reviewed here. Only one came to mind that caused an ethical dilemma.<br /><br />Back in 2006 - the first year of this blog - I received at my P.O. Box a package from an unknown person. Inside was a Christmas CD (with some tantalizing artwork), a cover letter, and a business card. Paper-clipped to the business card was a neatly folded $10 bill.<br /><br />I placed the entire package into a US Mail priority mail envelope and sent it back to the return address listed with a note: "Sorry, I do not review anything by or with a dead president".<br /><br /><br />OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF FACTS:<br /><br />1.) I swear or affirm all of the following statements are true.<br /><br />2.) Many of the albums or CDs I have reviewed at this blog since January of 2006 have been my own purchases, gifts given to me by friends or family, or have been downloaded online.<br /><br />3.) In each blog entry since January of 2006, I have always disclosed the origins from which the albums or CDs came from - usually in the first sentence or paragraph of the entry.<br /><br />4.) There have been 14 specific past blog entries in which I have received a promotional CD - either from the artist themselves or from a member of the music industry who had the authority to send the CD to me.<br /><br />In each of these cases, I received a FREE promo CD and occasionally various press materials (cover letters, business cards) to review the CD. Nothing else additional was included in any of this packages.<br /><br />5.) I have added a new label entitled "Promotional CD" below - you may click on this link to read all of the entries in which I have received nothing other than a free CD in exchange for a review. All future posts in which I receive a CD via the P.O. Box will have this label as well.<br /><br /><br />Having said all that, the four new reviews will be posted starting tomorrow.<br /><br /><br />Capt<br /></span></span>

OFFICIAL DISCLOSURE - (Thanks, FTC!)

On September 21, 2009, I typed a blog entry that dropped a hint that I would be interested in reviewing new Christmas releases BEFORE Decem...

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Larry Pester - Peace; Reflections On Christmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkUg_RnLiKDcERifW_YUQkmZipHcoH-5JeIPFmzyGaLt9MuPwcqq8usWrhahH61RDbo9LuTJ1xJ80yhTE0eFatqFcNLaFuYcTNKpxYh1xCxYC8lxkzytdojKcMYkdk3WEL8aBlitokUUh/s1600-h/pester,+larry.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279743403579980498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkUg_RnLiKDcERifW_YUQkmZipHcoH-5JeIPFmzyGaLt9MuPwcqq8usWrhahH61RDbo9LuTJ1xJ80yhTE0eFatqFcNLaFuYcTNKpxYh1xCxYC8lxkzytdojKcMYkdk3WEL8aBlitokUUh/s320/pester,+larry.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps a last minute gift guide for those who love Christmas music.<br /><br />This is review number eight today - my final one for Review Tuesday.<br /><br />You've probably never heard of this gentlemen so let me take a moment to introduce you to him. Larry Pestor is well known throughout the music and advertising scene of my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana. This is a man who wrote and sold a radio jingle to Saudi Arabian Airlines right after the Iraq war began! And Larry don't speak Arabic!<br /><br />I first became aware of Larry when an article was <a href="http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080427/FEAT0108/804270504/0/APA">published</a> in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette back in April of this year. The line of the article that stood out was "<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Pester will even turn your 78 rpm records into digital files for you.</span>"<br /><br />Armed with a small stack of 78s, Larry has helped me immensely this year; the transfer of the <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/dragnet-christmas-story.html">"Dragnet" Christmas</a> LP was done at his studio.<br /><br />Larry has always had a desire to do a Christmas album and he finally stopped procrastinating about it this year. Recording it was no problem considering he was not only playing on the album but producing it.<br /><br />There are ten tracks of standard Christmas music on this album. Nothing overblown, nothing pretentious, nothing that sounds bad. Larry handles the piano beautifully and adds guitars and synthesizer just at the right moments.<br /><br />My favorite tracks are "Away In A Manger" (I know it's synth but it sounds like the musical glasses), "Angels We Have Heard On High", and "Joy To The World" has some of the best piano work I've heard in quite a while on any Christmas album.<br /><br />In short, this is a very good Christmas album that deserves to be heard. In this day and age of the same 50 songs being played on Christmas radio, I would love to hear music like Larry's on the radio now and then.<br /><br />You can spend $10 on an album like <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/neil-sedaka-miracle-of-christmas.html">Neil Sedaka</a> and get totally blindsided. Or you can spend $10 on an album from an artist who's poured some time, effort, and sweat into his project.<br /><br />If you're interested in this album, check out his <a href="http://www.studio1102prod.com/">website</a>. </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tell him the Captain sent you...<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Larry Pester - Peace; Reflections On Christmas

With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps ...

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Amy Grant - The Christmas Collection

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyrGo7oEZ1TnfAcrtyxkAnU0eK7dmakgvskZuxHdVJ2AXnWBxxbfON5tbHYNpE0LrOQdBKyJMhL1KaOKeqMvHfLK5CNT92ObwJFZFTWI-tCnBM7ZStqCmoCFPIPQL_dIDlMcfB5IKLNIM/s1600-h/grant,+amy+-+xmas+collection+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279742003406169698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyrGo7oEZ1TnfAcrtyxkAnU0eK7dmakgvskZuxHdVJ2AXnWBxxbfON5tbHYNpE0LrOQdBKyJMhL1KaOKeqMvHfLK5CNT92ObwJFZFTWI-tCnBM7ZStqCmoCFPIPQL_dIDlMcfB5IKLNIM/s320/grant,+amy+-+xmas+collection+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 318px;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps a last minute gift guide for those who love Christmas music.<br /><br />This is review number seven today and the third that arrived at my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a>. A big thank you to Glenn Holmes from <a href="http://otmg.net/">On Target Media</a> for sending us this.<br /><br />My wife has been watching me come home as of late with packages from <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/kasio-kristmas.html">Kasio Kristmas</a> and <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/verve-remixed-christmas.html">Verve Remixed</a> and dozens of homemade Christmas comps from friends and others alike. Her quote was "When do you get the GOOD Christmas music?"<br /><br />The look on her face when I opened this package and this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Collection-Amy-Grant/dp/B001EC6JPI">brand new Christmas CD</a> fell out was one of total astonishment, joy, and excitement. She's a HUGE Amy Grant fan and I knew this was going to get played early and often on the CD boombox at my house.<br /><br />Amy Grant released her first Christmas album when she was the Queen of Christian radio back in 1983 with "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Album-Amy-Grant/dp/B000002WOJ">A Christmas Album</a>". Several years later when she went mainstream, she released "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Christmas-Amy-Grant/dp/B000002G0K">Home For Christmas</a>" in 1992. Then in 1998, we were treated with "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Remember-Amy-Grant/dp/B000V7HFLY">A Christmas To Remember</a>".<br /><br />Now a fourth Christmas collection?<br /><br />To quote Amy in her liner notes: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"In The Christmas Collection, I've chosen my favorite songs from my earlier projects and added four new recordings."</span> Aha! Those four new songs are:<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) Jingle Bells (Track 1)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A remake of Barbra Streisand's classic arrangement right down to Bab's vocal inflections. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery never sounded so good.</span><br /><br />2.) I Need A Silent Night (Track 3)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A great Christmas song that asks pertinent questions about the lost message of Christmas (fast forward to 0:35):</span><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DPeDg86lct4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DPeDg86lct4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />3.) Baby It's Christmas (Track 5)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Written with husband Vince Gill (who plays guitar = bonus), this is a perfect "end of a Christmas day" song, full of the exhaustion and wonderment only these weeks before Christmas can bring.</span><br /><br />4.) Count Your Blessings (Track 7)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">With the London Session Orchestra behind her, Amy sings Bing's song from the 1954 Irving Berlin movie "White Christmas". Lush and majestic.</span><br /><br /><br />If you don't own anything Christmas related by Amy Grant, this CD is a great collection for your archives. The four new Christmas songs are definite highlights - especially "I Need A Silent Night".<br /><br />This one got my wife's endorsement - what more do you need?<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Amy Grant - The Christmas Collection

With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps ...

