Bringing In the Christmas Spirits

After two straight nites of sleeping really late or lack off it (depends how you look at it), one is due to rushing deadline while the other is socialising, i just can't get my brain to function now to work on the questionnaire or even a report.

So, the best is to continue doing something easy until those creative juices come back in. And one simple task will be album reviews. As mentioned in my earlier post that I bought a few albums, so here i am reviewing one of it. Josh Groban's Noel.

Boast of 13 tracks, this is one safe to buy Christmas album as most are traditional pieces while the new ones are very beautiful. Here's a track by track scoring:

1. Silent Night - the starting part was a bit too silent but he managed to pack it in towards the end. the production of this track was not too far away from the traditional, so it's quite a safe piece.
2. Little Drummer Boy - the first time i listened to this song, it was performed by Boney M. What JG has done or the producer had done here is creating a refreshing version. The acoustic guitar, the power vocals and the drum beats. Definitely a must listen.
3. I'll be Home for Christmas - Now this track is a bit way off, if you asked me. While it will be very relevant and touching for the US and probably the UK audiences but to the rest of the world, perhaps a separate version will be much appropriate. This track was laced with audio recording of the soldiers and family of the soldiers currently post in Iraq.
4.Ave Maria....ahhh...very church feeling. It's like sitting in a big church, filled with lit candles, a choir of children and in the middle of it is a grand black piano. Then JG standing in front of the choir and belted out this calming and lovely track. Just close your eyes when you listen to this track and visualise it. Lovely!
5. Angels We Have Heard on High. A very simple and light track featuring the voice of Brian McKnight. A bit mismatch in terms of the vocal, Brian's soft and smooth while Josh's strong and sharp. But a nice one anyhow.
6.Thankful. Perhaps one of my favorite track in this album. Beautiful melody and meaningful lyrics. What else can David Foster not do? Definitely bringing tears out.
7. The Christmas Song. I like Nat King Cole's version. I fell in love with Amy Grant's. JG gives me another reason to make this my favorite Christmas song. 'nuff said!
8. What Child Is This. Mmmm. Had never much like this song...so just OK to me.
9. The First Noel. Another unique combination. Earlier on it's with a R&B artiste, now we have country singer, Faith Hill. I believed Celine Dion would have do much better though I'm not saying that Faith is bad, just that I had my benchmark set.
10. Petit Papa Noel. After 9 tracks of English pieces, we were finally offered a French track. But shouldn't this be sang by a female since it's about a little girl asking Santa Claus not to forget the little red shoes? I have not heard Celine Dion's version but should be good.
11. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. Another familiar piece, but nothing extraordinary.
12. Panis Angelicus. From the beautiful french song to another beautiful Italian piece. However, I do believed that this piece is much better handled by Pavarotti or Borcelli.
13. O Come All Ye Faithful. Ahh..the last track and what christmas album will it be if it's not to include this one. Do not like much of the arrangment here. Too 'churchy'.

Words of wisdom from JT: Get yourself one for Christmas sake...