Carly Simon - Christmas Is Almost Here (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

Great C.D.!!

mjones1989 | Texas, United States | 11/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a beautiful c.d. It's simple and understated in some ways and in some ways it's bigger and bolder than any other Christmas recording on the market. Carly Simon makes music that is "stripped back" and intimate. The miracle, the mystery, the seeking and the celebration are all components that Carly Simon has put in front of the listener. The spiritual Christmas songs like "Silent Night", "O Come, All Ye Faithful", are treated with grace and tenderness. The soulful, "Twelve Gates To the City" is a song you'll find yourself singing over and over. Carly Simon's arrangement of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" is just great! The reggae beat along with Ben Taylor, her son, make this a classic remake.The Christmas standards "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "I'll be Home for Christmas" are just beautiful. Carly knows how to take a standard and put her stamp on it without taking away from the song."The Land of Christmas (Mary)" is a song that Carly wrote and is probably one of the best songs she has written in years. It has all the qualities that you expect from a self-penned song by Carly. It's a great song with lots of emotion and soul."Christmas is Almost Here" written by Livingston Taylor, "Pretty Paper" a duet with Willie Nelson and John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War is Over) are all well preformed by Carly and very enjoyable."Heaven" is the song on this c.d. that brings it all together. Written by Lucy Simon (her sister) and Carly, it sets a tone that puts a "yearning" in the listener's heart to experience the miracle, the mystery, the celebration, the search and the Savior.This is a c.d. that will be played and enjoyed for years to come."

Lovely and intimate

Lee Armstrong | 10/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Carly Simon's strength as a singer is her direct emotional connection with the material, even if, as on some her standards albums, and sometimes her own compositions, her voice isn't up to the technical demands of the song. It's the honesty of her interpretations that forgive the flat or weak note, or coarse tone, here and there. "Christmas Is Almost Here" is an intimate stripped down record, and puts Carly Simon, the singer, front and center, with all her flaws and virtues intact -- which all become inseparable. This is an album of immediate rugged beauty, and there's nothing here that feels overblown or gimmicky. The material is eclectic, yet the whole album has a unified feel. And yes, it's a holiday record, but not in the lush romantic sense. It feels like a get-together -- which it was -- of exemplary musicians performing Christams songs new and old, and its raw simplicity makes it that much more memorable. It's rare that a Christmas album can feel uncliched, but here it is. Not only a joy to listen to for this and Christmas' ahead, but it's an essential addition to the recording legacy of Carly Simon."

Would have benefited from studio recording

A. Peters | Near Chicago, United States | 12/28/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In the liner notes, Carly Simon discusses how the album was recorded in a hotel room in LA during January 2002. She adds how the basic tapes were produced, mastered and ultimately released over the ensuing nine months. I am normally a devoted fan of Carly Simon, but the sound quality of this album suffers from the original sessions having been recorded on a notebook computer. No amount of remastering could overcome the flawed basic tracks. This album would have benefited from studio recording, which may have precluded some of the harshness that is readily apparent in first listening. Carly, please, rerecord this album. We miss your "signature" quality sound. And shame on Rhino for passing this off on the public at full price!"

Christmas Pleasure

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 12/29/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Carly Simon has put together a handsome Christmas treat. This set is pared down without a lot of production flourishes. The set opens with former brother-in-law Livingston Taylor's soft and gentle tune "Christmas Is Almost Here," "When hope is almost gone, a distant light appears; Christmas is almost here." "O Come All Ye Faithful" allows Carly's voice whose timbre has always been among the most beautiful to shine through. Joel Shearer's electric dobro allows the inner strength of the tune to shine in Carly's voice rather than with dozens of horns. "See I need a way to pass through the pain," Carly sings on her own "The Land of Christmas." Carly sang "Silent Night" on the ABC Christmas special from Rockefellar square with her son Ben Taylor on supporting vocals. It is one of the most beautiful readings of this traditional carol. Billy Preston joins in on the spiritual "12 Gates to the City," which has nice build to it. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is given a soft reflective reading filled with longing. The reggae touch to "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" emphasizes the march-like quality of the song with Ben Taylor on vocals giving nice vocal variety to this little jewel. Sister Lucy Simon's "Heaven" is a pretty, stately tune, "Son of Joseph, son of Mary, son of love, he's born, son of all believers on this Christmas morn." Willie Nelson wrote "Pretty Paper"; and Carly brought him in to share vocals, a touch on the sad side, "Should you stop, better not, much too busy, you'd better hurry, my how time does fly, and in the distance, the ringing of laughter, and in the midst of laughter he cries." James Taylor closed his "October Road" with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and Carly also has a version here whose unplugged feel allows the hopefulness to shine through. Another favorite of mine is Carly's take on John Lennon & Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." The song builds and to a wonderful climax with Carly's vocals heartfelt. The liner notes to the CD say it was put together in a short period of time. It's an excellent effort. It'll be on our changer during Christmas 2003! Enjoy!"

Carly's Dreaming of a Dull Christmas....

A. Peters | 04/18/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Carly Simon has made some incredibly brilliant albums over the years - 1971's "Anticipation", 1972's "No Secrets", 1981's "Torch" and 1990's "My Romance". She has also single-handedly written the words and music for some pop-music masterpieces - "Legend in your Own Time", "Anticipation", "You're So Vain", and "Touched by the Sun". With that amazing voice, there's no doubt that she's a very talented lady. In the liner notes for this album, "Christmas is Almost Here", Carly says that during its recording, "Spontaneity was the name of the game", and admits "Some things may sound a little too gritty". Much of the material was recorded in a slap-up studio in a hotel room, although top musicians were used. There can be no argument that Carly can carry things off with perfection with a raw live band, as a viewing of the concert videos "Live at Grand Central Station" and "Live at Martha's Vineyard" prove. But somehow the forays on "Christmas is Almost Here" just don't come together. Maybe it's because we're used to hearing Carly's material polished and pristinely presented by such producers as Richard Perry, Ted Templeton and Arif Marden. Most of the tracks on "Christmas is Almost Here" sound clumsy, lack-lustre , and self-indulgent, and on some of the vocals Carly sounds as if she should have done a few more takes. I have been a big fan of Carly for twenty-seven years, and I must say with this effort she has reached a (hopefully) all-time low. I have all her albums, and this one's the pits, (along with the Piglet Movie soundtrack, her other most recent offering). So Carly, Christmas is almost here.....well, if this is the tone of Christmas this year, we might as well skip it. The most worthwhile message in this Christmas package is "Happy Christmas, (War is Over)". Maybe our world leaders - (U.S.A., Britain, Australia and elsewhere) should give this song a listen and really consider its sentiments."

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