MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE REVIEWS

[Pamela]

Clay Aiken "Merry Christmas With Love."

RCA. 12 tracks.
Grade: C-

Pop vocalist Clay Aiken performs some of the most conventional music in the world, so these faithful renditions of ultratraditional Christmas songs (first three: "O Holy Night," "Winter Wonderland" and "Silent Night" ) make perfect sense for him. Some people will want this record as background music, and hard-core Claymates will love the unswerving earnestness. But nobody should expect surprises, rough edges, humor, wit or originality.

--- Nick Marino

ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION (registration required)

[LiftClayUp]

C-    Give me a break.  The quality of this cd deserves a higher grade than that.  I guess he would like Clay to sing "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer".  Lumps of coal in his stocking also. :duh

[claydevotee]

The spirit that goes with Don't Save It All For Christmas Day is Clay- through and through. He lives it. He is giving and showing love in many ways, everyday.

I am trying to live by those words.

Beautifully said, LORA.   And FIE on those critics!!!

[HavinaClayAffair]

The spirit that goes with Don't Save It All For Christmas Day is Clay- through and through. He lives it. He is giving and showing love in many ways, everyday.

I am trying to live by those words.

Beautifully said, LORA.   And FIE on those critics!!!

Thank you Dev!! I believe those words are true and I AM trying to show love everyday!

Lora

[clayMaine-iac]

Clay, BNL Lead Xmas CDs

From "Idol" glee to a chronic tree, a holiday music wrap

 

Clay Aiken Merry Christmas With Love(RCA)
America's favorite American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken takes his second full-length bow with a collection of Christmas pop and religious standards. There's more of Aiken's intense tenor that won fans over on the show, as he takes on "Mary, Did You Know," and "The Christmas Song," at times cutting a path somewhere between Andy Williams and Josh Groban. At others though, like on "Silent Night," things sound more akin to a live recording of the TV show, as Aiken's phrasing ends up stuttered, like he's missed a line -- joining the backing choir after a verse has already started. As he hits the upbeat "Winter Wonderland," the lanky twenty-something reins things in for the finale, singing each note as perfect as if it were a Disney special. (JOLIE LASH)

ROLLINGSTONE.COM
There are several reviews at the link, but the pic is Clay with the caption "One horse open Clay"

[mackncsu]

"One horse open Clay"[/i]

hahahhahahahaha

[clayMaine-iac]

Clay Aiken: "Merry Christmas With Love"
 From James Maguire,

Some sweet holiday music
There are two Clay Aikens on Merry Christmas With Love . There is the talented tenor, who sings a very pleasant Christmas album, rendering light-hearted and sentimental holiday favorites in fine voice. This is the Clay we hear for most of the CD -- a singer who succeeds in performing music many fans will take great pleasure in listening to as the snow falls.
The other Clay Aiken on this disc is an artist with a deeper potential. He's the singer we hear on two of the disc's tunes, "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day" and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" Notice the different tone he brings to his voice on "Don't Save It" -- impassioned, intense, intimate. It's this singer who has the ability to reveal a depth of feeling that has moved millions of fans.

These two songs are, on the surface, holiday songs, but really they're songs about life. To my ears, Clay's most successful moment as an artist comes on "Don't Save It," when he sings the following lyric: "How many people are crying? / some people are dying / how many people are asking for love? / don't save it all for Christmas Day / find a way to give a little love every day." There's enormous empathy in his voice, a largeness of spirit, and it's genuine. That's the emotional gift he has that supports his strong voice. It's his real gift.

The other song that's not really a holiday song, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" is something of a step back for him. It's Clay the longing loner, a mood he successfully mined for Measure of a Man. As he sings, "In case I stand one little chance / here comes the jackpot question in advance / What are you doing New Year's Eve?" He's certainly good at emoting about being hungry for romantic love -- but he himself has said he wants to put more happy songs on his next CD. And I agree. If he's going to expand himself as a singer, he needs to move away from Clay the can't-get-find love guy. That mood can be one of the colors on his palette, but there needs to be more.

But wait, this is a Christmas album. What about the Christmas music? It's some lovely stuff. On "O Holy Night" he reaches up and grabs some gorgeous notes, using his vocal power to full advantage.

He works the various moods of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" -- soaring at times, close in at other moments -- quite nicely. "Joy To The World" is properly big and energetic, and "The Christmas Song" is sweetly nostalgic. Clay rides the rhythmic bounce of "Sleigh Ride" with real snap.

The good news about the arrangements is that they're not cluttered with too many instruments. They really put him front and center. On Measure of a Man sometimes the backing music became too much -- but these Christmas arrangements are clean and traditional. Fortunately, Clay or his producers resisted the temptations to try to make Christmas music sound "contemporary," and add some kind of cheesy beat. This is good old fashioned holidays music.

