TIS THE SEASON.... POST SCRIPT.











There are hundreds of Christmas albums out there, by artists of all genres and eras, and of varying quality - i love reggae, but i don't want to hear festive classics performed in a laid-back Caribbean style -, but i think that most music lovers agree on one thing: A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector is the best Christmas album ever made. You'd need to have a heart of stone not to be swept up in the joyful harmonies and Spectors' trademark Wall Of Sound mono production, with its layers of multiple instrumentation. I've always thought that sound had a festive feel to it already, but with added sleighbells and chimes it sounds like tinsel, turkey and Christmas trees. Taking perennial favourites such as "White Christmas", "Frosty The Snowman", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer", and having artists from the Spector stable perform them - The Crystals, The Ronnettes, Darlene Love, Bob B.Soxx And The Blue Jeans - was a stroke of genius. Although the album wasn't a huge success when first released in 1963, it has subsequently been recognised as a classic. Its songs evoke a simpler, more innocent age. Even the relatively downbeat theme of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love (the only original song on the album) manages to raise some holiday cheer. If you don't already own this magnificent collection, shame on you. Go and buy it. You won't be disappointed.








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