Christmas Albumby Anonymous

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February 13, 2005: When I first listened to this CD, I knew I was going to give it to my best friend for Christmas. How about you: Do you like the Andrews Sisters for one and the Four Freshmen for another? Then the Manhattan Transfer, with their two female and two male harmonists, will give you the best of both worlds: On this CD, they present themselves as the legit heirs of the two abovementioned swing era greats. But they go beyond that, with symphonic orchestral arrangements that stretch harmonies and progressions in a way Claude Thornhill would not have in his day. Now why Claude Thornhill for an historical reference? Because it is his signature piece, "Snowfall," that opens this CD. A dessert for an appetizer--unusual, but it does set the mood. All in all, the CD presents a neat cross-section of Holiday favorites in America during the 20th century. The Manhattan Transfer version of "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" is the present-day complement to the vintage Nat King Cole recording. "Have yourself a merry little Christmas" comes with the lyrics made popular by Judy Garland rather than the more wistful wartime lyrics sung by Frank Sinatra. The only disappointment is the concluding Lennon & McCartney pop ballad, "Goodnight," which is not up to the more sophisticated standards set by the other pieces. The spoken fill-in children's voices cannot salvage this misfit. Oh well... but wasn't there a more refined dessert right at the beginning of the CD? There you go: Set the play mode to auto repeat, that'll work--it worked for my best friend.

This review was written about the CD edition.