TOP40

[sjmcdona]

Hi Everyone,

I have been absent of late on the message boards, so it is wonderful to see so many great reviews of Clay's new CD. I did, of course, rush out to get it, and I was SOOOOOO happy to discover that his new management FINALLY understands how to showcase Clay. Since his appearance on AI2, I have been yearning to hear him sing classic songs that showcase his amazing voice. While I enjoy MOAM, I agree with others that it was overproduced, and it really didn't maximize Clay's amazing voice. Oh Holy Night and Mary Did You Know are 2 of my all time favorite songs, so imagine my excitement to see both songs on the CD. He sang them both wonderfully, and now, Don't save it all for Christmas Day is my 3rd favorite song as his rendition is simply brilliant! Clay, if you are lirking on the message boards, if you do another Christmas CD, will you sing Michael Card's "Joseph's Song?" You're the best!

[Pamela]

Clay Aiken``Merry Christmas With Love'' (RCA)
 
     More than almost anything he sang on ``Idol'' or his beyond-vanilla AC 2003 debut, Aiken was born to sing Christmas music. With his crystal-clear, celestial tenor he nails a neatly manicured rendition of ``O Holy Night,'' proclaims with angelic host during ``Hark the Herald Angels Sing'' and repeats the sounding joy, with the help of a choir, on ``Joy to the World.'' This is a genre that twinkles like an icicle under Aiken's natural-born earnestness, and old hands Phil Ramone and Walter Afanasieff arrange and produce with equal parts Sunday morning stateliness and cocktail fizz. It should make it a very merry Clay-mas for soccer moms everywhere.

BOSTON HERALD

[Pamela]

BOSTON GLOBE REVIEW

"Aiken further transcends his "American Idol" roots with this very professional CD, assisted by two of the best producers in the business -- Phil Ramone (known for his work with Billy Joel) and Walter Afanasieff (Mariah Carey). Aiken has a pitch-perfect voice that he uses tastefully on inspired treatments of "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night." But he also touches hearts with the more obscure "Mary, Did You Know" and Celine Dion's "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day," the "It" meaning love. It's a handsome effort from this singer on the rise.

No link at this time.

[cjrmax]

Pamela, what a great review!!!

Hurray for the Boston Globe!!!    

[LiftClayUp]

I love those Boston reviews.  They echo my sentiments exactly.
       

[Pamela]

Album title and release date: Merry Christmas With Love

Why you want to buy this album: Clay's booming pipes are tailor-made for rockin' around the Christmas tree.
Perfect holiday gift for... Someone looking for the perfect CD for a holiday party
Reminds us of... Barry Manilow gone caroling
Highlight: Clay is anything but silent on the powerful "Silent Night".

From In Touch magazine, Nov 16 issue, no link

[Pamela]

Heavyweight Quebec diva Ginette Reno is to pipes as American Idol Clay Aiken is to pipecleaners, and our homegrown Hells raising Angel are more man than he'll ever be, but the vocal resemblance between the two is nonetheless striking on this, Aiken's debut holiday album. Or maybe that's just the rum'n'egg in my noggin. There are a myriad reasons why you could or should dislike Aiken and his ilk, but I say forgive him those. I say dislike him for this specifically, the kind of overstated, overblown, overearnest, overproduced and doubtless overbudget production that exceeds even the most cynical expectation. This is the Christmas music that gives Christmas music a bad name. --- 1-1/2 stars.  Jamie O'Meara

HOUR.CA

I'm not sure what she's talking about most of the time, but go to the link and read the rebuttals.  Clay love abounds!

[Pamela]

MINI REVIEW

Many artists do Christmas albums, but few voices are as suited to the classic holiday sound as Aiken's. He delivers powerful vocals on showstoppers ("O Come All Ye Faithful") and deep soul on intimate spiritual pieces ("Mary, Did You Know"). But the pop-inspired "Don't Save It All For Christmas" is this LP's "big gift."

REAL MUSIC

[Pamela]

BIRMINGHAM NEWS

Clay Aiken
Merry Christmas With Love
***1/2 stars

The boy can sing. But we knew that two years ago, when Clay Aiken just about took the "American Idol" crown away from Birmingham's Ruben Studdard.

What we didn't know was that Aiken could sing with as much emotion as Studdard. He does that with "Merry Christmas With Love," a heartfelt collection of holiday songs old and new.

Co-produced by Phil Ramone, the disc boasts appropriate orchestrations, from lush (for "O,Holy Night") to bouncy ("Sleigh Ride" and "Winter Wonderland").

The best song on the collection is "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", a pop song written by Frank Loesser, who wrote "Guys and Dolls" and "How to Succeeed in Business Without Really Trying".

