Review: "Christmas" by Michael Bublé

Okay, I'm back. Sorry about that.


It's nearly December, thought it's felt like December since I started back at BYU in September, mostly because I've been rehearsing White Christmas since the second week of school.


With December comes Christmas, comes Christmas Music. If you've been a regular reader of my blog, you've noticed that I really like Christmas Music. I decided this year, I would review new Christmas Albums and songs, because I think that you should all know what I think. Mine is an important opinion.


I'm starting early, though not as early as my first album was released. Michael Bublé released his newest album, Christmas on October 21, 2011. That is a full two months before the big day. It's sold successfully, currently holding the 8th slot on the Billboard 200, dropping from the 3rd slot it held last night. It's at the top of the Jazz Charts, 2nd on the Canadian charts and 2nd on the Holiday charts (the 1st slot is currently held by...Bieber...BIEBER!!!!!) It's had a successful release and it will most likely enjoy a pleasant boost in sales as we get closer to Christmas.


What do I think of it? Here is my track-by-track review:


1. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: 


This is, I think the second strongest track on the album. It's exactly what I'm looking for when I turn on any Michael Bublé album. It's a very nostalgic track, that will remind you of some the classic Christmas records recorded by Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole. It's a great album opener. The strings are nice too.


2. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town


I like Big Band, and I like Big Band Christmas. This driving recording is a welcome addition to my regular Christmas listening. It's spunky,and the horns sound great. In my mind, it's a fun production number from some big gay Christmas musical.


3. Jingle Bells (Feat. The Puppini Sisters)


Another reminiscent track featuring the Andrews-Sisters-esque Puppini Sisters. I like the girls a lot. I just have a problem with the first twenty seconds of the song. Michael wishes the sisters a Merry Christmas: "Merry Christmas Ladies." They respond, "Merry Christmas Mister Bublé!" in a strange chorus-girl fashion. It doesn't sound right to me. Picky, I know. I like the rest of the track after that.


4. White Christmas (Duet with Shania Twain)


I have big problems with this track. I'm pretty sure it's sampling the actual Drifter's recording of White Christmas. It's lame. Michael and Shania sound great, but it's unoriginal, and it's nowhere as good as the original recording.


5. All I Want fo Christmas Is You


This track is a hard one for me too. There is only one version of this song in my opinion and that is Mariah Carey's. Whenever I hear another version of the song, I just think of hers. Also, I find Michael's voice be very produced on this track.


6. Holly Jolly Christmas


After that brief rough patch, we get a short and sweet recording of Holly Jolly Christmas. I don't have much to say about this track. It's pleasant.


7. Santa Baby


All I can think of when I listen to this recording is Michael Bublé in nothing but garters, stockings, a skimpy piece of lingerie, stripper heels, and a santa hat. He lies patiently with a slightly hungry smirk on one side of his face, the room carefully lit by the fire and the lights on the tree. This is not the image I want to see when I listen to Santa Baby.


8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas


A lovely recording of one of my top 5 favorite Christmas songs. It's not super memorable, but it's a beautiful recording and a great arrangement.


9. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)


Another cover of a 1960's Christmas Hit. It's a fun track, but it doesn't stray to far away from the original recording. Also, it's not really a sound that I'm looking for when I turn on Michael Bublé. It's a song I would skip when I pops up on the shuffle.


10. Silent Night


Michael Buble + Children's Choir + Beloved Religious Christmas Hymn = Beautiful song that your Mom listens to in the Car. Also, the horn intro doesn't fit.


11. Blue Christmas


Of all the covers of well-known Christmas songs that Michael Bublé has on this album, this is the strongest one. It makes me thing that he has had a little to much to drink from a jug marked with a "XXX." Mostly because he is just sad. I really do like this recording, especially the instrumental break.


12. Cold December Night


Not my favorite song. His voice sounds produced again. I don't like that sound a lot. Also,  he harmonizes with himself. The sound is peppy and I like the poppy arrangement, but not what I'm looking for. I admit however, it's catchy.


13. I'll Be Home for Christmas


Top three favorite christmas songs ever. How is Michael's recording? Great. The gentle guitar combined with the warmth of Michael's voice sucks you straight into this fairly simple Jazz Ballad. I'd be comfortable putting this on my Annual Christmas CD.


14. Ave Maria


Meh. I've heard better.


15. Mis Deseos / Feliz Navidad (Duet With Thalia)


I really only like the José Feliciano of Feliz Navidad, but I really like Thalia. I could listen to her sing Mis Deseos all day, though I'm not crazy about Michael's Spanish in Mis Deseos. Interesting that this is the final track of the Album.


