Spirit of Christmas - TaRanda Greene - CD Review

I'm deviating from the normal Fun Clip Friday post slightly this week because I have a lot of CD
reviews to catch up on!

Last week, TaRanda Greene released her first Christmas project and her second solo CD from StowTown Records. TaRanda without question is one of the best female voices in the industry. And I'll go on record saying that her version of "O Holy Night" is my favorite! So when I found out that she would be releasing a solo Christmas CD I couldn't wait to hear it!

First of all, I love the song selection for this project. So many Christmas songs are overdone, and by mid-December you can only take so many versions of "The Christmas Song" and "White Christmas." This project has eight songs that aren't covered like other Christmas songs.

I mentioned that her version of "O Holy Night" is my favorite (The songs is actually on her Sanctuary project.). She does a medley with that song, "Still, Still, Still/ O Holy Night." This song is the opening track and what an incredible way to start it!

"Give Love on Christmas Day" is a great midtempo song that has a choir backing up TaRanda. There's also a choir on "Jesus What a Wonderful Child," a definite highlight of the project! She shows her soulful side with this song. "That Spirit of Christmas" also has a choir. It was a song I'd never heard before. I really liked the use of the choir backing her up on these few songs.

"Cool Yule" has a fun, big band/ swing sound to it. TaRanda shows that she can cover a variety of different styles with this song. The song has a little bit of "Up on the Housetop" incorporated in it, which I think was a nice touch!

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Who Would Imagine a King," and of course I think Whitney Houston is the person probably associated with this song the most, which leaves big shoes to fill for anyone else singing the song. But TaRanda is up for that challenge with a great version of this song! I love the orchestration during the intro of the song. Then it tones down when she starts the voices to really let her voice shine.

"I Wonder as I Wander" is a beautiful song! I'd only heard it a handful of times before this project, but I love TaRanda's version on this CD. It suits her voice so well! This song is a must listen and then listen again because you will be blown away!

The project ends with "Auld Lang Syne," which seems to fit well as a closer. The only complaint I have about this CD is I would have liked more songs on it! But even with eight songs, it's well worth your time to go purchase this to add to your Christmas CD collection.

And in the spirit of Fun Clip Friday, here's a clip of "Still, Still, Still/ O Holy Night" -



Song List -
1. "Still, Still, Still/ O Holy Night"
2. "Give Love on Christmas Day"
3. "Cool Yule (with Up on the Housetop)"
4. "Who Would Imagine a King"
5. "Jesus What a Wonderful Child"
6. "I Wonder as I Wander"
7. "The Spirit of Christmas"
8. "Auld Lang Syne"