Simon Cowell always said Aiken would wind up on Broadway. The Great White Way could do worse. ---Alec Harvey

BIRMINGHAM NEWS

[Pamela]

** stars
The Claymates just made this the biggest-selling holiday album debut ever. For the rest of us, there's not much reason to acquire another set of seasonal numbers sung capably but not very compellingly. The redheaded "American Idol" runner-up has a wimpy way with a carol, hitting the notes but drably dispensing the words until "Mary, Did You Know" sounds like "Sleigh Ride" sounds like an insurance jingle. Never offensive; never persuasive, either.

"A Clay Aiken Christmas" airs at 7 p.m. Wednesday on WMAQ-Channel 5.

Darel Jevens

CHICAGO SUN TIMES

[ClayBuf]

In today's Omaha World-Herald, the front page of the Arts section is a full page article about this season's holiday music fare, with pictures of a few Christmas Cds - Clay's being one of them. The article is primarily about Clay and MCWL, ending with Manheim Steamroller (Omaha natives).

At the end of the article they review several Christmas Cds:

Clay Aiken - "Merry Christmas With Love"
(RCA)
Aiken's popularity with his loyal fans is one reason this is the top-selling holiday CD of 2004. It also hits the mark for those who want a well-sung, heartfelt collection of holiday favorites without pop gimmicks. Aiken shows off his big voice and impressive range on such favorites as "O Holy Night" and "Joy to the World."

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=1458&u_sid=1274295

Merry Christmas to us!
~Buffi

[Pamela]

Review - Merry Christmas With Love
 
There is popularity, and then there is acclamation. It is hard to understand how Clay Aiken lost out on the American Idol, because his legions of rabid fans are still busy casting their votes... at Christmasreviews.com! But be that as it may, Clay seems to be doing okay. Take his new Christmas album, for example. Merry Christmas with Love is an old-fashioned romantic pop record that I can appreciate even without being in the susceptible demographic. His earnest, soulful style adds gravitas to his youthful pop presence, a rare quality, and one shared only by a few, by entertainers such as Elvis Presley and Donny Osmond.

It's funny. I spend my time listening primarily to female vocalists. I don't go too far out of my way to listen to any of the young men who sing pop. But having heeded the call of his many admirers (you know who you are:), I was a bit surprised to find in Clay Aiken a singer I can listen to, relate to, and enjoy.

Aiken performs a mixed set, pretty much divided down the middle between pop tunes and sacred carols. Of the sacreds, I enjoyed his heartfelt telling of Mary Did You Know best. He captures the breathless pensiveness required for getting the most out of this song. Likewise, his easy listening sensibilities play out beautifully on What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

All in all, a fine outing from an evidently fine young man. A Top Pick!

--Richard Banks

CHRISTMAS REVIEWS

[Pamela]

Merry Christmas With Love
Clay Aiken

Review by Duane Wells, 365Gay.com

Clay Aiken’s voice is to Christmas music what butter is to toast…a rich and satisfying complement to a simple delight. He may not have won the competition, but American Idol Clay Aiken proves why he’s leading the pack in record sales with his first Christmas album, simply titled “Merry Christmas With Love”, which had the best-selling debut week for a Christmas album in Soundscan history.

Over the years, the best Christmas albums in my opinion have been those where the artist re-interprets classic Christmas songs without destroying the integrity of the songs by layering on trendy musical licks and rap solos. Using this as a measure, “Merry Christmas With Love” is an all out success. Rather than try to re-invent the Christmas wheel so to speak, Clay Aiken embraces traditional Christmas songs and uses his stellar voice, not studio tricks, to put his own original stamp on the classics. The result is a Christmas album that feels highly personal, rather than overly commercial. Rather than musical performances, the songs on Aiken’s album feel like sing-a-longs…that is until you attempt to actually sing along and realize that while Clay makes singing theses songs sound effortless, it is indeed not…at least not if you want to sound like him.

Aiken soars on holiday favorites like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “O Holy Night”, on which slides up and down the musical scales of the song with the ease of a singer twice his age, as well as on a brilliant medley of “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” and “O Come All Ye Faithful”, which he breathes new life into with glittering vocals. However, nothing tops Clay on non-traditional fare like the contemporary title track “Merry Christmas With Love”, the haunting “Mary Did You Know” and his remake of Celine Dion’s “Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day” in which he sustains a note so powerful, for so long that I would challenge even super-diva Patti LaBelle to match it.

If there is one criticism that could be made of Clay’s Christmas outing it is that in some places the album is almost too safe…so bland that it borders on being forgettable. In fact I forgot that “Silent Night” and “Joy To The World” were even on the album because they sounded so familiar that I tuned them out completely. However this is a trifle, given that in the spectrum of Christmas albums, Clay Aiken has succeeded where more seasoned stars have failed. He has delivered a Christmas album that is timeless in its appeal and as such will have a long shelf life and provide it’s listeners with years of enjoyment. Crown or no crown, “Merry Christmas With Love” demonstrates that Clay Aiken is more than a pop culture phenomenon…he is the genuine article.

©365Gay.com 2004

365GAY.COM