Legends of Christmas Past (©1992 EMI)

1: The Chipmunk Song 2: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree 3: Let' Make Christmas Merry, Baby 4: It's Christmas Time 5: I Want Elvis For Christmas 6: Merry Christmas Baby 7: It's Christmas Time 8: Frosty the Snowman 9: White Christmas 10: Wintertime 11: Monster Holiday 12: Little Saint Nick (single version) 13: A Not So Merry Christmas 14: Look Around You (It's Christmas Time) 15: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 16: Silent Night 17: God Rerst Ye Merry Gentlemen 18: Christmas Blues 19: Jingle Bell Rock 20: The Chipmunk Song 21: Artists' Christmas Greetings

The month of December at my house means that my wife controls the big stereo upstairs, and as a consequence only one type of music is allowed - and that is CHRISTMAS music. Which is cool, since I like Christmas music, and have a lot of it around the house. I got this one many years ago, and to be honest I original got it because it had "The Chipmunk Song" on it. Yeah, yeah, I know it's a lame ass song but it holds a lot of nostalgic value for me.

What I wasn't expecting was the great variety of classics from so many classic artists, from Bill Haley, The Belmonts, Manfred Mann, The Beachboys, and even Canned Heat. As you would expect, some are better than others, but for the most part the fine folks at EMI did a bang up job putting this together. The Ventures rock with their amped version of "Rudolph" and there's a wicked track by Lon Chaney Jr. that is a blatant Christmas take on "The Monster Mash" that I'm surprised it never took off. It's worth the price of the disc for that one song. Of course, there has to be the social justice song as well, and that's represented by the insipid "Look Around You (It's Christmas Time) by Bobby Goldsboro. Talk about your bummer Christmas songs. Gee thanks Bobby for crapping on my Christmas spirit.

I mentioned "The Chipmunk Song" and it gets to book end the album. First with the original version, and as a closer it features a duet of sorts with Canned Heat (I guess this was supposed to give them cred with the youth scene man back in the 60's). This is one of my favourite discs.

Reviewed December 29, 2005

Collections

Soul Lift (©2001 Flicker Records)

1: King Of My Life 2: Cry 3: Solid Rock 4: He Is Lord 5: Lift Up My Eyes 6: I Am A Pilgrim 7: I Am Yours 8: Air 9: Mercy Seat 10: Thank You

Subtitled soundtrack for the soul, Soul Lift is an interesting project, and one that no doubt was a bit of a trick to market. It is indeed one of those dreaded praise albums, but it isn't your typical syrupy saccharine laden God has blessed me so much and you so little albums. The concept is pretty good, and the packaging is really well done, and includes a short devotion for each song. Although the red font on a blue background doesn't make for an easy read. My favourite "study" is for the song "Thank You" - it's a nice knock to the Gospel of Prosperity folks. "Sometimes we become greedy with God's Blessings. It's as if we feel entitled to be blessed more and more. This selfish feeling of entitlement is the opposite of thankfulness."

Rick Altizer put this together, and for those of you not familiar with Rick's work, I say unto thee SHAME SHAME SHAME! For those of you who are, this will come as a bit of a surprise. This is not a Rick Altizer record. I'm not quite sure where it fits. It's a bit of dance, world, pop, rock, blues all infused with a strong beat and mushed together.

Now, I'm still a bit mixed on the whole, thing - but when it works it's really something. Rick pulled a real rabbit out of his hat in enlisting the assistance of Johnny Cash on the song "I Am A Pilgrim" purists will likely be aghast, but I think it showed some real guts, and I'd be willing to bet there's no other Cash song like it out there. Also the Mike Roe tune "Mercy Seat" is exceptional, it starts like an old Robert Johnson tune, then morphs into a smoker.

This is an interesting album, and yeah I know, interesting doesn't sell records - but there are some very cool musical pairings here, and the accompanying study adds an extra dimension to the songs.

Perhaps you could lift your own copy and check it out for yourself.