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Tonic Sōl-Fa - Sugarüe / Christmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nfEyuj3Wrs70gtgb8dujCfZZMyYaZJgtrXuTlYWhaFoC2NG0BKXtlTKTBcf1hn76ahyphenhyphene_Wml_Zk7PSqQahS82Kmr1WkAVo1Odp9t7sP4bu4VOoSMYKMK0oOS7y_DK9JSmt3zGjUVtmqX/s1600-h/tonic+sol-fa+-+B.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280484619757154018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nfEyuj3Wrs70gtgb8dujCfZZMyYaZJgtrXuTlYWhaFoC2NG0BKXtlTKTBcf1hn76ahyphenhyphene_Wml_Zk7PSqQahS82Kmr1WkAVo1Odp9t7sP4bu4VOoSMYKMK0oOS7y_DK9JSmt3zGjUVtmqX/s320/tonic+sol-fa+-+B.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 316px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKSwvVvdMHjUF44oI8jJsnBhDz14cyAtHm9gf_vTLc3t5ePE6-vQZ_sKDKF_0XIimme-e4XA5jsVqcn_Du_bCun6OAY1BUrnVgT8fvDFne25QCqysbLGq1XY_5qM90Gf6KvQiN0wMNMQn/s1600-h/tonic+sol-fa+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280484611005331330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKSwvVvdMHjUF44oI8jJsnBhDz14cyAtHm9gf_vTLc3t5ePE6-vQZ_sKDKF_0XIimme-e4XA5jsVqcn_Du_bCun6OAY1BUrnVgT8fvDFne25QCqysbLGq1XY_5qM90Gf6KvQiN0wMNMQn/s320/tonic+sol-fa+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 317px;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps a last minute gift guide for those who love Christmas music.<br /><br />This is review number seven today and one of several that arrived at my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a>. Thanks to Guy McCain and Jen Onsum of <a href="http://www.luckmedia.com/">Luck Media & Marketing, Inc</a> for sending these to us.<br /><br />I had never heard of this group before I received these. So I went to the bio notes sent to me and the paragraphs that caught my eye were these:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Mega-popular Minnesota based four-piece vocal group sets the industry standard taking care of business completely DIY.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Without any major label backing, they've earned sales of over a million albums (CAPT'S NOTE: Damn!), a popular annual PBS Christmas special, more than 100 tour dates annually, and an appearance on "The Today Show".</span><br /><br />Tonic Sōl-Fa began with Mark McGowan (baritone) and lead vocalist Shaun Johnson, who both attended St. John's University in 1996. Shortly after forming, the two auditioned for a local entertainment agency which helped jump-start the group's performance and appearance schedule. Greg Bannwarth (tenor) and Jared Dove (bass) joined soon after, completing the group.<br /><br />They've released several Christmas CDs, the first being "Carol" in 1997. Their second Christmas album came in 2002 with the release of "<a href="http://www.tonicsolfa.com/media-sugarue/">Sugarüe</a>" - click on the link to hear samples of the entire album.<br /><br />Featuring eight standards and two original songs ("Joseph's Song" and "Snō" - wow!), this a great accapella album and Christmas to boot!<br /><br />All their hard work led them to 2006 when they taped their <a href="http://www.aptonline.org/catalog.nsf/AlphaLookup/75201F1C0264774A852571E9006E8400">PBS special</a> and began to get some well-deserved recognition, garnering write-ups in Newsweek and MediaStyle magazine.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ogI9-uhjkh4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ogI9-uhjkh4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Thanks in large part to this special, a new companion CD entitled "<a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/tonicsolfa8">Christmas</a>" is available this season. I must admit I've never seen the special on my local PBS station but after hearing the crystal clear melodies and hearing the audience worked up into a frenzy, I'm checking the local listings.<br /><br />I have hardly any accapella Christmas music in my collection. I now own these and I can't think of a better start.<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Tonic Sōl-Fa - Sugarüe / Christmas

With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps ...

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Verve Remixed Christmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8TdCL0fnI1wSTdRsC_Oo7ieuUdngbr9gSSsunFEF6UqhyJL7fBJLDR1SEBlQkui0R8z4lF5Xfe2Q9BHsgv42MyueaUfAlWjya4-GnU7FH95Q-OURTrWZuYH3ESOAOEyB68ttQNyD28LL/s1600-h/verve+remixed+-+A.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279740668391999682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8TdCL0fnI1wSTdRsC_Oo7ieuUdngbr9gSSsunFEF6UqhyJL7fBJLDR1SEBlQkui0R8z4lF5Xfe2Q9BHsgv42MyueaUfAlWjya4-GnU7FH95Q-OURTrWZuYH3ESOAOEyB68ttQNyD28LL/s320/verve+remixed+-+A.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 289px;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps a last minute gift guide for those who love Christmas music.<br /><br />This is review number six today and the second that arrived at my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a>. This one came from someone within the music industry who is a faithful reader and wished to remain anonymous. Thanks for thinking of me.<br /><br />Verve Records was founded in 1956 by Norman Granz as a jazz label. Over the years it has been the home for jazz legends and young up-and-comers who became legends.<br /><br />However, by the early 1970s, the label nearly folded completely, reduced to re-releasing older jazz albums and being sold off to one musical conglomerate to the next.<br /><br />That changed in the mid-1980s when Verve was revived and began reissuing its back catalogue. The "Verve By Request" label began to reissue many original Verve bossa nova titles on CD in the late 1990s, and the Elite series revived many obscure albums which had languished for many years.<br /><br />In 2002, we were introduced to the "Verve Remixed" compilation discs. Classic tracks by Verve artists are remixed by contemporary electronic music DJs. Seven releases later, they decided to put the "Verve Remixed" treatment to their Christmas catalog.<br /><br />The end result is a mix of both good and bad. Hearing artists like Ella Fitzgerald made to sound like a pop princess, Louis Armstrong with a thumping bass behind him, and the legendary Billie Holiday to sound like a reggae queen is just plain wrong.<br /><br />But... I listen nonetheless. I admire the new takes on the old classics. Anything that takes the same songs you've heard 50,000 times and gives it a new spin is worth a listen (although several remixes go on far too long).<br /><br />Try to get your 10 or 15 year old to listen to the originals and you probably won't get far. Let them listen to this album and they just might get into it. Maybe they'll discover Ella, Louis, and the rest down the road like we did.<br /><br />If that's what Verve's intentions were with this series, then I applaud them for trying to introduce the younger generations to the past. Then I flip the coin and think Verve is just recycling the catalog to squeeze more money out their cash cow - two years ago this December, they laid off 85% of their staff in a cost-cutting move.<br /><br />In any case, you might want to listen to see if you want to buy this first. There is not <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii6bWUJTWrI">one</a> but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6jCdcVnDLM">two</a> videos at YouTube to give you a feel for this album.<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Verve Remixed Christmas

With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps ...

