Search - Tim Janis :: Christmas

Nice, But Something Is Missing

Timothy Kearney | Hull, MA United States | 12/01/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It's hard to describe the sound of Tim Janis. Some of his music has the sound of early Narada and Windham Hill recordings, but he also sounds a bit like John Tesh and Yanni due largely to his orchestrations. His Christmas album certainly has the sound that Janis is known for, and he includes many of the standards we would associate with a Christmas album, but something is lacking overall. Two tracks demonstrate what I believe is missing: Janis' versions of "Sheep May Safely Graze" and "Angles We Have Heard on High." Both are similarly arranged, and both have moments of beauty and power, but both only include fragments of the pieces. The album would be more satisfying if Janis chose fewer selections, and arranged them a bit more elaborately.I have found that if the music is simply on in the background, the arrangements are not a problem, but if I am sitting down and simply want to listen to beautiful Christmas music, I find the recording somewhat lacking. My advice: if you are looking for something as background music fort Christmas dinner, buy it. If you buy it to listen to for enjoyment, you will not waste your money, but you may not be wholly satisfied either."

Not great; not bad, either.

Hoc Stercus | Hudson, NY USA | 12/12/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As the owner of a couple of dozen Christmas CD's, I'm on the lookout for those exceptional few that are truly special. There is nothing outstanding about this CD --- nothing really bad about it, either. For myself; if I could have listened to it before putting my money down, I would not have purchased it. It would best be a purchase for someone who doesn't yet have a substantial supply of Christmas albums."