Anne Murray Album: “What a Wonderful Christmas”

This new album collects almost all of Anne's Christmas recordings from today and yesterday and refashions them into a truly sparkling holiday package. All the music on this album is splendidly presented with sparkling vocals and highly varied accompaniment. Anne mixes just what you'd expect from a Christmas album with a lot you might not. She's great at taking the traditional, the surprising and the eye-winking and blending it all into a great big musical plum pudding. This album will fly off the shelves as fast as Santa's sled and become one of the biggest Christmas sellers in history. You will LOVE it.

Un Noël sans Anne Murray ne serait pas un vrai Noël. Année après année, elle fait partie de nos traditions familiales.

For years now I'm a big fan of Anne and allready owning her "Christmas wishes" CD, I was very excited to finally own almost all of her Christmas recordings. Anne's beautiful warm alto voice was made to sing Christmas music. It brings you instantely into the Christmas spirit with a nice mix of Christmas classics and a few less well known songs. Some songs have a nice gospel touch about them. It's just 1 and a half hour of pure listening pleasure. Anne does it again!

Anne Murray might have received the most publicity in recent years for being the target of the warth of the animated citizens of South Park, but the Canadian songbird has put out a series of wonderful Christmas albums. "What a Wonderful Christmas" proves this a 2-CD collection of 28 songs that range from the religious standards ("O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Silent Night") to the coventional seasonal songs ("Winter Wonderland," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Silver Bells"), and popular kiddie carols in a nice couple of medleys. In addition, you will be introduced to some non-traditional numbers such as "Christmas Wishes, "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," and "Go Tell It on the Mountain." What Murray amply demonstrates on this 2001 album is that she is equally strong whichever type of song she is singing. Murray did triple duty as an arranger and producer on this album, which featurs the string section of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian Brass supporting what is bascially an accoustic setting. Obviously with all it has to offer "What a Wonderful Christmas" qualifies as the one Anne Murray Christmas album you want to have if for some reason you think you should only have one.

This latest addition to our Christmas collection is welcome. Anne has a distinct sound, and her settings and expression of these Christmas favorites had everyone last evening singing along.

It has a nice sprinkling of seasonal music, e.g. medley of such as Here Comes Santa, Jolly Ole St. Nick, etc. Plus all the carols that the season should be and in most parts of world are: Silent Night, Away in a Manger.

Can you get any better rendition of "Go Tell It On the Mountain"? The accompanying musicians are excellent, especially the guitars and backup vocal harmonizations are so nice.

This is wonderful addition to anyone's Christmas joy. If you like this, also try out Alan Jackson's "Let It Be Christmas".