This new release is the Christmas equivalent of The King’s Singers’ recent release, Great American Songbook. Paying homage to the a capella group’s heritage while...

This new release is the Christmas equivalent of The King’s Singers’ recent release, Great American Songbook. Paying homage to the a capella group’s heritage while still acknowledging their modern passion for swing, the group mixes Christmas classics like “In the Bleak Midwinter,” and “The Holly and the Ivy,” with modern tunes such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “Sleigh Ride.” The group’s favorite arrangers have reworked all of these tunes specifically for the ensemble- Berty Rice, Keith Roberts, and Alexander L’Estrange.

REVIEW:

The latest King’s Singers CD, a seasonal celebration from Signum Classics, mixes well-known American carols with some from “the other side of the pond.” The result is a blend that... is every bit as smooth as a perfectly prepared cup of hot cocoa, and just as warming.

The exceptional adaptability of the King’s Singers is shown in the handling here of songs as different as Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and White Christmas, either of which could easily be a throwaway and neither of which is. The group’s beautiful melding is apparent in different ways in numbers such as The First Nowell and Silent Night. The King’s Singers simply have a way of bringing joy to the world.

– Infodad.com