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Kasio Kristmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGs3jSc6uKnqtQiHugvsbS3uDUMav4IY0w1kJni8_iCCKfaPIANF70PkKWjZSDxkLk7mQ9a9GYk0fmASg1PD8qAZT34HK2GC1tEUbjCjjuAhEsQINKHC69UXlOlpwJJGEy4cjmfQrI2dk/s1600-h/kasio+kristmas.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279736973600077826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGs3jSc6uKnqtQiHugvsbS3uDUMav4IY0w1kJni8_iCCKfaPIANF70PkKWjZSDxkLk7mQ9a9GYk0fmASg1PD8qAZT34HK2GC1tEUbjCjjuAhEsQINKHC69UXlOlpwJJGEy4cjmfQrI2dk/s320/kasio+kristmas.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps a last minute gift guide for those who love Christmas music.<br /><br />This is my fifth review of today and the first CD that was sent to our <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> earlier this month.<br /><br />It arrived in a bubble mailer with very sloppy handwriting for the addresses which I found odd. When I opened it up, out slid an entirely black CD with this very cryptic message:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZTn7KEqsVe9SvOta8qGuT8t-CiF11ET8l8wTYg_ekJWBg_BEgJo80yOYGfS-4ZUDClXuHsXKgUOg4k6SVwFsWvUlUBv1N0NockpAWmY4d0co9YM_OoWVbASV_nmBoZ2Zxx3f5YABpPtn/s1600-h/kasio+kristmas+post-it.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279736970369811106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZTn7KEqsVe9SvOta8qGuT8t-CiF11ET8l8wTYg_ekJWBg_BEgJo80yOYGfS-4ZUDClXuHsXKgUOg4k6SVwFsWvUlUBv1N0NockpAWmY4d0co9YM_OoWVbASV_nmBoZ2Zxx3f5YABpPtn/s320/kasio+kristmas+post-it.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 320px;" /></a><br />Since then, there's been an oversized white truck parked outside my house from time to time. What have I gotten myself into here?<br /><br />The inside cover tells us only Casio instruments were used in this recording. For those technical people reading, their arsenal includes the SK-5, SK-1, VA-10, VL-Tone, Rapman, EP-10, PT-87, CZ-1, SA-21, TA-10, DH-100, Turbo Drive Calculator, Karate Fight, CG-610, DG-20, and PG-380 (no relation to PG-13 at the theaters - throwing out my bad pun book).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.8bitpeoples.com">The 8-bit Peoples</a> released a Christmas album a few years back that used old computer systems to produce Christmas music. However, the Kasio guys really improved on that theme with this album. The end result is a Christmas album that must be heard to be believed.<br /><br />To that end, I found several YouTube videos that give you snippets of what their music is like. The visuals are something out of "<a href="http://www.yogabbagabba.com/">Yo Gabba Gabba</a>" that I watch with my kids now and then.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Udg3dEmV8pI&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Udg3dEmV8pI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k6X6mLS03nU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k6X6mLS03nU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QLMHlQ9-CXM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QLMHlQ9-CXM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wVH-ql2ui44&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wVH-ql2ui44&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mtNBpjgPxqM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mtNBpjgPxqM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Some things just can't be explained...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LQCIDO">Amazon.com</a> is reporting at present that this CD is out of stock but you can still <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kasio-Kristmas/dp/B001JL37PE">download</a> the full album. You might want to check Kasio Kristmas' <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=133453801">MySpace</a> page for more info and extended listens.<br /><br />Thanks for sending us the CD fellas and in the future, you might want to put a full return address on ... excuse me, there's a knock at the door...<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Kasio Kristmas

With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps ...

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King of Hawaii - Mele Kalikimaka

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFBj0OypJ6qyH9h5__Sly5ugWSELXR2cIxS1qvj4tc9tOzyxU6WlYzR44vL3p807kFwcmwQHJPpc22rluWDjnU53S4pMRIEOvobaIodk2cH3OxeJ8CuyV7hz6dM63MZQ5M1RsLNDVP8pJ/s1600-h/king+of+hawaii.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279736384839930898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFBj0OypJ6qyH9h5__Sly5ugWSELXR2cIxS1qvj4tc9tOzyxU6WlYzR44vL3p807kFwcmwQHJPpc22rluWDjnU53S4pMRIEOvobaIodk2cH3OxeJ8CuyV7hz6dM63MZQ5M1RsLNDVP8pJ/s320/king+of+hawaii.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps a last minute gift guide for those who love Christmas music.<br /><br />This is the second review today and it's from the good people at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.dblcrown.com">Double Crown Records</a>. From the end of my "<a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/seasonal-favorites-v2-double-crown.html">Seasonal Favorites V2</a>" review last month:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Double Crown doesn't have a "Seasonal Favorites V3" for this Christmas (think 2009). However, a band on their label named King of Hawaii released a Christmas EP just in time for 2008. At $6, this might be the bargain of the season."</span><br /><br />Recorded at the House of Rock in October, 2006, this EP has five tracks which allows me to do...<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) Greensleeves<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Hawaiian surf flavored version of this traditional Christmas carol. Where's my sunblock?</span><br /><br />2.) Feliz Navidad<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Surf guitarish with Latin flavor throughout... not bad from a group called "King of Hawaii"!</span><br /><br />3.) Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">WOW! I'm not sure Tchaikovsky envisioned this song to be played by a rock group in creepy Groovy Ghoulies style-surf guitar but it works!</span><br /><br />4.) Our Favorite (Christmas) Martian<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I thought this was the Ventures at first (something off their "</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ventures-Telstar-Lonely-Others-Space/dp/B00000DR4M" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ventures In Space</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">" album). Not heavy on Christmas but I don't mind one bit.</span><br /><br />5.) Road Kill Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The ghost of Jerry Reed lives! Honky tonk surf guitar never sounded so goooooood!</span><br /><br /><br />This Christmas EP is flat out amazing - well worth the $6 and then some. I'm torn between "Feliz Navidad" and "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" as best tracks on the CD. Since I'm pressed for time today, I'll simply call them "co-winners".<br /><br />According to the U.S. Post Office, Saturday December 20th is the final day to ship anything first class to get it to your home before Christmas. Head over the the Double Crown website and <a href="http://www.dblcrown.com/dccd34.html">order your copy</a> today!<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

King of Hawaii - Mele Kalikimaka

With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps ...

