Garth Brooks is a well-known American country singer who has achieved great success throughout his career. One of his notable albums is "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas", which showcases his immense talent and love for the holiday season. Released in 1999, this album consists of many cherished Christmas classics, including "The Gift," "Mary, Did You Know?" and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Each song is beautifully arranged and performed by Garth Brooks, capturing the festive spirit and the magic that Christmas brings. Garth Brooks' unique voice and heartfelt delivery add an extra layer of emotion to each song. His ability to connect with his audience through his music is evident in this album, as he brings joy, warmth, and nostalgia to the holiday season. Whether it's a lively and upbeat track or a heartfelt ballad, Garth Brooks delivers each song with passion and sincerity.
To make matters worse, the TV special for The Magic wasn t completed in time, so it was bumped to Christmas 2000, leaving the album stranded in 1999. To make matters worse, the TV special for The Magic wasn t completed in time, so it was bumped to Christmas 2000, leaving the album stranded in 1999.
Whether it's a lively and upbeat track or a heartfelt ballad, Garth Brooks delivers each song with passion and sincerity. "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas" has become a holiday classic for many, as it embodies the essence of the season. The album has received critical acclaim, praised for its timeless arrangements, and Garth Brooks' exceptional vocal performances.
Garth Brooks & the Magic of Christmas
Appearing two months after his much-hyped pop crossover move In the Life of Chris Gaines, Garth Brooks & the Magic of Christmas suffers from extraordinarily bad timing. When it was being recorded as the soundtrack for a television special, Chris Gaines had yet to be unveiled and, if anything had gone according to plan, The Magic of Christmas would have been the cherry on the top of a successful year for Brooks. Even the best-laid plans have a way of unravelling, however, and none unravelled more spectacularly than Brooks' hopes for the fourth quarter of 1999. It's likely that The Magic of Christmas was intended to reveal another layer of Brooks' musical talents, to complement Chris Gaines' mainstream pop by illustrating that Brooks can also sing Christmas standards like a big band crooner. That's right -- The Magic is another stylistic departure for the most popular country artist of all time -- this one finds him doing big band, swing, ballads, and even gospel. Certainly, he had to find a way to distinguish this album from 1992's Beyond the Season, especially since it shares a handful of songs with the previous holiday affair. Traditional pop may not have been the wise way to go, however. On paper, it's a bold, gutsy move, but the artist just doesn't have the voice to pull it off. Throughout the record, he's entirely too self-conscious, trying to keep the twang out of his voice while struggling to adhere to the textbook image of a classic pop crooner. His voice is way too flat for this predictable setting. In order to make such chestnuts as "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Let It Snow," "Winter Wonderland," and "Sleigh Ride" sound fresh, particularly when they're given such predictable, brassy, post-Don Costas arrangements, a singer has to be both powerful and filled with charisma. Brooks is neither -- swallowed up by his big band, he sounds meek on each track, no matter how hard he tries to make himself heard. An interesting stylistic experiment, perhaps, but one that doesn't work. Unfortunately, The Magic of Christmas appeared just weeks after another interesting stylstic experiment from Brooks, the instantly legendary Chris Gaines. Musically, Gaines worked, but Brooks' invention of a fictional alter-ego was just too plain weird for his entire audience. Usually, Brooks records went platinum within two weeks of their release dates; two months after its release, In the Life of Chris Gaines didn't even go gold. Clearly, this was not the time for yet another stylistic departure, even if it was in the guise of a holiday album, but Brooks and Capitol had already locked themselves into a November release for The Magic of Christmas, and they couldn't stop it. To make matters worse, the TV special for The Magic wasn't completed in time, so it was bumped to Christmas 2000, leaving the album stranded in 1999. To save face, Brooks and Capitol decided to have the original release of The Magic of Christmas be a "Christmas 1999 -- First Edition" limited edition, planning to reissue the album with a different cover in 2000, when the TV special actually aired. That still doesn't explain the bizarre cover shot of a possibly airbrushed Brooks, dressed in black and sucking in his cheeks, standing beneath a spooky moon, holding a crystal ball, staring demonically into the camera -- it gives the impression that the album celebrates the black magic of Christmas. The picture doesn't ease the suspicions raised by Chris Gaines: the feeling that Brooks is retreating into his own insular world. From any other artist, such a wildly divergent sequence of albums would be seen as an attempt to alienate his audience, but Garth isn't Bob Dylan, who has been known to go out of his way to irritate his dedicated followers. Brooks wants to be all things to all people, but he not only can't pull everything off, he doesn't have an audience that will follow all of his detours. Consequently, the further away he goes from his standard sound, the smaller his audience becomes, and the more fascinating his recordings become. And, truth be told, few pairs of albums from a superstar have been quite so bizarrely fascinating as Chris Gaines and The Magic of Christmas.
