Pink Martini - Joy to The World

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Title: Joy to The World
Artist: Pink Martini
Audio CD (November 16, 2010)
Original Release Date: 2010
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Christmas
Format: Free Lossless Audio Codec


Track Listing:

01. White Christmas, Part 1
02. White Christmas, Part 2 (Feat. Saori Yuki)
03. Schedryk
04. Santa Baby
05. Elohai, N'Tzor
06. Little Drummer Boy
07. Congratulations (Happy New Year)
08. Do You Hear What I Hear
09. La Vergine Degli Angeli
10. We Three Kings
11. A Snow Globe Christmas
12. Ocho Kandelikas
13. Silent Night
14. Auld Lang Syne


Amazon Description:
Traditional holiday favorites alongside gorgeous, lesser-known discoveries, all imbued with Pink Martini s signature little orchestra sound! Features an array of guests, including Japanese pop star Saori Yuki and NPR correspondent Ari Shapiro, backed by a fabulous gathering of Portland choirs. This new CD features gorgeous 3-D packaging each layer of buildings will be a separate flap, giving the city four layers of die-cut depth. The digipak will be covered by a clear plastic panel, on which the album title will be printed, along with delicate white snowflakes that will appear to float in front of the city.

Allmusic Review:
Just when it feels like every possible version of every possible holiday song has been recorded already, Pink MartiniΓΓé¼Γäós Joy to the World finds ways to revive holiday spirits. While the band could very easily do a swanky lounge-pop album of the seasonΓΓé¼Γäós songs, this globally minded collection is traditional and unpredictable at the same time. Pink Martini begins Joy to the World with an intimate rendition of ΓΓé¼┼ôWhite ChristmasΓΓé¼┬¥ thatΓΓé¼Γäós so faithful to the original that it features the sunny California prelude that was included when it debuted in the film Holiday Inn, then they follow it with a lush orchestral rendition -- sung in Japanese. Yet quirks like these donΓΓé¼Γäót feel kitschy; aside from ΓΓé¼┼ôSanta Baby,ΓΓé¼┬¥ Joy to the WorldΓΓé¼Γäós lone indulgence in camp, the album sings of peace and celebration in many tongues. Whether they give ΓΓé¼┼ôLittle Drummer BoyΓΓé¼┬¥'s arrangement a Middle Eastern-meets-lounge twist or sing ΓΓé¼┼ôSilent NightΓΓé¼┬¥ in German, Arabic, and English, Pink Martini ensures this is truly a multicultural party. The group even makes fresh choices for Hanukkah and New YearΓΓé¼Γäós, presenting the conclusion of the Amidah prayer set to music (ΓΓé¼┼ôElohai, NΓΓé¼ΓäótzorΓΓé¼┬¥) and ΓΓé¼┼ôOcho Kandelikas,ΓΓé¼┬¥ a Sephardic song sung in Ladino. ΓΓé¼┼ôCongratulations,ΓΓé¼┬¥ a song for the Chinese New Year, is such a breath of fresh air compared to ΓΓé¼┼ôAuld Lang SyneΓΓé¼┬¥ that itΓΓé¼Γäós easy to forget that this song would normally be heard in late January or early February instead of the end of December. And when ΓΓé¼┼ôAuld Lang SyneΓΓé¼┬¥ arrives with an arrangement inspired by Brazilian Carnaval music, it sends off the album, and the year, with a huge celebration. A near-perfect blend of spirituality and festivity, Joy to the World lets listeners hear the holidays with new ears, and maybe see it with fresh eyes, too.