|
|
Post by boogieboarder on May 14, 2023 17:21:29 GMT -5
Recorded in June 1964 (except for "Little Saint Nick" in Oct. 1963), this album contained 5 original Brian Wilson-Mike Love Christmas themed songs, plus one Brian Wilson original song, six Christmas "standards," and the New Year's Eve traditional "Auld Lang Syne" with a spoken-word voiceover. Recorded just after the All Summer Long album, The Beach Boys originals sound just like their sun-in-the-fun 1964 offerings, but the Christmas standards were recorded with a full orchestra by Four Freshman arranger Reynolds. This album is similar, in a way, to the side-1 up tempo, side-2 introspective ballad nature of their next secular album "The Beach Boys Today," a formula they never followed since.  |
|
|
|
Post by drbeachboy (Dirk) on May 14, 2023 21:04:48 GMT -5
I gave it an 8. I wish they had put more time into recording it. Side one could have sounded a bit more Christmassy instead of the bare-bones instrumentation. Favorites are Little Saint Nick, Merry Christmas Baby and Iβll Be Home For Christmas.
Also, I think you can add Love You to the fast side, slow side albums.
|
|
|
|
Post by Awesoman on May 15, 2023 6:49:20 GMT -5
It's a classic Christmas staple whenever I get my Christmas compilation out. "Little Saint Nick" never gets old for me and the other original songs are mostly not bad. Then you have all the traditional Christmas songs all decked out in 1940's orchestral magic that are utterly timeless.
For the full experience I'd seek out the expanded πππ‘ππππ‘π πΆβπππ π‘πππ compilation or any of the follow-up compilations with mostly the same tracks. Although most of the 1970's Christmas tracks are rather mediocre and forgettable, you do get the amazing Dennis Wilson track "Morning Christmas" which had somehow been laid criminally dormant and unreleased up until this compilation came out.
So nothing really bad to say about this one so long as you like Christmas albums.
|
|
|
|
Post by boogieboarder on May 15, 2023 9:42:05 GMT -5
It drives me nuts, because I have the empty CD case for Ultimate Christmas, but the CD is missing, probably misplaced in the wrong jewel case. I could probably buy a new one, but then the old one would turn up.
|
|
