Treasury of Christmas: Evergreen
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Edition: Music CDCD Release Date: 2003-09-23
Music Label: Time Life Records
Soundtracks:
- The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) - Celine Dion
- O Holy Night - Mariah Carey
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Kenny Loggins
- Silver Bells - Martina McBride
- I'll Be Home For Christmas - Vince Gill
- Do You Hear What I Hear? - Destiny's Child feat. Kelly Rowland
- Joy to the World - Michael Bolton
- O Come All Ye Faithful - Luther Vandross
- Baby It's Cold Outside - Vanessa Williams with Bobby Caldwell
- White Christmas - Donna Summer
- Sleigh Ride - Neil Diamond
- Silent Night - Gloria Estefan
- I Wonder As I Wander - Linda Ronstadt
- Jingle Bells - Willie Nelson
- Three Ships - Cyndi Lauper
- Last Christmas - Wham!
- What Child Is This - John Denver
- Away in the Manger - Mannheim Steamroller
Free Music Notes for Treasury of Christmas: Evergreen
Free Music Review: Evergreen Needs to Ripen into a Classic
Hit: 3 Stars
The "Evergreen" in this compilation's title was probably meant to imply a timeless or classic quality, but it's more apt to describe the music publishers' pockets at Time-Life. It wouldn't be wrong to regard The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas as one huge music library with a bottomless catalogue of holiday songs constantly rearranged into a "play list" of CD releases. With so many titles out there, and so many of the same songs from the same artist appearing in different collections, it becomes overwhelming and ultimately silly to own all the versions.
I can think of one or two editions from this prolific library that's a must have. "The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: Evergreen" released in 2003, may be the most distinguishable of the releases, but it may not necessarily be the best. Eschewing the older generation of crooners, Evergreen favors a more contemporary line-up of mostly 80's Pop artists, with some Country and R&B thrown into the mix. Not to alienate the earlier age group, artists like Neil Diamond, Willie Nelson, John Denver, Linda Ronstadt and Donna Summer also make an appearance.
Eighteen tracks altogether, Evergreen exploits Christmas nostalgia for the next generation of adults who may not have grown up on the Yuletide staples sung by Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Andy Williams, and the like. Nat King Cole or Mel Torme's version is still preferable, but Celine Dion manages to rein in her vocal showboating long enough to give "The Christmas Song" its subtle due. Christmas tunes are best handled with a light touch, which is why Neil Diamond's voice is too strident to pull off "Sleigh Ride", and no amount of piano twinkling and undulating violins can smooth over Donna Summer's far too earnest rendition of "White Christmas".
Mariah Carey practically phones it in with "O Holy Night" - that is until she pierces the holy night with her signature octave shriek. It isn't necessarily ruinous, but it certainly adds nothing to a song whose last verse requires a passionate and measured crescendo instead of a psychotic rapture. Destiny's Child adds a new R&B twist to "Do You Hear What I Hear", even going so far as adding an improvisational bridge, which sadly doesn't save the song from its bland and watered down vocal arrangement.
While successfully mangling "Joy to the World", it occurred to me that Michael Bolton's voice should be marketed as an emetic. With every hand wringing note, I was imagining what the baby Jesus would do, and I could only hope his modest manger was scotch guarded like my sofa.
Nevertheless, this CD isn't all bad news and middling efforts. The Celtic rhythm in Cyndi Lauper's "Three Ships" retains much of the traditional aura of this ancient tune. Wham! may have created a trapped-in-the-80's Yuletide Pop ballad with "Last Christmas", but I credit George Michael for being ambitious enough to write his own material. Vince Gill captures the wistful magic of the holidays in "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and the late Luther Vandross gives a soulful rendition of "O Come all Ye Faithful". Elsewhere, John Denver's understated melancholy in "What Child is this" is a touching highlight; Gloria Estefan does a passable "Silent Night", while Mannheim Steamroller closes out the CD with an unusually stark and meditative instrumental of "Away in the Manger".
This multi-genre CD has a little something for everyone, yet it's still barely satisfying. Maybe my traditional leanings for the older balladeers skew this compilation out of my favor, but a more carefully chosen play list with less attention to various musical styles may have benefited this collection. The liner notes attempt to explain how "the Christmas spirit radiates despite changing times, tastes and temperatures". The adult-contemporary, sorely dated 80's backdrop not only nullifies this sentiment, it practically reveals the crass artificiality that most often lies beneath this holiday season. I'll barely recommend this CD, but definitely not at full price; look for it in the clearance bins.
Treasury of Christmas: Evergreen Poster
In the vein of adult contemporary music comes this 18-song set that wants to be all things to all mainstream boomers with tastes running from the gentle pop of Kenny Loggins' "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" to Celine Dion's and Michael Bolton's trademark over-the-top renditions of "The Christmas Song" and "Joy To the World," respectively. There's even a hint of urban contemporary music-making with Destiny's Child's "Do you Hear What I Hear?" and Mariah Carey's vocal tour-de-force of "O Holy Night." In between you can find little gems by Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, a beatific "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Luther Vandross, and others. The only things that don't quite seem to fit are Wham!'s Anglo-pop ("Last Christmas") and Mannheim Steamroller's ostentatiously-produced instrumental "Away in the Manger." Still at 18 tracks, this might pack a lot more heat and value as a stocking stuffer than another Jerry Garcia tie or Martha Stewart knick-knack. --Martin KellerMiscellaneous Music CDs
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