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Substance W - A Boiling Vat of Adhesive Xmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSG2Fw2pgc7jdOe9ZSO0Dbv2tmsTiEKUjKmYlHDdp3T9zGY3sg96ioGBj7qZi8WUQvzoCc8g-_VpHQtGCDcskJQGZAsuYfQGHalyS6XQjlbRbKk1xBZgrRykADPTdet2svCJ_SeTgUdNox/s1600-h/substance+W+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267426042948395874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSG2Fw2pgc7jdOe9ZSO0Dbv2tmsTiEKUjKmYlHDdp3T9zGY3sg96ioGBj7qZi8WUQvzoCc8g-_VpHQtGCDcskJQGZAsuYfQGHalyS6XQjlbRbKk1xBZgrRykADPTdet2svCJ_SeTgUdNox/s320/substance+W+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 320px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This arrived at <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> a week before our last <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/kristine-w-hey-mr-christmas.html">yuleblog entry</a>. When I retrieved this, the glow from the shiny metallic green bubble mailer greeted me. I stopped in the lobby of the post office to check my other mail and began to get people staring at me.<br /><br />As I walked out of the post office, most of the eyes were transfixed on the bubble mailer. It was like watching the audience at a tennis match - every movement in sync, all eyes glued on the action. <br /><br />The topper of it all was embossed on the shimmering green mailer. Next to the mailing address was an impressive wax seal with the band logo of <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=58059723">Substance W</a>!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59PeYkB5NDFovVIrCCGAHJt1yqtuALU2t7aaRzALV14hUN8Zki4dZTrjIJ7CwCo_JEJmnRC7w4ag_mydkxXKQ46O_wph-Y_MjrwjqOXjcd2RMZFCZdc-fV5XQMn9GsBdbpKxllsKxByxx/s1600-h/substance+W.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269707306116231970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59PeYkB5NDFovVIrCCGAHJt1yqtuALU2t7aaRzALV14hUN8Zki4dZTrjIJ7CwCo_JEJmnRC7w4ag_mydkxXKQ46O_wph-Y_MjrwjqOXjcd2RMZFCZdc-fV5XQMn9GsBdbpKxllsKxByxx/s320/substance+W.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" /></a><br />Inside was the album you're looking at, a poster for the album, and a cover letter from one of its creators - Todd van Bronkhorst:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"I'm a 38 yr-old cubicle drone who's a musician in his spare time, who deprived himself of sleep for two years in order to produce a CD and take care of a new baby simultaneously. Got my friends to sing on it for me so I wouldn't have to. My goal was to make the most ridiculous and unexpected interpretations of these songs, and I think I succeeded."</span><br /><br />Self-released on his <a href="http://www.worstkitchen.com/">Worst Kitchen Records</a> label (I'm assured the website is coming), this album is available right now at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Boiling-Vat-Adhesive-Xmas/dp/B001J676ME/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_k2a_1_txt/191-4782355-8095039">Amazon.com</a> either in CD or download form. By previewing one of the samples at Amazon, we could be in for quite a ride...<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) O Xmas Tree (Hooked On Xmas Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">What the..? It's 45 seconds long, electronica, add some Hanna-Barbera sound effects, ghastly tongue-in-cheek singing! Wow...</span><br /><br />2.) Little Drummer Boy Hears Drums<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">One of the singers does his best Elmo impersonation. Is that Pee-Wee Herman Christmas special music back there? Wayyy cool jazzy break! It's all over the place... </span><br /><br />3.) Switched On Bethlehem<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Moooooooooooooog! Fake moog? Performed by Farty Gold's Casiophonic Orskaduh (?). Regardless, it's a great sounding track! </span><br /><br />4.) O Xmas Tree (Midnight Martini Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This one's 36 seconds long... a swanky lounge reprise to track 1. </span><br /><br />5.) Good King Wenceslas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Starts off techno... then goes baroque... slides into country banjo... repeat and mix up those styles until the end. I'm getting a contact high just listening to what they were smoking!</span><br /><br />6.) Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A hip jazzy bongo beat makes way for Little Brenna Watson on the vocals. A super cool home recording, ya dig?</span><br /><br />7.) O Xmas Tree (Dead Kringles Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Dead Kennedys... dead kringles... coincidence? 35 second long. </span><br /><br />8.) Gloria In Excelsis Deo<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Roger Moore / James Bond background music sung by someone with a bad Indian accent? I'm gettin' dizzy...</span><br /><br />9.) Jingle Jingle Jingle<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Holy hannah... a country beat with Leonard Cohen-style vocals. I'm a 1/3 of the way into this album and drunk from all these sounds-n-styles.</span><br /><br />10.) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">One singer keeps up with a madman armed with a runaway Casio keyboard.</span><br /><br />11.) O Xmas Tree (Slap My Bass Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Funky, funky, FUNKY reprise... 40 seconds long. That bass sounds awfully "Seinfeld"-ish.</span><br /><br />12.) We Three Kings<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ambient instrumental track from The Audreyland Studio Orchestra which slides into klezmer style music, then hard rock - I'm not making this up!</span><br /><br />13.) O Xmas Tree (A Purpler Shade of Plum Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Electric harpsichord reprise... 36 seconds long. Where can this go now? Dare I ask?</span><br /><br />14.) A Stranger Manger<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Clearly inspired by Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas" (of which I'm not a fan of at all). Next...</span><br /><br />15.) Greensleeves<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Oompah band beat with whistling that would make Muzzy Marcelino or Fred Lowery sit up and take notice.</span><br /><br />16.) A Visit From St. Nicholas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A retelling of "The Night Before Christmas" with great background music and Hanna-Barbera sound FX! I wouldn't be surprised if this song ends up on Cartoon Network with appropriate animation at Christmas time in the future!</span><br /><br />17.) O Xmas Tree (Yussel Rabinovitch Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! Sung in the style of and named for the character Neil Diamond plays in his 1980 remake of "The Jazz Singer", this is hysterically funny! I had to stop and take a breather. LMAO!</span><br /><br />18.) Silver And Gold<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><a href="http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/10/im_a_genius_too.html">Murry Wilson</a> lives! After a three minute rambling rant (lots of yuks), we get a nice rendition... or do we?</span><br /><br />19.) It Came Upon The Midnight Clear<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Our Leonard Cohen singer is back. Sung straight with plenty of feeling that you don't mind the tempo or musical changes.</span><br /><br />20.) O Xmas Tree (Goldfish in the Heels Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Hip-hop / R&B reprise. 36 seconds long. Word to your other... </span><br /><br />21.) Christmastime Is Here<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The first 2:30 is a mix of rock and electronica. The night shift comes in and jazzes it up to Vince Guaraldi levels - appropriate for one of his songs.</span><br /><br />22.) We're A Couple Of Misfits<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">What if Rudolph and Hermie the Elf went punk? It would sound like this... </span><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LzSipckivC0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LzSipckivC0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />23.) Silent Night<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Violin duo to start surrounded by a pond of croaking frogs. It wanders around experimentally then goes back to the violins. Haunting version. </span><br /><br />24.) O Xmas Tree (Monkey Like Banana Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Exotica / reggae-ish reprise... 55 seconds long. </span><br /><br />25.) O Come All Ye Faithful<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Someone pulled out a scratchy copy of Neil Diamond's first Christmas album... laffin uncontrollably here.</span><br /><br />26.) Jingle Bells<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A group gathering with more musical styles crammed into 3:13 that's allowed by law. My sides ache... </span><br /><br />27.) O Xmas Tree (Auf Deutsch Mix)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">OMG... who let Hasselhoff on this album? I demand my money back... wait, I got this free and it's 48 seconds long. Never mind.</span><br /><br />28.) Auld Lang Syne (Bonus track)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Secretly recorded at the album wrap party I'd wager. I feel like it's New Year's Eve, I've downed three bottles of champagne, and never brought to miiind... should old acquaintance...</span><br /><br /><br />In the nearly three years of writing at this blog, I have been guilty many times for being over exuberant in my praise of Christmas music. I would guess that about 95% of the reviews on this blog have been effusively positive, sometimes bordering on fanatical.<br /><br />However, in the nearly three years of writing at this blog, I must tell you that I haven't heard anything remotely like this album. The only album that comes close in its unpredictability of style, tempo, flair, and exciting new takes on Christmas music would be "<a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/ira-ironstrings-plays-santa-claus.html">Ira Ironstrings - Plays Santa Claus (Christmas Music For Those Who Have Heard Everything)</a>".<br /><br />I'm guessing the average listener of Christmas music won't be as stimulated as Christmas music enthusiasts will be at the depth of this album. For many of us, we've heard "Jingle Bells" or "Rudolph" played ad nauseum in one style of music (rock, jazz, hip-hop, etc.). On occasion, we heard Christmas songs with two or three different styles within the same song.<br /><br />This album changes styles on a whim - veering in many directions with the view outside the window a blur. Dark one moment, disgustingly cheerful the next, downright silly soon after, perhaps back to the beginning, or maybe not. <br /><br />Like the weather in Chicago, if you don't like what you hear on this album, wait a moment. There are no rules, no format, no parameters - everything is written on an Etch-A-Sketch with the only requirement being a fun wild ride. This is the musical equivalent of a roller coaster ride and the effects of an hour ride are just wearing off.<br /><br />This is one long, strange trip of a Christmas album... and man, it was FUN!<br /><br />Thank you Todd for sending this. Congratulations on getting all those tunes and ideas from your dream stage to reality with this project. I will be hearing tracks from this album on dozens of homemade Christmas comps for the next 10 years.<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Substance W - A Boiling Vat of Adhesive Xmas