Reviewed December 19, 2005

Suffer the Children (©2002 Andy's Angels' Records)
Special Prequel to "Come As A Child (Or Not At All)

Andre (Theo) / Rice paper Wings (DA, from MBD) / Faces to the Window (DA, live, previously unreleased) / Buffalo Hills (TST, live from Moses Lake, 2001) / Rocky Mountain Mines (Lost Dogs from Part Tour) / Return to Sender - Father's Arms (Jeff Elbel & Ping) / The Sweetness (Riki Michelle)

This is an interesting tease to Theo's upcoming benefit album Come As a Child. I'll not be too gushy - as an album it's pretty good, but it's nothing extraordinary. Of the seven songs four lean heavily on the contributions of DA frontman Terry Taylor, which if you're like me this was reason enough to pick this up. Theo's song Andre is pretty good, better than I expected actually. Try as I may, I can't get into Jeff's song, I can't put my finger on it, but it just doesn't work for me. Riki Michele's song is simple and beautifully sung.

I am looking forward to the full blown album as it should be pretty solid from what I've read. The proceeds go to a good cause, and if you're interested in the movong story behind the project check out Theo's site andysangelsrecords.org. It's a bitter sweet story. I've met Theo, and we chat on the same message board once in a while. He's got a good heart.

Reviewed March 31, 2003

For more Andy's Angels Recording click here

A Charlie Brown Christmas (©1965, 1997 Fantasy)

1: O Tannenbaum 2: What Child Is This 3: My Little Drum 4: Linus And Lucy 5: Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental) 6: Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) 7: Skating 8: Hark, The Herald Angels Sing 9: Christmas Is Coming 10: Für Elise 11: Christmas Song

The original soundtrack. Full review see the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

Gladiator (©1992 Columbia)

1: We Will Rock You 2: Pride (In The Name Of Love) 3: Hold On Tight 4: Gladiator 5: Latin 'till I die (Oye Como Va) 6: For The Love Of Peace 7: The Power 8: Count On Me 9: Da Me La (Fama) 10: I Will Survive

In my defense your honour, allow me to say that I got this used and on sale. The album starts out with Warrant's rethink of We Will Rock You, which was good enough to make me think this might actually be a pretty good collection. Of course that lasted little more than three minutes.

Oh well, it was really cheap. The reason I bought this was to get the Cheap Trick song I Will Survive, which quite frankly rocks. So right there I got my moneys worth. The rest is filler, except for the Warrant tracks (which in themselves are glam rock paint by numbers tunes - but they're fun in a guilty way).

I like Cheap Trick, so there.

Would I have paid full price?

No. I'm cheap, and that ain't no trick (hah! I kill myself).

Reviewed October 5, 2003

Mission: Impossible (©1996 Mother Records)

Tracks: Theme From Mission Impossible / Spying Glass / I Spy / Impossible Mission / Headphones / Weak / On And On / Claire / Dreams / You Me And The World War III / So / Trouble / No Government / All Right / Mission Impossible Theme (Mission Accomplished)

My Mission: Impossible - listen to, and enjoy this CD.

Nine of the fifteen songs don't even appear in the movie. I guess that's why the producers added the little caveat ... and inspired by the motion picture - which is probably a load of crap since I doubt the artists watched the movie and then wrote the songs hoping to get on the soundtrack to a movie their songs never appeared in.

I guess you can tell I didn't like this one - at all. But, I'll say that for the .99¢ I paid for this I wasn't ripped off since the opening track is an absolute killer and my kids think it's the greatest song in the world (buy the CD single, or if you're like me and find this really cheap you'll pay a buck for one song).

The Danny Elfman pieces as always are fun and interesting, and All Right by Cast and You, Me and World War III by Gavin is okay tunes. But really there's no compelling reason to spend real money on this clunker.

None at all.

None.

Not one.

Zip.

Unless of course you're a totally obsessed U2 fan who has to have this because Larry Mullen, Adam Clayton and Gavin Friday.

Reviewed January 1, 2003

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (©2000 Mercury)

Tracks: Po Lazarus (James Carter & the Prisoners) / Big Rock Candy Mountain (Harry McClintock) / You Are My Sunshine (Norman Blake) / Down To The River To Pray (Alison Krauss) / I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (The Soggy Bottom Boys) / Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (Chris Thomas King) / I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Norman Blake) / Keep On The Sunny Side (The Whites) / I'll Fly Away (Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch) / Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby (Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch) / In The Highways (Sarah, Hannah and Leah Peasall) / I Am Weary (Let Me Rest) (The Cox Family) / I Am a Man Of Constant Sorrow (John Hartford) / O Death (Ralph Stanley) / In The Jailhouse Now (The Soggy Bottom Boys) / Indian War Whoop (John Hartford) / Lonesome Valley (Fairfield Four) / Angel Band (The Stanley Brothers)