The final word: It an album that get's confused in some places. It has many really wonderful tracks, though only a few are truly memorable. It makes you nostalgic, almost to the point where you stop listening to MIchael Bublé and you turn on Frank Sinatra's christmas album. It's a solid album that any Michael Bublé fan would like. I'm sure it will make regular appearances at many of this season's Christmas parties.


Grade: B-


Favorite Track: I'll Be Home for Christmas.

Planking

This post may be out of date, but I just felt the need to express my opinion on the subject of planking and owling.


Just so everyone knows, planking is way better than owling.


Just compare these pictures:

VS.

I think planking is just inherently more funny and more clever. So there.

Christmas Music

Hey there everyone!


I'm back after another long hiatus. It wasn't intentional, but it happened, I guess. So without further ado, let my blogging begin again!


This is a short little entry, mostly looking for feedback from you, the reader! You may see something similar on my facebook, but that is only to make sure I get as many responses as possible.


I love Christmas music, and the time has come again to listen to it non-stop. I have a pretty hefty collection of Christmas music, but I love to add to that collection. So, I'm sort of curious as to what your favorite Christmas music is.


If I had to pick a some of my favorite songs (off the top of my head), I might mention these ones pretty quick:


The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
This is my favorite recording of this Christmas Classic. I get chills right off the bat with those perfect opening chords.


Why Can't It Be Christmastime All year - Rosie Thomas
This is song is fun. I discovered it last year (A free download! Amazing!) and I haven't forgotten it. I think you'll like it.


What Are You Doing New Years Eve? - Lena Horne
This song is in my top three favorite Christmas songs. This a fairly new recording for me, but it's a great one. I could listen to Lena Horne for days at a time, so couple her with one of my favorite songs and you've got a winner!


This is in no way, no way at all, a comprehensive list. Just three little songs I like. Well, I'm curious to know this:


What is your favorite Christmas Song?

My Keeeeyboardddd seems like it's brookennnn...

Will somebody enlighten me? I don't understand something. When I am on Facebook, just perusing the days status updates, sometime I come across updates or comments that look a little like this:

"OMG!!! I really love to eatttttttttttt."

or

"foreverrrrrrr....."

or

"sweet lovinnnnnn"

Why? Is their keyboard broken, or do they really want me to say, "eat-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t?" Can anyone please explain this to me? Am I alone here? Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees this. I would just like to get a reasoning behind it!

Air Conditioning

Just a few words about the fabulous wonder known as Air Conditioning.

In our house (Tyler, Danniey, Calvin, and me), we have had a struggle with the air conditioner. We felt that it was not working properly. And by 'felt,' I mean we 'felt' the sweat drip down our backs while watching television, or one us would occasionally stoke off for a moment or two due to the heat. Some of us would argue that it just wasn't working up to it's fullest capacity; the A/C was cooling the air, but not well enough. Other believed that it was just plain broken, and that the air was not being cooled at all.

I was in the former party, and though it wounds my pride to admit it, I was wrong. In fact I was completely wrong. After having the A/C professionals visit the house, I was informed that the unit was built in 1978, and the compressor was broken, and refrigerant was very low, and that by running the A/C, we we're actually making the house hotter, than if we just ran the fan. I was wrong, and to the people belonging to the latter party, I stand corrected.

Well the Air Conditioner was replaced, and life is moving along swimmingly. It is amazing how much a good air conditioner can do for a person, or an entire household. Incredible inventions! I wonder how we even got through our summers before having a working air conditioner! Three Cheers! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!

El Pistolero

A little preface for this post:

At work, we have a Monthly Update Meeting to discuss metrics, performance, announcements, games, food, jokes, laughter, etc. They are really a lot of fun, and each one is specifically themed. This month, the theme was Super Heroes, and we had a Super Hero Essay Writing Contest.

We were supposed to think of a time that we we're a super hero for one of our customers. So, for some reason I wanted to write a story about a super-hero in Mexico.. I was inspired by movies like "The Three Amigos," "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," and other westerns that I've enjoyed.

So I wrote about a common issue that customers will call in with. There are two different versions of the search page on the website, and some of our customer really love the Old Search. Occasionally, after their browser updates or something, the New Search page will load by default, and some of our customers get very frightened by it. So I decided I would write my story about those experiences. Also note, there are a lot of work specific inside jokes in this essay. Here it is (to be read with a classic Mexican accent):

Some might say that super-hero-ing should be a public service, and any viewpoint to the contrary is just selfish. To those people, I say simply, you’re wrong.

I wasn’t born rich like that pretty-boy Bruce Wayne, and I didn’t come from outer space with crazy super powers like that over grown boy-scout Superman. I was born poor, raised poor, and I’ll probably die poor. But I was born with skills, like 30 or 50 or 51 or 52 skills, something like that. However, my greatest skill? My way with a pistol. Nobody wields a pair of six-shooters against the forces of evil like I do.

