Wintersong

Wintersong breaks the mold of the typical "Christmas album"

At its best, the venerable pop music tradition known as “the holiday album” can capture all the sentiments of the season: the warm glow of friendship and family, the bittersweet reflections on the year gone by, the hopeful anticipation of the New Year ahead. This year Sarah McLachlan has created her first-ever holiday album. This is a well known fact that most Christmas albums are lame, but Wintersong is a true exception. It definitely breaks the mold of the typical "Christmas album". The compilation is a mix of traditional Christmas songs and some more modern holiday hits. It makes for a very interesting listen. With Sarah's silky, smooth, and stunning voice adding new nuances and a breath of fresh air to these familiar tunes, this album is more than worth the price of admission. The songs have been specifically chosen to really show the silent, mysterious side of Christmas. The melodies also reflect this sort of sad quality that fits Sarah's voice so well. Sarah makes songs you have heard a thousand times fresh and emotional. Like the soundtrack for a winter day that passes from snowy dawn to sunny afternoon to the chill of twilight, Wintersong creates its own flow of moods from start to finish.

Wintersong represents a sense of nostalgia about the season

The album Wintersong containes 12 tracks. The most gorgeous part of the album is The First Noel / Mary Mary where Sarah busts out her beautifully trained voice. Wintersong is the new title song that Sarah McLachlan penned herself. Briming over with simplicity and beautiful emotion Wintersong is a perfect addition to this Christmas album. The compilation also includes I'll Be Home For Chirstmas, previously recorded by Elvis Presley and the Beach Boys, which features a ghostly backing harmony and makes up the record's most intimate moments.The tender Silent Night best showcases McLachlan's soothing vocals. There is also the always-welcome Vince Guaraldi gem Christmastime Is Here, featuring a smoldering instrumental cameo from Diana Krall. One more beautiful track Little Town of Bethlehem is elegantly simple, just some strings, guitar and Sarah. But the highlights of this album are the covers. McLachlan covers a softer, simpler version of Joni Mitchell’s River, Gordon Lightfoot’s Song For a Winter’s Night, which sounds most like her style. And one more cover is Sarah’s version of Happy Xmas (War is Over), Wintersong begins with this song. John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and the Plastic Ono Band first recorded this timeless declaration of peace in 1971, with the added voices of the Harlem Community Choir. For her recording, Sarah is joined by a children's choir of students from the music school she personally funds and oversees in Vancouver.

Wintersong is McLachlan’s wonderful Christmas gift for her universe of fans

Sarah McLachlan is undoubtly one of the most famous modern singers. And those words are not mere. Since her recording career began in 1988 with her debut album Touch Sarah has sold over 26 million records worldwide. She is an eight-time Juno Award winner (Canada) and a three-time Grammy Award winner: in 1999 for I Will Remember You - Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, in 1998 for Last Dance - Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Building a Mystery - Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. And that is only some part of her achivements. Her voice is timelessly beautiful, both elegant and haunting while conveying such a deep emotion. It is like the serene angel amidst the raging storm. She has certainly lost none of her vocal range over the years, which is amazing. Perhaps that is the reason of why she has a universe of fans, both new and old, whom this year she made a wonderful Christmas gift, Wintersong. Full of mid-tempo, piano based versions of holiday favourites, McLachlan puts together an album worthy of being in her discography. As far as Christmas albums go, this is definitely one of this year's best. “I am not into the commercial elements of Christmas at all. But I love the tradition of family and friends gathering together and the memories that the holidays create.”- says Sarah.