Given all the hype surrounding this is a collection of good old tunes I was expecting to be blown away. Even after a few listens I was still somewhat unimpressed. I really expected better from my hero T Bone Burnett. The other day I finally broke down and rented the movie. "Ah" I said as the scales fell from my eyes. This is one of those occasions where you need to see the movie to truly appreciate the tunes. Not that they can't stand on their own, they do if you're a purist of the genre, but for the average Philistine like me, you need the movie to provide the hooks to appreciate the songs and put them in context.

Of course the real showstoppers are the tunes by the Soggy Bottom Boys. Heck, "I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow" appears four times on the soundtrack.

An interesting piece in all, and one of those collections that took on a life of it's own.

Is it good?

Yeah, it's all right.

Reviewed August 13, 2002

Tribute Albums

Making God Smile (©2002 Silent Planet Records)
An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson

Tracks Disc One: Your Imagination / Good Vibrations / I Just Wasn't Made For These Times / I Know There's An Answer / Hang On To Your Ego / Love And Mercy / Help Me Rhonda / Heroes And Villains / Add Some Music To Your Day/ 'Til I Die / In My Room / This Whole World / Vegetables / Don't Worry Baby / Wouldn't It Be Nice / Pet Sounds/ Lay Down Burden / Surf's Up

Tracks Disc Two: Caroline, No / With Me Tonight / You Still Believe In Me / God Only Knows / Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) / Sloop John B / Good Vibrations (Guitar Ending Mix) / Your Imagination (Extended Mix) / Brian Wilson's Room

Now this, this is a tribute CD. I can somewhat sheepishly but proudly proclaim that I have no Beach Boys or Brian Wilson albums. Making God Smile introduced me to a whole new way of looking at Brian Wilson's music, without any baggage. I must say - he's a pretty darned good writer.

I initially bought this because Terry and Lost Dogs were on a couple of tracks. Tracks, which sadly are among the weakest offerings here. So imagine my surprise when the rest of the disc, and the limited run second disc blew my proverbial socks off. I recognized a lot of the names here Phil Keaggy, Brooks Williams, Rick Altizer, Phil Madeira, Randy Stonehill and Sixpence NTR to name a few, and there were a lot of notable new faces who really impressed me.

The immediate standout track has to be Phil's wonderful version of Good Vibrations, but after repeated listening other vegetables come up from the bottom. Even Kevin Max with his fruity artsy Help Me Rhonda shines. Brooks Williams (an amazing talent by the way who plays a mean guitar) like Phil Madeira does an instrumental offering.

This is a very good collection, and one worthy of the true fan (like I would know, but I can hazard a guess), and those like me who know the classic songs from the radio but never really appreciate the depth of the songs. Making God Smile certainly put a grin on my face.

Reviewed January 7, 2003

Isaiah 53:5 - A Tribute To Stryper (©1999 1340 Records)

More Than A Man (Disciple) / Surrender (Blood N Fire) / Lonely (Fringe) / The World Of You And I (Dinner Mint) / The Abyss - Burning The Great Divide (Augenkristall) / To Hell With The Devil (Nailed) / Soldiers Under Command (Derron's Tuba) / You Know What To Do (One Bad Apple) / Honestly (The World Inside With Don Colborn) / Calling On You (Honeymooner) / I Believe In You (Aimee Clark) / It's Up 2 U (Estis P@RC) / Free (Antioch) / Makes Me Wanna Sing (Wonderboy PhD) / Loving You (Racing Elijah With Blood N Fire)

Look at what I found - a tribute to Stryper. Considering my lack of familiarity with much of the source material, this is an okay album. There are a couple of nice surprises, particularly the acoustic pop flavoured Calling On You by Honeymooner. This is a really good version.

The rest of the songs are okay, but nothing special. I’m assuming that the contributors are all indie bands, and even though I’m not blown away by this collection; I do have to say that the production quality is surprisingly.

If you want to pick up a great tribute to the hair boys, try digging up a copy of Guardian’s version of Yellow and Black Attack. Now that’s a wicked cool album.

Reviewed April 2003