The Carols of Christmas: A Windham Hill Collection
Selected Artists
Rating: 3 1/2
When New Age meets Old Standard, the result is usually something worth remarking on.
Such is the case for Windham Hill's latest collection of Christmas Carols. Clocking in at
seventy-one minutes and sixteen songs in all, this is one compilation that is equally
appropriate for opening presents or relaxing after a long day of non-stop shopping. Each
piece is carefully crafted to maintain its original flavor, but at the same time, to reflect the
individual style of the performer. While every track is beautiful in its own right, most
noteable is the masterful rendition of "O Holy Night", performed by David Darling. You
won't find any uptempo tracks here, but chances are you will put this compilation at the
head of your annual Christmas Carol line up.
Celtic Christmas II: A Windham Hill Collection
Selected Artists
Rating: 4
For anyone with an interest in Irish music, this Holiday CD is a must-have! The fourteen
tracks include some of the richest, most beautiful Celtic music I have ever heard. Several
tracks are instrumentals, featuring the ethnic pipes, whistles and strings that make Irish
music unique and endear it to the world. Most vocals are sung in lyrical Gaelic, while a
few are in English. Many tracks are originals, specifically recorded for the compilation.
Though Celtic Christmas II is technically a holiday album, once you hear to these soulful
performances, you will want to play them again and again, the whole year round.
Twelve of Hawaii's celebrated slack key masters were brought together to create a unique
seasonal collection of Christmas music on this album. You have to be in the mood for
quiet acoustic type guitar music in order to really appreciate the CD or Cassette. The
thirteen tracks are mellow background music with several familiar carols and a few
Hawaiian songs. The album is mainly instrumental with only three vocal tunes. After the
first few tracks, the sound becomes a bit monotonous, but it's great for those times when
you're looking for non-intrusive music to open presents by, or have an uninterrupted
conversation. This holiday assortment wishes a Hawaiian style Mele Kalikimaka (Merry
Christmas) to people everywhere, and is definitely a different album to add to your
Christmas music collection.
