What I Really Want For Christmas

[the captain]

With time having passed and me having had a good chance to listen over and over, here's what I think of this album.

It's nice. Some parts are really good, others less. None of it is brilliant. Less of it sucks than any other Brian album since Love You (not counting BWPS, of which I love all). It isn't in any way cool, and it doesn't matter--Brian's fucking old. Who cares if he's cool? He wasn't even cool when he was young, as far as I can tell. He made a nice, easy-going Christmas album and it has some moments of Brian. Good enough for me. I'd rather have him keep putting out one album of this quality every year or two than to disappear: I can always take the tracks I like and make mix discs, after all.

[Jim McShane]

My point (made with tongue firmly in cheek) is that entirely uncritical gushing over Brian's released output has its place. I was merely indicating the direction of said location. 

I said I was pretty tired of many of the traditional carols. But I am thrilled to have the two new songs, I think WIRWFC is absolutely amazing and Christmasey isn't too far behind. I think this disc has the ultimate version of "The Man With All The Toys", and I like the "Auld Lang Syne" on it as much as any in the BBs catalog - which says a lot. I like Jeffrey Foskett's solo (& maybe the BBs) "Little Saint Nick" versions better, although this one is good. I like having a good quality recording of "On Christmas Day". Some sections of some of the traditional carols are nice, the "surprise" at the end of WWYAMC for one, and I like all of "O Holy Night" - probably because it doesn't get played to death and I'm not sick of it. I never listen to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen".

That hardly qualifies as "gushing", eh? 

My opinion now is pretty much as it was then - about 1/3 of the CD is fantastic, another 1/3 is good and fun for an occasional listen, and the last 1/3 - I'm just so tired of hearing those songs...

Pretty damn good for a Christmas album, if you ask me. In fact, I think I'll go listen to some cuts from it right now.

[the captain]

Pretty damn good for a Christmas album, if you ask me.

I think that's the best way to describe it--for me, anyway. I HATE Christmas albums and music, with the exception of Spector's and some of the Motown Christmas stuff. I am OK with the BBs, and this album has music as good as or better than various bits of the aforementioned. Anything that can make me listen to Christmas music can't be all bad.

[Aegir]

We Wish You a Merry Christmas is awesome. I love the end part, Jeff's insane backing vocals especially. OoooOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOooooOoooO! And listen to that flute, it's wild. The very end with those children and then that weird sound, hillarious.

[Jim McShane]

We Wish You a Merry Christmas is awesome. I love the end part, Jeff's insane backing vocals especially. OoooOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOooooOoooO! And listen to that flute, it's wild. The very end with those children and then that weird sound, hillarious.

That is cool, with Brian's young kids and their greeting followed by Paul von Mertens "laughing" harmonica. Pretty clever production!

I'm so glad Brian didn't try to do this CD on his own. Without the band's singing and playing (how about PVM's sax in "Man With All The Toys"?) and their obvious influence on production this could have gone down in flames quite easily.

[Wilsonista]

I listened to this the other night. It was only my 4th time listening to it.

I give it a 2.  Brian sings better on this album but he actually manages to make a worse CD than GIOMH. Hell, Imagination might be better than the Xmas disc.

Sorely disappointed. 

[the captain]

I listened to this the other night. It was only my 4th time listening to it.

I give it a 2.  Brian sings better on this album but he actually manages to make a worse CD than GIOMH. Hell, Imagination might be better than the Xmas disc.

Sorely disappointed. 

Wow, I strongly disagree with that penultimate sentence. Two of the last three, in fact. What is it that you find worse than those two discs? To me, the one thing I could see as worse would be the song selection--as I've said, I don't like Christmas songs much, so there is only so much you can do to perform and produce a song that I don't like to my satisfaction. But other than that, I think the performances, arrangements and production are all far, far better than either of the two aforementioned. Everyone has his own taste, but I'm curious to hear the logic that led to yours.

[Wilsonista]

First of all, there are too damn many hymns on the CD.  Those songs aren't conducive to Brian's style - they felt too long to me.

Secondly, there were instances where I thought "is he kidding?" Turning God Rest Ye Merry gentleman into a TV western theme song doesn't work for me, sorry! Deck the Halls as a limbo?? Good God!!!  The arramngements, both vocal and track seem perfunctory to me. Nothing offensive, but nothing that really stands out. It's just... there.  The 2 new originals, nice songs but the guy can do better.

Where he does score is on the remake of MWATT. The BB version always sounded incomplete to me, so I actually think he improved on that one. Plus I love that bit of Joy To The World at the end of MWATT - that sounds like Pure Pied Piper from the Faraway Land of Night and it's great! THAT is what is missing from this CD and that is what's been missing from Brian's music since he married Melinda - that goofy eccentricity.

But if others dig this disc, I'm not going to rain on their parade. I'll let Ian do that. 

[the captain]

Fair enough, although I really think that there isn't a lot you can do when you're working with Christmas songs. You said it yourself, too many hymns.

I think some of the loss of eccentricity might be more than his marriage...I think it's time. You don't find many 60-somethings who are breaking boundaries. I mean no offense by it, but I think he's settled into the role of really good, professional composer and arranger, and all-around pop legend. I don't think it is fair to expect much new ground to be broken at this point, though.


As for "just there, nothing offensive," I think you are mostly right. But I think there were moments of Imagination (production) and GIOMH (bg vox) where they WERE offensive. So it's an improvement to me.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Plus I love that bit of Joy To The World at the end of MWATT...

