Clay Aiken - Merry Christmas With Love
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Free Music Notes for Merry Christmas With Love
Free Music Review: Merry Christmas With Love
Hit: 5 Stars
First, this album proves that Clay is ready for the big time. He creates a different atmosphere and mood for each song. It's a true reflection of his and the producer's creativity. This CD is a classic. Both Phil Ramone and Walter Afanasieff are Grammy Award winning producers and it shows. If Clay Aiken could teach a Master class in singing, this is what it would sound like.
O HOLY NIGHT - The CD starts out with the beautiful "O Holy Night." The song showcases Clay's beautiful tenor and great range. Only Michael Crawford could have equaled this effort. (Produced by Walter Afanasieff)
WINTER WONDERLAND - This has a jazzy style and feel to it. More up-tempo in style and mood. (Produced by Phil Ramone)
SILENT NIGHT - This one is sort of dark and haunting. Once again, Clay is Crawfordesque in style and presentation. If the Phantom could sing "Silent Night" it would sound something like this version. (Produced by Phil Ramone)
HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING/O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL - This song is light and cheerful. He gets the medley right. It has more of a traditional church feel. (Produced by Walter Afanasieff)
HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS - This one makes you want to just cozy up by the fireplace. Once again a slower jazzy rendition. (Prouduced by Phil Ramone)
MARY, DID YOU KNOW - This song has a light R&B touch, a more contemporary pop feel. This song is truly moving and you can tell that Clay really gets the meaning behind the words. (Produced by Walter Afanasieff)
JOY TO THE WORLD - This is another more classic church interpretation. This is the best version that I've heard. If want to sing this song properly, then definetly take note of Aiken's version. (Produced by Phil Ramone)
THE CHRISTMAS SONG (CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE) - Slow jazzy and sentimental. (Produced by Phil Ramone)
DON'T SAVE IT ALL FOR CHRISTMAS DAY - Clay does an excellent version of Celine Dion's song. This one also has a light R&B flavor to it, a more contemporary Pop influence. After hearing this, you'll know why Clay Aiken is the best Pop male vocalist of his generation. (Produced by Walter Afanasieff)
MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE - This is the title song. A solid Pop Christmas ballad. It really summarizes the feel and vibe of the album well. (Produced by Walter Afanasieff)
SLEIGH RIDE - You can practically hear the snow falling outside of your window. Just listening to this makes it feel like Christmas. I'm ready to put up my tree and drink a glass of eggnog. (Produced by Phil Ramone)
WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEAR'S EVE? - The perfect way to end the album and transition to the New Year. (Produced by Phil Ramone)
Free Music Review: Merry Christmas with Love, indeed!
Hit: 5 Stars
Wow!
This album is absolutely beautiful, honestly. I'm a Clay fan and I love Christmas music, so I expected to enjoy it, but it completely surpassed my expectations.
1. O Holy Night - Understated, reverential, and just beautiful. So many singers really go over the top on this song, and Clay doesn't.
2. Winter Wonderland - So romantic and sweet. This song could easily be corny, but it's gentle and slightly jazzy.
3. Silent Night - Solemn and joyful at the same time, which I didn't really think was possible. Clay's voice is heartbreakingly pure on this. Lovely.
4. Hark the Herald Angels Sing/O Come All Ye Faithful - I didn't expect to like this, because neither of these songs are particular favorites of mine, but I find myself absolutely loving this medley. O Come All Ye Faithful, especially, is gorgeous and moving.
5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - This is one of my favorite Christmas carols, and I enjoy it even more than I thought I would. Clay's voice really caresses the lyrics here.
6. Mary Did You Know? - I'd never heard this song before, but it's spectacular. Haunting and passionate and a definite standout. It has a very contemporary, gorgeous sound.
7. Joy to the World - This is probably my least favorite track, but that's kind of like choosing your least favorite child. Regardless, Clay does a good job here -- I just find the choir a little overpowering.
8. The Christmas Song - Jazzy and smooth and beautiful. This is another of my favorite Christmas songs ever, and I really like Clay's interpretation. Very, very nice.
9. Don't Save it All for Christmas Day - This is definitely my favorite track on the CD. Not only does it have an absolutely wonderful message, Clay's voice is sensational on it. The perfect mix of tenderness and power.
10. Merry Christmas with Love - This is another song I hadn't heard before, and I adore it. It's poignant and lovely and Clay sounds like he means every single word. Wonderful.
11. Sleigh Ride - This song is incredibly fun. It's bouncy and reminds me of some of the older singers -- sort of a Rat Pack-does-Christmas vibe, if that makes any sense whatsoever.
12. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? - This song finishes off the album perfectly. I love Harry Connick, Jr.'s version of it, but Clay's is even better. It's tender and sexy and hopeful and absolutely delicious.
So, long story short, I love this album, and highly recommend it. Go on, order it.
What are you waiting for? I said go!
Free Music Review: Merry Christmas with 1000 stars!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Major kudos to Tracy Gray's review. My sentiments exactly!!! For that reason i repost!!!
[quote]"I was eagerly awaiting this CD because I KNEW Clay's voice would fit a classicly arranged and produced Christmas CD like a glove. I also know of the depth of his faith in his beliefs, and while I don't share them, I am deeply moved by the earnestness and belief I hear in his voice on the Christian hymns on this CD. I almost hate to admit it, but Clay's sincerity and purity make me doubt what I thought I believed about God, or rather what I didn't believe.