This arrived at P.O. Box a week before our last yuleblog entry . When I retrieved this, the glow from the shiny metallic green bubble mail...

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Kristine W - Hey Mr. Christmas

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflFwGhAt1itTWswGpJrJfvWeJj_BTzS7o7swTAdSwYvaOGLtNvomyHe-o1IUKNJX3BJedf0gkhlyFC1JMjm082kj-yUTPGV9zz8gKeIJ9vgO-6czyHdRvlVt2mvNJV50YFSqtxgqfWDFL/s1600-h/kristine+W+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268983126552913458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflFwGhAt1itTWswGpJrJfvWeJj_BTzS7o7swTAdSwYvaOGLtNvomyHe-o1IUKNJX3BJedf0gkhlyFC1JMjm082kj-yUTPGV9zz8gKeIJ9vgO-6czyHdRvlVt2mvNJV50YFSqtxgqfWDFL/s320/kristine+W+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 287px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This week I'm showcasing submissions that were sent to my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> and this CD landed there last Friday - talk about great timing. <br /><br />Pop quiz: Who holds the record for most consecutive Billboard Club #1 hits?<br /><br />Mariah Carey? Good guess but no. Christina Aguilera? Not even close. Janet Jackson? She once held the record. Madonna? She was tied with Janet (seven in a row). In 2004, the artist you are looking at tied both Madonna and Janet, then broke the record the following year with her club hit "The Wonder of It All".<br /><br /><a href="www.kristinew.com">Kristine W</a> is a fourth generation entertainer originally from Pasco, Washington. She won several titles along the way - Miss Tri-Cities, Miss Washington (where she won first place in the all important talent competition at the Miss America pageant), and eventually ended up in Las Vegas.<br /><br />She continued her education there, worked harder than anyone else there, and wowed everyone with her amazing singing talent there. This led to headlining her own show at the <a href="http://www.lvhilton.com/">Las Vegas Hilton</a>, winning several "Las Vegas Entertainer Of The Year" awards.<br /><br />Earlier this year, Kristine was officially sanctioned as the entertainer who has performed more live shows than anyone in the entire history of the Las Vegas Hilton - this includes Elvis Presley, who called the Hilton home during the 1970s.<br /><br />This past summer, while recording her new "Power Of Music" album, Kristine wanted to record a Christmas album. She teamed up with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_to_Infinity">Love to Infinity</a>, a noted UK award-winning songwriting and production team, to help record two original Christmas songs written by Kristine ("Everyday's A Holiday" and the title track). She shut down production on her other album to devote all of her energies to this album.<br /><br />That's what the notes that accompanied this album wanted me to share.<br /><br />I must admit I am not a huge club / dance type of guy - never have been. Until this arrived in my mailbox, I had absolutely no clue who Kristine W was. I went online to see some of Kristine's videos to get a feel for her type of music:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hpAmCej09ts&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hpAmCej09ts&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Flashy, pulsating, quick-cuts. Great vocal quality. I had to shut this down after about 1 minute in.<br /><br />Still, I haven't heard the CD - which is what I usually try to do whenever I review an album here. Many times as I type, I listen to the album for the first time. It's the only way I can stay objective after writing paragraphs of back story on the person or group I'm reviewing. Soooo...<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) Mr. Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Hey Mr. Christmas? Where's my baby?" Cue the massive dance-beat and we're off and running. Despite the lyrics, this is more club than Christmas.</span><br /><br />2.) Everyday's A Holiday<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I had to check twice to see if this was track one - they almost sound identical. I can envision the club lights and the dance floor - where's the snow? The tinsel? The Christmas?</span><br /><br />3.) Hard Candy Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A club version of Dolly Parton's signature Christmas song? Believe it or not, this works!</span><br /><br />4.) Oh Holy Night<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I was skeptical at first - but Kristine pulls it off. This might be the best track on the album.</span><br /><br />5.) Mary, Did You Know?<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This standard could have lost something in the translation but the message stays intact - holds up after repeated listenings. </span><br /><br />6.) Favorite Things<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens..." I don't consider this a Christmas song (while many others do). It's a jazzy version nonetheless.</span><br /><br />7.) Wonder Of It All (featuring <a href="http://www.jimbrickman.com/">Jim Brickman</a>)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This is an unplugged remake of one of Kristine's dance hits. Brickman is great (as usual) but Kristine's voice fills the vacated spaces usually filled in by pulsating beats.</span><br /><br /><br />I want to like this album and there are several songs that I will to listen to again. There's a lot of energy in this album - most of which comes from the club beats and the multi-layered vocals. Kristine puts every ounce of her soul into these tracks and it comes across like a spotlight in a darkened room.<br /><br />However, most of the album doesn't work for me - I want a Christmas album to radiate that special spirit that only Christmas songs emote. Most of the spirit found on "O Holy Night" and "Hard Candy Christmas" doesn't come through on the remaining tracks.<br /><br />This is a club album with a Christmas theme, not a Christmas album with a club theme - big difference.<br /><br />If you are into club music, then this might be the perfect album to take to your upcoming holiday raves and club nights. This album is available exclusively at <a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/Home">Borders Books & Music</a> and will drop on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.apple.com/itunes/">iTunes</a> on Tuesday, December 2nd.<br /><br />Thanks Kristine for sending the album, congrats on the career, and being a leukemia survivor for five years!<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Kristine W - Hey Mr. Christmas

This week I'm showcasing submissions that were sent to my P.O. Box and this CD landed there last Friday - talk about great timing. Pop...

