A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector

5 Comments

1. Verona J. Pendelton says:

   November 15, 2009 at 11:08 am

   I cancelled this order. I never received it.
   Rating: 1 / 5
2. Jason D Dewees says:

   November 15, 2009 at 12:16 pm

   I can see that if you grew up listening to this album/CD how you might have some nostalgiac recollection of the holiday season and thereby relate to that innocent time in your life when any break from a choral representation of holiday standards was ground-breaking. However, with all the Christmas collections out there today, this CD is starting to show its age. The arrangements now sound stale. The vocals are muddy, often being drowned out or at least blunted by the layers of sound over, under, and around them. The songs themselves can be found on other CD’s in much better, more lively versions.

   Try Ella Fitzgerald’s Collection or Sinatra’s collection for starters before you try this.

   Don’t give in to the hype like I did and you will have a much happier Christmas.
   Rating: 2 / 5
3. Thomas Calhoun says:

   November 15, 2009 at 12:53 pm

   I never have understood the fascination with this album. Mediocre vocals buried under the Phil Spector “Wall of Mud”. A truly dismal recording that gets way more praise than it deserves. Not a good track on the record. If you want production done right get the Beach Boys Christmas album. Now those are vocals. Brian didn’t learn from Phil, he bettered Phil. If you want another classic 60’s Christmas album also try the Ventures. These are two classic albums. Skip this one from Phil, nothing but coal for him.
   Rating: 1 / 5
4. Anonymous says:

   November 15, 2009 at 3:47 pm

   This isn’t quite the greatest Christmas album ever that rock fans make it out to be. Whoever Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans were (they have two undistinguished cuts on the album), they’ve gone on to well-deserved obscurity. And Phil Spector’s little speech on the last track is an egocentric embarrassment. The whole album is horribly over-produced.

   Nevertheless, this is an essential purchase for old-time rock fans. Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector have two of the most glorious voices in the history of rock, and every one of their songs on this album is a joy. Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) is almost worth the cost of the CD all by itself. The songs by The Crystals, unfortunately, are a little muddy. Lala Brooks, The Crystals’ lead singer, is terrific, but her voice is overwhelmed by Spector’s “wall of sound.”

   What it all adds up to is that about half of this album is made up of some of the best rock and roll Christmas music ever. The rest runs from good but flawed to downright embarrassing. It’s definitely worth owning Ñ but be prepared to hit the skip track button quite a bit.
   Rating: 4 / 5
5. Sandra L. Johnson says:

   November 15, 2009 at 5:07 pm

   THE CD WAS GREAT. PLAYED GOOD. THE MUSIC WAS WHAT I EXPECTED. SO HAPPY WITH THE EXPEDIANT DELIVERY AND THE QUALITY OF THE PURCHASE. THANKS TO ALL.
   Rating: 5 / 5