Pentatonix

This is the first of Pentatonix's Christmas recordings. In the three that they have released as of this review, none of the songs repeat from CD to CD.

The vocal harmonies are terrific in these arrangements. My favorites are O Come O Come Emanuel (the harmonies are rich and I love the song), Carol of the Bells (I love the playfulness), and Little Drummer Boy which truly highlights their vocal skills and style. Go Tell It on the Mountain is a terrific finale.

The downside is there are so few recordings on this CD (only eight). I wish there were more, but I understand they weren't yet the huge hit they would become. The flimsy cardboard holder makes me glad that the CD bought through Amazon includes AutoRip so I get to have my CD and travel with it, too. In all honesty, the CD case contains very little information; you could get the digital version and have all the information you need.

Anyone who enjoys Home Free or Peter Hollens should try this recording out. It is an inexpensive introduction to the group. If you like Christmas music, then you should add this for its unique versions of traditional Christmas songs.… (meer)

What a great collection of Christmas music! I fell in love with the arrangements that Pentatonix is presenting.

Notables for me of the "regular Christmas fare" are God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (finally done at a fast pace which the music calls for), White Christmas (featuring The Manhattan Transfer) which has a definite jazzy feel to it, Up on the Housetop with its playful tone, and Coventry Carol with its intricate harmonies.

New songs are The Christmas Sing-Along and Good to Be Bad, both of which I enjoyed.

The arrangement of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah was gorgeous, but I don't count that as a Christmas song, although it seems to be popularly sung during the season.

The stops are pulled out in Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, providing a great finale.

Overall, I thoroughly welcome this CD to my Christmas music collection. I know Pentatonix fans will love this. I think people who like vocal music such as Home Free and Peter Hollens will also like it. If you enjoy Christmas music, I think you should certainly try it out.… (meer)