The song "Mary, Did You Know" is especially touching and emotive, even for hethen like myself. The powerful upward lift at the end of "Joy To The World" back by the choir and led by Clay's razor-sharp and resonant tenor gave me shivers. Really amazing. All in all, I really, really like, no LOVE this CD, not for its producers, or its arrangement, or even for the songs, but for how it has lifted my spirit the past few days of listening. I'm not a music critic and have no knowledge of music, other than my initial gut reaction when I hear something.
Which is what most people gauge music's worth on anyway; how it makes them FEEL.
This CD focuses more on what Christmas really is meant to be, a celebration of Jesus' birthday and of the legacy of love we are supposed to uphold and carry out. It's funny that it took a Clay Aiken CD for that to sink into me. I really liked Clay anyway, but this CD just pulled the agnostic rug out from under my feet. It's crazy. I might even go to mass this year. What has this guy done to me? Yikes. Anyway, give it a listen and ignore the negative reviews. If you look at the people who gave it a negative review, they are just being pissy little immature idiots because Clay is kicking everyone else's (of the "Idol" alums) @ss in sales and popularity. While you can catch Kelly and the gang on Fox's forced Idol Christmas special coming up,
I'll be watching Clay's solo special on NBC in early December. I can't wait to see him perform some of these songs. If there is a single note on this CD that makes it really stand out, it's the end of "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day". I don't even know how to describe it. It's awe inspiring.
It just made me want to drive across town to see my 5 year old niece and tell her I love her and hold her. Thanks Clay for making my usually dismal holiday heartfelt and uplifting, and inspiring. Merry Christmas, With Love indeed." [end quote]
Free Music Review: I'm not surprised. I knew it would be beautiful.
Hit: 5 Stars
The beauty of this cd comes as no surprise to me now that I know more about his background. I just finished reading his first book "Learning to Sing, Hearing the music of your Life." This can be ordered here on Amazon.
He put songs on here that he loves to sing, and it shows. You'll love to have this playing as your decorating the tree or just sitting down to your Christmas dinner.
We have classical Christmas songs that everyone will know. "O,Holy Night" is gorgeous, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" has a very classic old sound to it. Clay really knows how to make a song special. The producers of this cd did an incredible job. My hats off to them for letting Clay be Clay.
Then we have some others that may not have been heard before. These are the songs that really hit me hard. Such as "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day" (which he performed live last year on the American Idol Christmas Special) that performance was amazing. His voice soars on this one. The glory note is to die for. Then there is a song "Mary Did You Know?" that I remember hearing a lot last year by Kenny Rodgers and Wynona Judd and I loved that song then. Clay's version came out on the "NBC's Sound of the Season" cd and it blew me away, I couldn't stop listening to it for days, it's beautiful (if you like beautiful songs and love people who can actually sing, this is it.) The background is slightly different on this cd, but still just as beautiful. Another standout song for me that I had never heard, is the title track, "Merry Christmas With Love." Clay had done this song as part of the Hometown Connection Show he was a part of years ago. I heard a recording of it last year and I loved it. I was hooked on it. And now that he has professionally recorded it, all I can say is WOW! I didn't think it could be improved upon. I was so wrong. It was so beautiful back then, but now it's glorious. I can't wait to see this performed live. Another new one I hadn't heard is "What are you doing New Years Eve?" This one has a romantic, classic sound of the olden days. This cd will be played for many years to come by my family.
So what I'm saying here is if you like a beautiful sound, a classic sound, with just a little extra thrown in, then you'll love this cd has much as a lot of these reviewers do. If you're looking for a pop or more edgy sound this cd is not for you.
Free Music Review: Thanks for the Christmas cheer CLAY!
Hit: 5 Stars
I was eagerly awaiting this CD because I KNEW Clay's voice would fit a classicly arranged and produced Christmas CD like a glove. I also know of the depth of his faith in his beliefs, and while I don't share them, I am deeply moved by the earnestness and belief I hear in his voice on the Christian hymns on this CD. I almost hate to admit it, but Clay's sincerity and purity make me doubt what I thought I believed about God, or rather what I didn't believe. The song "Mary, Did You Know" is especially touching and emotive, even for hethen like myself. The powerful upward lift at the end of "Joy To The World" back by the choir and led by Clay's razor-sharp and resonant tenor gave me shivers. Really amazing. All in all, I really, really like, no LOVE this CD, not for its producers, or its arrangement, or even for the songs, but for how it has lifted my spirit the past few days of listening. I'm not a music critic and have no knowledge of music, other than my initial gut reaction when I hear something. Which is what most people gauge music's worth on anyway; how it makes them FEEL. This CD focuses more on what Christmas really is meant to be, a celebration of Jesus' birthday and of the legacy of love we are supposed to uphold and carry out. It's funny that it took a Clay Aiken CD for that to sink into me. I really liked Clay anyway, but this CD just pulled the agnostic rug out from under my feet. It's crazy. I might even go to mass this year. What has this guy done to me? Yikes. Anyway, give it a listen and ignore the negative reviews. If you look at the people who gave it a negative review, they are just being pissy little immature idiots because Clay is kicking everyone else's (of the "Idol" alums) @ss in sales and popularity. While you can catch Kelly and the gang on Fox's forced Idol Christmas special coming up, I'll be watching Clay's solo special on NBC in early December. I can't wait to see him perform some of these songs. If there is a single note on this CD that makes it really stand out, it's the end of "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day". I don't even know how to describe it. It's awe inspiring. It just made me want to drive across town to see my 5 year old niece and tell her I love her and hold her. Thanks Clay for making my usually dismal holiday heartfelt and uplifting, and inspiring. Merry Christmas, With Love indeed.