I have been a fan of Brad since 2004 and I have eagerly awaited a Christmas album. Well after 7 years of being on the scene, here it is and I believe it was well worth the wait.
1. Winter Wonderland- 8/10 This is song is NOT my favorite Christmas song and that is the only reason I give it an 8. Brad's voice superb and any country music fan with information about the Opry members will love the Jim Ed Brown line that is thrown in there
2. Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy- 10/10 In this Buck Owens' cover, Brad shines. I have only heard the original a few times, but this version makes me think of Buck and of Brad and Buck's relationship.
3. I'll Be Home for Christmas-10/10 Brad's voice gave me chills. His voice is definitely at its best here. It's an amazing version of the this song, and even if you hate this song, you'll be sure to enjoy Brad's version.
4. Away in a Manger-9/10 When I heard the electric guitar at the beginning, I thought "Oh no...please no..." because I've had this song ruined before by another country artist. Luckily, the electric guitar fades away by the time Brad starts singing. The electric guitar does persist throughout, but it is not overally powerful and complements Brad's singing rather than detracting from it.
5. Penguin, James Penguin- 10/10 Brad Paisley and Frank Rogers penned this instant child favorite. Any adult will enjoy as well. It tells of a secret agent bird. The story line is reminiscent of Rudolph, but not too much. It definitely has some great lines in it.
6. 364 Days to Go-8/10 I have this song on an exclusive Target cd released last year (and in 2001) as well as this cd. In the Target cd, the song seems different than this version. The beginning is different and the kid's voice at the end is also different. I prefer the Target version over this version. The song is still definitely worth a listen, and to those who don't have the Target cd, the differences won't bother you at all.
7. Jingle Bells [Instrumental]- 10/10 Brad has always included an instrumental on his albums and this album is no different. This instrumental reminds me of Nervous Breakdown off of "Who Needs Pictures". So if you're sick of normal Jingle Bells, give this one a listen. It even has the "Hey!"'s.
8. Silent Night-10/10 For this one, it is mainly Brad and the acoustic guitar. I was hoping for that and Brad didn't disappoint. The song is absolutely remarkable.
9. Born on Christmas Day-11/10. This is by far the best song on the album for any Brad fan. Born on Christmas Day was the first song Brad ever wrote. He penned it as a 12 year old. The song starts out with a recording from when he was 13 making is Jamboree debut. His voice as a 13 year old is amazing. After the first chorus, it goes to Brad today as a 33 year old. Towards the end, it goes to both the 13 year old version and the 33 year old version as a duet. The song is stunning and after wanting to hear this song for so long, I cried like a baby the first time I heard it. It is truely remarkable writing for anyone, especially a 12 year old boy!
10. Silver Bells- 7/10 I don't agree with the placement of this song. Brad's voice is great, but where the song is just makes me not really listen to it. So if you're listening to this cd, listen to this song BEFORE you listen to Born on Christmas Day; otherwise you too won't be too impressed by it.
11. Kung Pao Buckaroo Holiday- 10/10 For a third time, The Kung Pao's are getting together. This one is for a completely non-offensive polictically correct holiday. This is a funny track, but it made me sad because there is so much truth to it. So it was weird, laughing and feeling somewhat sad at the same time. But really, it is quite good.
Overall this album I say gets 9.8 stars out of 10. It was great and it made me wish that this cd was like Time Well Wasted track wise. I hope one day Brad will record another Christmas cd because this one was absolutely amazing! So definitely go pick up this album. The songs are superb and hey, I have fun listening to them even in October!
Finally Somebody Has The Balls To Say Merry Christmas, Thank You Brad Paisley. Kung Pao Holiday Is Great CHRISTMAS Song, Yes I Said CHRISTMAS.
When Everybody Else Is Worried About Being P.C.They Say Happy Holiday.
Brad Show Us How Stupid This Sounds. This Album Is Full Of Great Christmas Stuff That Will Be Heard Around My House This Year And Years To Come.
The Name Of The CD Is CHRISTMAS, So Don't Be Afraid Of Offending Anyone, JUST SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS. Because It Is Christmas Day Not Holiday Day.
Way To Go Brad - You Are The Man.
This is a great Christmas album by Brad Paisley. It is complete with traditional hymns and new songs written by Paisley. "Born on Christmas Day" is a song that Paisley wrote and performed when he was 13 years old, The song on the CD has the original recording (when he was 13) and a recording of Paisley singing it now. Very touching - it gave me goosebumps! There is also a silly song at the end of the record about being politically correct when talking about Christmas. It is meant to be over-the-top sarcastic, not to be taken literally. I found it very enjoyable! I HIGHLY recommend this album!
Heard songs from this album several times on Pandora and finally had to buy it... love it!
Great CD especially the track where Brad is a young boy singing a song he wrote. Good mix of songs.
