Andrea Bocelli's first-ever Christmas album was worth the wait! These songs stun me with their beauty and natural charm. Bocelli is in excellent form here and the duets are equally beautiful. The songs on this album are all nothing short of perfect; and Bocelli's ability to perform a wide variety of holiday music impresses me even more. The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is very nicely done.
If you like Andrea Bocelli, then you won't go wrong with his new CD. It's simply beautiful.
Some of my favorite songs are "White Christmas" which Andrea sings very beautifly (it truly comes from his heart and soul) and "Angels We Have Heard on High" which is perfect for the operatic qualities of his voice (I love it). In addition, "The Lord's Prayer" is simply breathtaking, as The Mormon Tabernacle Choir joins Bocelli; and I really like listening to "Adeste Fidelis" with its lush musical arrangement. "Cantique De Noel" is also sang very nicely, in French, and he sings "O Tannenbaum" in three different languages at the same time (German, English, Italian) in one track. However, my absolute favorite is "Caro Gesu Bambino", it's just perfect.
But, there are songs that aren't quite so religious, perfect for children, families and really anyone to enjoy. Like "The Christmas Song", for example, which Bocelli sings with Natalie Cole and "Blue Christmas" which he sings with such passion I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon and Reba McEntire's vocals enhance "Blue Christmas" all the more. Songs like "Santa Claus is coming to town" are perfect for children and adults alike, but "Jingle Bells" which is performed with the voices of The Muppets is definitely what will make the most impact on them!
The other duets are equally wonderful. Mary J. Blige sounds amazing with Bocelli on "What Child Is This" (it's a major highlight of this CD) and Katherine Jenkins provides excellent vocals to go with Bocelli's voice on "I Believe". Just geat!
Andrea Bocelli and the other artists on this album rank very, very favorably in my book; this is a stunning holiday CD that is an instant classic, thanks to their incredible talent. I highly recommend this album for anyone who enjoys a mixture of religious holiday music along with other Christmas songs that are more secular and playful.