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December, 2006
 
Happy Christmas
Holiday Gift Ideas by Steve Matteo This Christmas the holiday music CDs unfortunately are few and far between. Also, deadline is here and a few discs have not yet arrived. No need to worry, though. First, let's look at some of the better recent holiday CDs. Wintersong - Sara McLachlan (Arista). There are few modern musical artists that I could think of who would make for a better choice to record a disc of holiday music. The choice of material includes classic holiday standards, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," Joni Mitchell's "River" and a collaboration between McLachlan and Diana Krall. An instant classic! At Christmas - James Taylor (Columbia). James Taylor is another artist who is perfect to make a holiday CD. This album was originally released last Christmas at Hallmark Stores only. Now available everywhere, it is exactly the kind of warm-spirited outing you would expect. Taylor also covers Mitchell's "River," and such guests as Chris Botti, Natalie Cole and Toots Thielemans drop by. Another instant Christmas classic! Midnight Clear - Andreas Vollenweider (Kin Kou/SLG). Fans of the James Taylor release will enjoy this holiday CD from an artist often associated with New Age music. Carly Simon guests on four of the tracks. Volenweider's harp is a perfect instrument for holiday music, particularly when some of the songs interpreted here date back to the 11th century. Happy Holidays - Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison (Rkyodisc). Here's a perfect collaboration of two artists whose music is just outside the world of country and in fact has more in common with the edgier singer/songwriter underground. The duo, who for the most part eschew the usual selection of holiday favorites, comes up with a sound that will thrill country, early rock and roll and folk fans. Wishing For This - Leigh Nash (OneSun/Nettwerk). The former Sixpence None The Richer member releases this recording on the heels of her acclaimed solo debut, Blue On Blue (Nettwerk). This seven-song EP is a beautiful collection of originals, classics and more recent compositions from Ron Sexsmith and George Michael. Gold: A 50th Anniversary Christmas Collection -Johnny Mathis (Columbia/Legacy). Few artists have released as many classic Christmas recordings as Johnny Mathis. This collection includes recordings from 1958 through the present of the best of the Mathis holiday albums. There is also a new duet with Bette Midler. The following 12 releases will get you through the 12 days of Christmas and also make great gift ideas. To keep the party going, here are three unbeatable live releases. Real Live Roadrunning - Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris (Warner Bros/Nonesuch). This CD/DVD concert was filmed at the Gibson Amphitheatre. The show was part of a short tour the two did in support of their collaboration this past year entitled All The Roadrunning. Whether you are listening on CD or watching it on DVD (which includes bonus materials including interviews), this is pure musical magic. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live at the Fillmore East March 6 & 7, 1970 (Reprise). This is the first release in the long-awaited Neil Young Archives Performance Series. This recording features the original Crazy Horse (including current members Ralph Molina and Billy Talbot), Danny Whitten and the legendary Jack Nitzsche. These recordings prove that Neil Young has better music growing mold in his archives than most current pop artists on the charts will ever even dream of making. The DVD version includes rare photos, Young's handwritten song lyrics and additional memorabilia. Okonokos - My Morning Jacket (ATO/RCA). This double-live CD is the culmination of a group finally achieving the success it so rightly deserves, but which was earned on its own terms. More than just a concert recording, the songs are performed in a loose concept/story sequence. Much like the Flaming Lips, My Morning Jacket have come from humble, determined beginnings to emerge as one of the most important bands on the scene today. Three artists that have been associated with classic British rock have released new albums this year that should not be missed. The Captain & The Kid - Elton John (Interscope). A follow-up to Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, John and Bernie Taupin have come up with one of their best collections of songs in years. With a fresh new sound and echoes of their classic songs on some tracks, John has a real winner. Endless Wire - The Who (Universal/Republic). This is the group's first album since 1982. Now with only Townshend and Daltrey aboard from the original lineup and with the Wire & Glass mini-opera as the centerpiece, the Who show they are still a powerhouse. The DVD bonus version includes a five-song live concert from this past July recorded in Lyon, France. Fingerprints - Peter Frampton (A&M). Frampton has been slowly making a comeback of sorts and with this album he comes full circle. This all-instrumental album includes the likes of Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Warren Haynes and Hank Marvin. Three current blues releases make for the prefect blue(s) Christmas. The Road to Escondido - J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton (Reprise). Clapton has recently collaborated with B.B. King, Derek Trucks and many others. This time he has made an album with the composer of "After Midnight" and "Cocaine." The result sounds more like a Cale release than a Clapton one and is a blues summit of epic proportions. The Lady and Mr. Johnson - Rory Block (Rykodisc). Block would make another perfect collaborator for Clapton, and like Clapton has done lately, she comes up with an authentic collection of interpretations of Robert Johnson's songs. Block has long been one of the great women blues artists in music and once again proves it. Leave The Light On - Chris Smither (Signature Sounds). While not just strictly a blues artist, Smither brings a distinctive folk feel to his music. Fast becoming one of the best Dylan interpreters anywhere, Smither covers "Visions of Johanna" on this excellent new album. Finally, here are three releases that will make the ultimate gift for the serious music fan. Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary (Capitol) from the Beach Boys is a reissue of the classic 1966 album, with a bonus track and a bonus DVD that includes a bonus track and audio versions of the album and documentaries, interviews, promotional films and a photo gallery. Fisherman's Blues (EMI), from the Waterboys, is two discs that present the evolution, through previously unreleased outtakes, of one of the best albums of the late 1980s. And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 (I.R.S./Capitol) from R.E.M. is a two-CD set of the group's seminal I.R.S. recordings and includes nine previously unreleased recordings. |