![]() ![]() There's a feeling I get every year around Christmastime, and TSO "director" Paul O'Neill (who produces Savatage's albums) captured it exactly on this CD. You probably already know this from reading other reviews, but Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is the alter ego of Savatage, a mostly heavy metal/progressive rock band whose albums tend to lean toward the "concept" side of creativity, which is to say they're generally quite a few notches above most music these days.and often contain flashes of brilliance not found anywhere else on the planet. "From the enchanting cover art right through to the last notes of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," the last track, Christmas Eve and Other Stories is a rare delight.In fact, although this is supposed to be a Christmas album, I find I can listen to it year 'round (as I am right now and it's August 31st). Sentimental, occasionally bombastic, but as high-concept as holiday albums can be. On this CD, angelic vocal solos (on numbers such as "The Prince of Peace") are interspersed with driving instrumentals. Filled with electric guitar solos, plenty of synthesized keyboards, a children's choir, and lively drumming, Christmas Eve can only be compared to one other record, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other holiday disc, The Christmas Attic. Is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas Eve and Other Stories a holiday rock opera? Or perhaps just a holiday prog-rock disc? Or maybe it's New Age? Whatever the case may be, this isn't your typical Christmas album. Backing Vocals - Danielle Lander, Jeffrey Stackhouse, LaTasha Spencer, Nancy Jackson, Peggy Harley, Peter Valentine, Timothy Carosi, Zak Stevens/ Cello - Mary Wooten /Choir - Adrian Ross, Beth Butler, Cabiria Jacobson, Caroline Ross, Joseph Murray, Nigel Tangredi, Rachel Rosenfield, Warren Wilson/ Co-producer, Engineer - Bob Kinkel /Conductor - Anthony Piccolo/ Engineer - Dominick Barbera, John Seymour, Steve Sola /Engineer - Ben Arrindell, James Carabello, Matt Thrasher /French Horn - John Clark /Mastered By - Kevin Hodge /Producer - Paul O'Neill/ Recorded By, Mixed By - Dave Wittman /Vocals - Babi Floyd, John Margolis, Ken Williams, Marlene Danielle, Michael Fawcette, Thomas Faresse/ Written By - Bob Kinkel, Jon Oliva/ Written By, Written By - Paul O'NeillĠ2 O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night (Instrumental)Ġ6 A Mad Russian's Christmas (Instrumental)Ġ8 Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (Instrumental) ![]()
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