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Merry X-mas Dammit From The Double Down Saloon (Wood Shampoo Records)

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjir3N6t1DyEz8DQYgqQx53FD9tkBiQINN-82cPvDYCcslUo_UsrwNjl3W9sky56MDO1MlKsO_jNAr2k0VaZN5Jh4u_n7wH-a9LYQXNGr5mvFJawux1sjUItxEO9-H4IZsRmnFxfBSYLFe/s1600-h/merry+x-mas+dammit+from+double+down+saloon+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266903102925070050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjir3N6t1DyEz8DQYgqQx53FD9tkBiQINN-82cPvDYCcslUo_UsrwNjl3W9sky56MDO1MlKsO_jNAr2k0VaZN5Jh4u_n7wH-a9LYQXNGr5mvFJawux1sjUItxEO9-H4IZsRmnFxfBSYLFe/s320/merry+x-mas+dammit+from+double+down+saloon+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 319px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This was another CD that was sent to my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> last Christmas that I never found the time to review and as a result, I probably will never get into "the Happiest Place On Earth" in my lifetime. With Christmas, 2008 five weeks off, this is good a time as any to review it for people on the lookout for overlooked Christmas CDs.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.doubledownsaloon.com/">The Double Down Saloon</a> in Las Vegas has been voted one of America's top "dive bars" by Playboy Magazine and has been featured on televisions shows like Dave Attell's "<a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/insomniac/index.jhtml">Insomniac</a>" and Anthony Bourdain's "<a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain">No Reservations</a>". Last year, they teamed up with <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=398003169">Wood Shampoo Records</a> (also of Las Vegas) to release this comp at Christmas time.<br /><br />According to the accompanying notes that came with this CD:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"On any given hour at the Double Down, you are as likely to find business types unwinding as you are jaded hipsters downing shots. 'Merry X-Mas Dammit' is much like the saloon itself, a genre blending a mix of punk, lounge, honky-tonk, noise, and more."</span><br /><br />As Casey Kasem would say... "On with the countdown!"<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=4288040">Murphy's Law</a> - Sock It To Me Santa<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Shades of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishbone" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Fishbone</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">! A funky throwback song that grabs your attention right out of the gate!</span><br /><br />2.) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theobjex">The Objex</a> - Pastramikah<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The band keeps it foot on the throttle and never lets up - all about a new end of the year holiday.</span><br /><br />3.) <a href="http://www.lonesomespurs.com/">Lonesome Spurs</a> - Jingle Bells<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A simple yet hardly plain rockabilly version - great singing and amazing guitar work throughout!</span><br /><br />4.) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.richardcheese.com">Richard Cheese</a> - Christmas In Las Vegas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Rudolph sold the sled, now he's betting on red..." Loungey, Christmasey original from RC. Check out my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/richard-cheese-silent-nightclub.html">review</a> of his "Silent Nightclub" album!</span><br /><br />5.) <a href="http://thedirtypanties.com/">The Dirty Panties</a> - Santa Baby<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A punk version of Eartha Kitt's famous Christmas song? With an all-girl punk/garage band, it not only works but it plain kicks ass. Early vote for favorite song on the album.</span><br /><br />6.) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.lvallstars.net">The Las Vegas All-Stars</a> - X-Mess Medley<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Hard-rocking garage medley of "Deck The Halls", "Jingle Bells", "Joy To The World", "O Christmas Tree", "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Silent Night", a snippet of "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" - this is epic!</span><br /><br />7.) <a href="http://www.peccadilloes.net/">Peccadilloes</a> - Nuttin' For Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Forget Smash Mouth - this is the meanest, gnarliest, and most savage version of this song out there! Wow!</span><br /><br />8.) <a href="http://www.evilbeaver.us/index.cfm">Evil Beaver</a> - Blue Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Originally from Chicago, IL (now based in L.A.), this hip version soon turns edgy and rockin'... Be sure to check out their excellent 2001 </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Still-Smells-Like-Christmas-Spirit/dp/B00005RGPC" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Christmas album</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">.</span><br /><br />9.) <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=47731817">Bomboras</a> - The Little Drummer Boy<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS! This instrumental ranks up there with Dick Dale and The Ventures! Man, o man!</span><br /><br />10.) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thevermin">The Vermin</a> - Santa Was A Cross Dressing Nazi<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">That's the beautiful thing about punk - you can't match its attitude! This is angry at 100 MPH and I loved every second of it!</span><br /><br />11.) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/12ast">1/2 Ast</a> - Gay Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The spirit of </span><a href="http://www.descendentsonline.com/about/" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Descendents</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> is alive and well with this band. Exactly 1 minute and 1 second long, it's a musical rant from start to finish.</span><br /><br />12.) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theclydesdale">The Clydesdale</a> - Imo Shoot Me A Reindeer<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Hey look, up there in the sky! It's Santa Claus!" "WHERE?" =gunshot= This semi-rockabilly song had me chortling from that opening line until the ending... what a tune!</span><br /><br />13.) <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=52899871">Sparkler Dims</a> - Xmas Time At The Double Down<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Celebrating the holidays at "The Happiest Place On Earth"... good rocking song with lots of DD references!</span><br /><br />14.) <a href="http://www.afternoononline.com/pages/usofhreviews.html"> 2 Cents Worth</a> - I'll Be Home For Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A good garage version of this one. This was the only band I couldn't find a MySpace page for... are they still together? </span><br /><br />15.) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/suite666">Suite 666</a> - Santa Blow Me<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Another great Christmas punk original showcasing their displeasure with Santa. Fabulous punk sound.</span><br /><br />16.) <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56109640">The Real Shames</a> - Santa Claus<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A great garage cover of The Sonics' great garage Christmas song. </span><br /><br />17.) <a href="http://www.theeswankbastards.com/">Thee Swank Bastards</a> - Carol Of The Bells / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Another great instrumental - heavy on the mood with the right touch of guitars!</span><br /><br /><br />After hearing this again, I must make an appointment with my family doctor to have my head examined. I must have a brain tumor or something that forced me not to listen to this last year. This is one damn good comp!<br /><br />Fear not, this comp is still available to download at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Merry-X-Mas-Dammit-Double-Saloon/dp/B001GH0UEC">Amazon.com</a>. Or you can get an actual CD copy from <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/woodshampoo2">CDBaby</a>. This collection of Christmas tunes will make any Christmas music lover sit up and take notice.<br /><br />There's not one song that I didn't like in the entire bunch and I can listen to this repeatedly without getting bored - the true mark of a great Christmas CD. Thanks for sending it to us and I hope I won't get shanked if I ever visit the Double Down.<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Merry X-mas Dammit From The Double Down Saloon (Wood Shampoo Records)

This was another CD that was sent to my P.O. Box last Christmas that I never found the time to review and as a result, I probably will neve...