I make my living in the arid Sonoran desert of Mexico. The way I see it, I should be getting paid for my ‘public service.’ I mean they are lucky to even have me as option. Unfortunately, this is not case everywhere. Believe me. I tried to make it in Geneapolis, but anytime I finally made a sale, people would cancel on me and go with Captain FamilySearch! That guy? I mean, sure, he can do some of what I do, but there is a reason I charge the fee! You can’t get skills like mine anywhere else.

So, I moved back to my home, and I took a new name: The champion of liberty, the defender of truth, El Pistolero!

So there I was, in my not-so-secret lair (the Burrito and Sons taco truck on the corner) selling my tacos (crime fighting doesn’t pay all my bills), when I saw a little señorita and her hijo, approaching the truck. The little boy has a single tear in his eye when he said, “¡Ayùdanos! Help us Pistolero! Our village is under some sort of weird spell. We went to our beds one night, and in the morning when we arose, we found the town completely changed! We don’t know how to do anything!”

“¡Si! ¡Si!” cried the señorita, “For example, I used to be able to go to our villages library and I knew right were we kept our special town census records. And now I have to go into the library, go open another door, go through another door, then fill out some paperwork, and then I get my records. It is all so new; I cannot learn how to do it. We hate it! We hate this new village! We need your help!”

“Well Señorita, I have seen this before, and I have just the thing for you. Here are some step by step instructions I wrote down that you can take back to your village! Then you can fix the problem yourself!” I handed her my little paper. The little lady was not pleased.

“Por favor, I cannot fix this problem myself! I do not want to read these instructions, I need you to solve our problem!”

“Señorita, I will help you, but first you must know, I charge a fee.” I handed her my terms and conditions, and I continued on, “Please note that if you do not cancel my services before your renewal date, you will be charged another 155 pesos. Be sure to get a confirmation number.”

She accepted my terms and conditions, and she gave a bag of 155 pesos that she had collected from every member of the village. I climbed on my horse, Pepe, and I followed her and her son back to her village. Si, I had seen this before, and it was clearly the work of El Searcho Nuevo! He strikes entire villages without any warning, completely changing the way they used to live their lives! How frustrating, right!?

It would clearly be a show down today in the village… just me, and El Nuevo.

“Okay El Nuevo, come out now! It is time to meet your doom, you have slightly inconvenienced these people long enough!” I walked up the main street, calling out for El Nuevo, challenging him.

Soon, I heard the sound of spurs coming around the building. “Pistolero, at last we meet. You think you can defeat me?”

“Si, El Nuevo, however, I’m pretty sure, you’ll just come back again later, most likely after the villagers throw out their cookies.”

We stood about 50 feet apart from each other, each one squinting harder the last. I was poised to draw mis pistoles and unleash a heaping can of justice on this Searcho Nuevo. After what seemed like hours, I saw Nuevo make his move. I admit, he was fast, but I was much faster. “Pow! Bang! Pew pew pew!” I had emptied my pistols of patience and careful guided education, and El Searcho Nuevo was no more. The village reverted back to its original form.

“Viva El Pisolero! Ay ay ay ay!” The people cheered for they had their Old Village back. The little Señorita came running up to me, and she gave me un abrazo grande.

“Gracias! Muchas gracias, Pistolero! You have saved us, for there is no way that we could have ever adapted to that new and horrible village!”

That night, the village celebrated their victory, and of course I stuck around. There were fireworks, los mariachis were playing their music, and oh the tacos that were made! Such a fiesta! As I was drinking some of my homemade horchata, I heard a voice quieting the crowd:

“Silénco! Quiet! Where is El Pistolero?” I answered him, “I am here Muchacho!”

“Pistolero, my village is in danger, I have spotted a terrible gang riding to pillage the town I come from. They are coming to steal parts of our trees, it is Los Arbolitos Bandidos! THE TREE BANDITS!”

And so, once again, I was off to help another sad and defeated village regain their freedom. Where there is frustration, I’ll be there. Where there is slight inconvenience, I’ll be there. When there is an overdraft fee, I’ll be there too, but I really won’t be able to help. Read the terms and conditions. I am always there when you need me (excluding Saturdays and Sunday). I am, El Pistolero!

The Game Has Changed

I love Tron. In fact, I'm known at work, in certain circles, as 'Tron.' I think it's a really great movie, and a fascinating universe. Naturally, I'm really excited about the upcoming TRON: Legacy film.

As I mentioned earlier, the people I work with are well acquainted with my love for Tron, and when I got home today, I found a lovely e-mail from a coworker. I thought the story was so cool that I would share it with you all. I would do most anything to have one of these puppies.

I can't thank my coworker enough for pointing this out to me. It's getting my lightcycles all revved up for the movie!

p.s. Also, this video game look awesome too.