I though that was a bit of a James Watt moment, given the considerable superiority of the Wilson/Thomas version.

[Wilsonista]

Plus I love that bit of Joy To The World at the end of MWATT...

I though that was a bit of a James Watt moment, given the considerable superiority of the Wilson/Thomas version.

You're joking, right? The Thomas versionis offensively bland, to me.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Plus I love that bit of Joy To The World at the end of MWATT...

I though that was a bit of a James Watt moment, given the considerable superiority of the Wilson/Thomas version.

You're joking, right? The Thomas versionis offensively bland, to me.

Nope - best vocals on the album.

[Wilsonista]

To each their own, I guess.

That version puts me sleep.

[Rocker]

I have to agree with AGD (hey that sounds cool ). The vocals on the Thomas-version of "Joy to the world" are the best on the album and it also sounds very moody and not that much "joyful". I alos like that they put a part of JTW at the end of TMWATT, because it gives the record some kind of togetherness, know what I mean?

[drlandy]

My favorite x-mas album:

THE MAN WITH ALL THE TOYS by Brian Gari!

[the captain]

I am, out of nowhere, listening to this again now. And I am a bit, uh, in the holiday spirit, so to speak. And I can't help but say I think this is a really nice album. And the new songs are good. Nothing crazy, nothing about "the best songs ever" or anything. But it is a good little Christmas album. And I HATE Christmas albums.

[Jim McShane]

I am, out of nowhere, listening to this again now. And I am a bit, uh, in the holiday spirit, so to speak. And I can't help but say I think this is a really nice album. And the new songs are good. Nothing crazy, nothing about "the best songs ever" or anything. But it is a good little Christmas album. And I HATE Christmas albums.

I took it out a week ago and played it - every time I hear the acapella opening of WIRWFC I get goosebumps. To me, that one has made it into the "best songs ever" category. A lot of credit has to go to Bernie Taupin - those lyrics are fantastic. And the band... hearing them sing "Peace is more than just a sentimental card"... wow... Magnificent.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Listening to this album again, since next month is Christmas. I love it.  One thing I must mention is that this version of "Man with all the toys" IMHO is far superior to the original, as the original to these ears sounded unfinished.

I love Brian's vocals on this too.

[Lonely Summer]

Love the arrangements, love the group vocals, Brian's voice is in good form, and WIRWFC is his best song in years (I even got the 7 inch vinyl). I can listen to this album any time of year, but it is especially good at Christmas. Really puts a Scrooge like me in the holiday spirit. A fresh take on the old carols and spirituals, and a couple BB's remakes, and some new songs. "Bah! Humbug!"?? More like "hallelujah!"

[theduke]

I enjoyed this collection from the first listen, and my appreciation of it grows with each subsequent hearing. brian sounds sincerely engaged and the arrangements are great. fits nicely among his best work as a producer. love the title track.

[The Heartical Don]

On the Spector/Wilson Xmas album debate, I do think that Linett has gotten great, clearer sounds from the instruments without losing their power, which I prefer. As much as the wall of sound interests me, I can't listen to it for too long. Too muddy. That said, I do prefer Spector's overall.

Meaning my overall Christmas album rankings go:

1) Spector
2) BW
3) BB
4) God, I hate Christmas and its albums, so nothing else even counts as music to me.

Luther. I must have a word with you here. Now, I know that you mostly write in slightly drunk. But that is no excuse for looking down on these:



and:

[TdHabib]

Overrated by the Blueboarders and underrated by almost everyone else. Not the best Christmas album, but close. Many good tunes and some duds. "Silent Night" sucks, plain and simple; "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" was never a great song; "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" isn't very strong...

Great ones include the title track with beautiful harmonies, the excellent remake of "The Man with all the Toys," "The First Noel" with an excellent Brian vocal, "Christmassey" which is BWPS meets SMiLE," a moving "O Holy Night" and "On Christmas Day," which might be the best Christmas song of the last 10 years and Brian's best seasonal offering from 1999-2008. Why wasn't that the starter for this LP??!!  "Joy to the World" is also very good, moody and atmospheric, but Joe Thomas deserves a credit?!

The TdHabib mix of WIRWFC is this:
Side One-uptempo
1. On Christmas Day
2. The Man With all the Toys
3. Little Saint Nick
4. Hark
5. Deck the Halls
6. Christmassey

Side two-downtempo
7. WIRWFC
8. Joy to the World
9. O Holy Night
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. The First Noel
12. Auld Lang Syne

That makes for a truly special holiday offering...

[Andrew G. Doe]

Just listened for the first time since last December. The two new songs have worn well... "JTTW" is still the best track by a country mile... otherwise, disposable. Brian's vocals are by and large, oddly strident. Eh.

[Wirestone]

Have to say AGD -- I love ya, but your affection for the JT-helmed JTTW always bemuses me. It's just so -- eh. A bland synth wash backing, slurry autotuned Brian vocals, and a general air of slapped-together-in-an-afternoon laziness. I mean, no one could bother to look up the second verse of the song? Really?

[Wilsonista]

I hated the JT/Brian version of Joy To The World. Sleepy, sleazy listening. It's inoffensiveness is offensive. Now the snippet on the tag of the Man With All The Toys screams Quirky Brian. Quirky Brian, if it were up to him, would have farted all over the Joe Thomas track. Might have actually improved it, in fact.