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The Jingle Punx - Discomfort And Joy

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSihuq9AsZykUoN402J9woyx4sf-U0CfDcxYFM96ZIuTrh8piLtxcaTw0zVhDh_PGEqZOZq3qqEoVoBNlrKXnuMu789vfIGOKKnLwoHjaO-Vt_O1iNyz16pqF3TggGnzzrAsXNTRthq_Yz/s1600-h/jingle+punx,+the+-+discomfort+%26+joy+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266902805561339298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSihuq9AsZykUoN402J9woyx4sf-U0CfDcxYFM96ZIuTrh8piLtxcaTw0zVhDh_PGEqZOZq3qqEoVoBNlrKXnuMu789vfIGOKKnLwoHjaO-Vt_O1iNyz16pqF3TggGnzzrAsXNTRthq_Yz/s320/jingle+punx,+the+-+discomfort+%26+joy+-+A.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 317px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Last year around this time, this CD found its way to me via my <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">PO Box</a>. Regrettably, my schedule last Christmas prevented me from giving it a proper review before last Christmas. So I decided to review it now and point the spotlight their way before this Christmas (you can never go wrong buying a Christmas music aficionado a Christmas punk album).<br /><br />This isn't the first time with these Punx (and I say that in the nicest possible way). Back in January of 2007, I <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/jingle-punx-its-what-i-got-in-my-sack.html">reviewed</a> their smashingly good "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Its-What-Got-My-Sack/dp/B000QR38BU/ref=dmusic_cd_album?ie=UTF8&qid=1226786341&sr=1-1">It's What I Got In My Sack</a>" album. I concluded at that time that <span style="color: red;">"every Christmas music collection should have at least one punk Christmas CD to shake things up now and then (or to purposely annoy that neighbor with the obnoxious Christmas display)."</span><br /><br />Well, there's no Christmas lights up next door (yet) and I do like our neighbors. So it must be time to shake things up.<br /><br />Recorded and released in 2007, this album (according to the release that accompanied the CD) is an exercise in variations of styles; from Butt Rock to Garage to PsychoBilly. It also captures for posterity their very first live concert ever in the form of 27 bonus tracks!<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBZ0DuVYRmo&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBZ0DuVYRmo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />These guys are great with the studio tracks (1-6) and raucous, extreme, and even charming live on stage (8-33). They grab ahold of your favorite Christmas songs and give it the full punk treatment. The end result is a loud, listenable new take on Christmas - and it's all good!<br /><br />I especially enjoyed hearing their onstage banter (see the video above) and their original Christmas song (It's What I Got In My Sack") played live. They also had a wonderful poem written by Angela Yesson before the concert tracks that detailed how the Punx prepped for their first gig.<br /><br />I hope the Punx continue appearing live and make more albums. Any band that has Santa give out gifts at a gig then jump into a mosh pit is uniquely special:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ffUMc0zOb4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ffUMc0zOb4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />I'm pushing the other Jingle Punx albums higher on my Santa wish list. Here's hoping St. Nick will be in a punk music sort of mood when he fills my sack this Christmas!<br /><br />Sorry this took a year to review Doug, Steve O., Rico, Eric, and D.K. - I promise next time I won't make you wait so long.<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

The Jingle Punx - Discomfort And Joy

Last year around this time, this CD found its way to me via my PO Box . Regrettably, my schedule last Christmas prevented me from giving it...

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Dan Bryk - Christmas Record

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedqaueE6T-f-SJfyduo5f2LFiz57SyGSXXhfFWjbNvqBKJJj4OYWRL4SqfNaIzat0CWiuP3oIbxvUncvjG1D6zYsWO0A1eIzDWBzYciXnyahPJ0WttBbLmLCU9_Pz82RCumtIrEmwuGI/s1600-h/bryk,+dan+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016388237640003922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedqaueE6T-f-SJfyduo5f2LFiz57SyGSXXhfFWjbNvqBKJJj4OYWRL4SqfNaIzat0CWiuP3oIbxvUncvjG1D6zYsWO0A1eIzDWBzYciXnyahPJ0WttBbLmLCU9_Pz82RCumtIrEmwuGI/s320/bryk,+dan+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is the last of four Christmas CDs that I received at our <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> by someone in the music industry.<br /><br />When this arrived in early December, my first thought was "Wow! That's some impressive homemade compilation!" It came attached with a handwritten note that read:<br /><br />"Hey Capt - Thanks for giving "<a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/wendy-rose-snowflake.html">Snowflake</a>" props! I love that record! DBryk"<br /><br />During the mad rush of the 2006 downloading season, this CD regrettably got lost in the shuffle and I didn't give it the full attention it deserves until now.<br /><br />Dan Bryk is an "indie-rock" singer slash songwriter originally from Toronto, Canada, and currently based in the sprawling Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill (“Triangle”) North Carolina music scene.<br /><br />Growing up, Dan's musical influences were Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach, and Randy Newman (I thought I sensed a Newman connection). He's been recording for nearly 12 years since his first album "Dan Bryk - Asshole" was released in 1995. He's released two other full-length albums, two EPs, and a handful of singles on various compilations. For the past five years, he's been recording out of his home studio cleverly called Flabby Road.<br /><br />The inspiration for his album came last year when he recorded an original Christmas tune entitled "Love Me For Christmas" for his <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=12402363">MySpace</a> site (included on the album). The song has several Raleigh, NC references and the recording engineer who mastered the song noticed and the idea for a Raleigh artist-based Christmas CD to benefit local Raleigh schools was born.<br /><br />Bryk went back into the studio to rerecord the song (can't have them swear words in there so the high school kids could hear, now can we?) and planned on releasing the new song on iTunes for the out of towners. However, Bryk thought one song wasn't enough and soon he had enough material for a Christmas EP.<br /><br />"And as I started recording," Bryk told to me in an e-mail, "I realized I had some more original Christmas songs to record, and things just kind of snowballed into this weird little Christmas record."<br /><br />To paraphrase Linus in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas', "it's not such a bad little [record]".<br /><br />TRACK REVIEWS:<br /><br />1.) Love Came Down For Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A new take on the old theme of being lonely at Christmas - never can have too many of those.</span><br /><br />2.) Cozy Evenings<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"I'm six weeks overdue... and I'm already over you, dear" - Now that's a lyric you'll never hear in a Christmas song - until now! </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">With some help from Erin McGinn on vocals, this is perhaps the best track on the album (also Dan's fave).</span><br /><br />3.) Great Adventure<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A catchy tune about a road trip that's extremely long... Not sure what it has to do with Christmas.</span><br /><br />4.) Hard Candy Christmas<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I'd normally associate this song with Dolly Parton... Dan picked a good song and made it better!</span><br /><br />5.) Winter Sad<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A song about the melancholy that winter inevitably brings after Christmas ends - an excellent song!</span><br /><br />6.) Simple Stupid Song<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Very Newmanesque song about reaching the plateau of age 30. Not Christmas but still good!</span><br /><br />7.) Christmas Ballad<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A talk between Dan and Jesus in a 6:04 song... Quite revealing.</span><br /><br />8.) Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A great arrangement on an old standard. Great help from Erin again.</span><br /><br />9.) Cozy Evenings (alternate take/dance mix?) / Love Came Down For Christmas (alternate take?)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Two different versions on this 10 minute track. The "Cozy Evenings" track takes on a whole new life with the uptempo back beat! "Love Came Down" sounds more concise in this version - edited maybe?</span><br /><br />10.)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Nine seconds of silence... unless Dan took a hint from Paul McCartney and recorded something for dogs on this track!</span><br /><br /><br />Be sure to check out the official Dan Bryk <a href="http://www.bryk.com/">web site</a>, the old "lazy-ass" (his words) Dan Bryk <a href="http://www.bryk.com/oldsite/html/index.html">web site</a>, and the official Dan Bryk MySpace page (see link above to hear "Cozy Evenings").<br /><br />Something else you should know about Dan that he confided in me - he has an expensive Japanese iced coffee fetish, plays a mean game of Scattergories, and is 5'9" after a good night of sleep.<br /><br />A pretty solid album with some good Christmas tunes to boot! Thanks for sending us the CD Dan!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UP NEXT</span>: 22 new Christmas CDs I either bought or received as a gift! We look at gift number one!<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Dan Bryk - Christmas Record

This is the last of four Christmas CDs that I received at our P.O. Box by someone in the music industry. When this arrived in early Decembe...

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Seasonal Favorites V1 (Double Crown Records)

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCZDBzufZvOSKUqZESvh9RFh8SUhSlzwG3MuEj7wnzOnt_E6CRTui0rWJh9xY1q4InEzp0-VmOhtuIwoNr_WBtJekrDxQeEvGsHyeui000TPLOQEhO6yGSOOlVbwL6O4lvB8l18vOZn4/s1600-h/double+crown+records+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016144391144037618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCZDBzufZvOSKUqZESvh9RFh8SUhSlzwG3MuEj7wnzOnt_E6CRTui0rWJh9xY1q4InEzp0-VmOhtuIwoNr_WBtJekrDxQeEvGsHyeui000TPLOQEhO6yGSOOlVbwL6O4lvB8l18vOZn4/s320/double+crown+records+-+A.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This was the third Christmas CD sent to our <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> by someone in the music industry.<br /><br />Sean of <a href="http://www.dblcrown.com/">Double Crown Records</a> contacted us here at the yuleblog on November 3rd in a comment page:<br /><br />"My label, Double Crown Records, has just reissued a Christmas CD that I put out 6 years ago. Do you ever do CD reviews? If so, I'd love to send a copy to you."<br /><br />He left a long description of the album and where to buy it at which I felt was using my site to help sell his album. I removed the comment from the yuleblog, e-mailed my reasons for doing so stating "that I would give a fair, objective review" upon receiving the CD.<br /><br />Sean agreed and sent the CD to us... It arrived and I promptly reviewed it at <a href="http://falalalala.com/?cat=6">FaLaLaLaLa</a> last year:<br /><br />"Back in 2000, Double Crown Records released this CD that featured sixteen Christmas songs done by various surf n’ garage bands. The CD proved so popular that it sold out its entire first pressing. Six years later, it’s back! The folks at Double Crown Records have reissued this gem and added three BONUS tracks - fourteen instrumentals and five vocal tracks in total!<br /><br />"The music is tip-top-notch - not a clunker to be heard in this set! Several of the groups listed here (The Boss Martians, The Firebirds, The Ebineezer Scrooge Appreciation Society) are in fine form and you’ll find yourself tapping your toes or riding a wave in your mind when you listen! If you’re a fan of surf, garage, or Christmas, this compilation is for you!<br /><br />"This CD (with some great artwork from the one and only <a href="http://johnnybartlett.com/">Johnny Bartlett</a>) would make a great double bill along side your copies of "The Ventures Christmas Album" or "A Christmas Gift To You From Phil Spector".<br /><br />"Give this one as a Christmas present - either to someone who loves Christmas music or to yourself. Don’t wait another six years!"<br /><br /><br />There's something that I haven't said about this CD since I first reviewed it. What Sean and the rest of you don't know is that surf guitar music is a guilty pleasure for me. This goes back to one of my first purchases ever on compact disc in 1991 - the legendary "Ventures Christmas Album".<br /><br />I've practically worn this CD out. Thank goodness I can still <a href="http://www.dblcrown.com/dccd10.html">order</a> another copy!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UP NEXT</span>: Let me take you down cause I'm going to... Flabby Road?<br /><br /><br />Capt</span></span>

Seasonal Favorites V1 (Double Crown Records)

This was the third Christmas CD sent to our P.O. Box by someone in the music industry. Sean of Double Crown Records contacted us here at t...

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The Jingle Punx - It's What I Got In My Sack

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3yZAVEuRJFYn9BJ89FZ1hBET4Z-Rm1iNvs0Wc1IWR3cBv8WaGb3QC609SnvLFhV0wVs03xm_Lg1f9wekX_E1sdvJ3v_v9RaCKAzcn_7N1koMqiaqaAOUq6eAmTnghAWlTwiKamhNLpE/s1600-h/jingle+punx,+the+-+A.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015783515106925794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3yZAVEuRJFYn9BJ89FZ1hBET4Z-Rm1iNvs0Wc1IWR3cBv8WaGb3QC609SnvLFhV0wVs03xm_Lg1f9wekX_E1sdvJ3v_v9RaCKAzcn_7N1koMqiaqaAOUq6eAmTnghAWlTwiKamhNLpE/s320/jingle+punx,+the+-+A.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This was the second Christmas CD sent to our <a href="http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/po-box-13207-fort-wayne-in-46867-3207.html">P.O. Box</a> by someone in the music industry.<br /><br />The Jingle Punx started out as a joke between friends that quickly became a under the radar band that has released FIVE full Christmas punk albums.<br /><br />This led to a cult following on the web via their own <a href="http://www.jinglepunx.com/">website</a> and their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jinglepunx">MySpace site</a>, having their music played on MTV's "Laguna Beach", FX's "Nip/Tuck", and a recent blast over the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BLwYRgeLGE&eurl=">German TV airwaves</a>!<br /><br />I reviewed this CD over at <a href="http://falalalala.com/?cat=6">FaLaLaLaLa</a> last year and to quote:<br /><br /><span style="color: red;">"From the first notes of their bodyslamming version of "Joy To The World" to the gritty voice of Ana Isabel (of the band </span><a href="http://www.goodbyegadget.com/" style="color: black;">Goodbye Gadget</a><span style="color: red;">) singing "Santa Baby" to a remarkable cover of Run DMC’s classic "Christmas In Hollis", the Punx never forget rule number one: have fun while rocking it out.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: red;"> "That rule comes blaring across your speakers in full throttle!</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: red;"> "Every Christmas music collection should have at least one punk Christmas CD to shake things up now and then (or to purposely annoy that neighbor with the obnoxious Christmas display). You can’t go wrong with this album on that front."</span><br /><br />Whenever I sit here to write a review - usually in the mornings as my three year old daughter sleeps in - I usually pop the CD into the computer and listen to it as I type. When the Punx CD went in, I had to lower the volume. I was not just afraid of awakening my daughter but the whole neighborhood in general!<br /><br />I'm listening to the second song on their CD: a cover of the Beach Boys insipid Christmas song "The Man With All The Toys". In their hands, the Punx have created a version of the song not only that I actually like but plain kicks ass while doing it!<br /><br />Found the title track on YouTube:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kgi5mPKrPfk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kgi5mPKrPfk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Thanks to Steve, Eric, Doug, D.K., and Rico for sending me a fun, fantastic, rockin' Christmas CD! I've already added your other four CDs to my Santa list!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UP NEXT:</span> Double your pleasure, double your fun with Doublemint... no, Double Crown!<br /><br /><br />Capt<br /></span></span>

The Jingle Punx - It's What I Got In My Sack

This was the second Christmas CD sent to our P.O. Box by someone in the music industry. The Jingle Punx started out as a joke between frien...

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