Appearing two months after his much-hyped pop crossover move In the Life of Chris Gaines, Garth Brooks & the Magic of Christmas suffers from extraordinarily bad timing. When it was being recorded as the soundtrack for a television special, Chris Gaines had yet to be unveiled and, if anything had gone according to plan, The Magic of Christmas would have been the cherry on the top of a successful year for Brooks. Even the best-laid plans have a way of unravelling, however, and none unravelled more spectacularly than Brooks' hopes for the fourth quarter of 1999. It's likely that The Magic of Christmas was intended to reveal another layer of Brooks' musical talents, to complement Chris Gaines' mainstream pop by illustrating that Brooks can also sing Christmas standards like a big band crooner. That's right -- The Magic is another stylistic departure for the most popular country artist of all time -- this one finds him doing big band, swing, ballads, and even gospel. Certainly, he had to find a way to distinguish this album from 1992's Beyond the Season, especially since it shares a handful of songs with the previous holiday affair. Traditional pop may not have been the wise way to go, however. On paper, it's a bold, gutsy move, but the artist just doesn't have the voice to pull it off. Throughout the record, he's entirely too self-conscious, trying to keep the twang out of his voice while struggling to adhere to the textbook image of a classic pop crooner. His voice is way too flat for this predictable setting. In order to make such chestnuts as "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Let It Snow," "Winter Wonderland," and "Sleigh Ride" sound fresh, particularly when they're given such predictable, brassy, post-Don Costas arrangements, a singer has to be both powerful and filled with charisma. Brooks is neither -- swallowed up by his big band, he sounds meek on each track, no matter how hard he tries to make himself heard. An interesting stylistic experiment, perhaps, but one that doesn't work. Unfortunately, The Magic of Christmas appeared just weeks after another interesting stylstic experiment from Brooks, the instantly legendary Chris Gaines. Musically, Gaines worked, but Brooks' invention of a fictional alter-ego was just too plain weird for his entire audience. Usually, Brooks records went platinum within two weeks of their release dates; two months after its release, In the Life of Chris Gaines didn't even go gold. Clearly, this was not the time for yet another stylistic departure, even if it was in the guise of a holiday album, but Brooks and Capitol had already locked themselves into a November release for The Magic of Christmas, and they couldn't stop it. To make matters worse, the TV special for The Magic wasn't completed in time, so it was bumped to Christmas 2000, leaving the album stranded in 1999. To save face, Brooks and Capitol decided to have the original release of The Magic of Christmas be a "Christmas 1999 -- First Edition" limited edition, planning to reissue the album with a different cover in 2000, when the TV special actually aired. That still doesn't explain the bizarre cover shot of a possibly airbrushed Brooks, dressed in black and sucking in his cheeks, standing beneath a spooky moon, holding a crystal ball, staring demonically into the camera -- it gives the impression that the album celebrates the black magic of Christmas. The picture doesn't ease the suspicions raised by Chris Gaines: the feeling that Brooks is retreating into his own insular world. From any other artist, such a wildly divergent sequence of albums would be seen as an attempt to alienate his audience, but Garth isn't Bob Dylan, who has been known to go out of his way to irritate his dedicated followers. Brooks wants to be all things to all people, but he not only can't pull everything off, he doesn't have an audience that will follow all of his detours. Consequently, the further away he goes from his standard sound, the smaller his audience becomes, and the more fascinating his recordings become. And, truth be told, few pairs of albums from a superstar have been quite so bizarrely fascinating as Chris Gaines and The Magic of Christmas.
Brooks' ability to reinvent these classic songs while still staying true to their original beauty is commendable. Furthermore, "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas" also features a duet with Trisha Yearwood, another renowned country artist and Garth Brooks' wife. Their harmonies and chemistry shine through in their rendition of "Baby, It's Cold Outside," creating a magical and enchanting atmosphere. Overall, "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas" is a must-listen for anyone looking to get into the Christmas spirit. Garth Brooks' love for the holiday season and his impeccable talent make this album a memorable and enjoyable experience for music lovers of all ages. Through his music, Brooks reminds us of the magic and joy that Christmas brings, making it a perfect addition to any holiday playlist..
Reviews for "The Joy of Christmas: Garth Brooks' Musical Gift"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas". I've been a fan of Garth Brooks for a long time, but this album just didn't do it for me. The arrangements felt uninspired and lacked the energy and passion that I'm used to hearing from him. The choice of songs was also questionable, with some unexpected and out-of-place choices that just didn't fit the Christmas theme. Overall, it felt like a rushed and half-hearted attempt at a holiday album.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I cannot believe how much I disliked "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas". It was an absolute letdown and a complete departure from Garth Brooks' usual sound. The production was cheesy and over-the-top, with excessive use of choirs and orchestra that overshadowed his vocals. The song selection was also very generic, with no originality or unique interpretations of the classic Christmas songs. I expected so much more from Garth Brooks, and I'm extremely disappointed.
3. Michael - 2.5 stars - While I appreciate Garth Brooks' attempt to bring some holiday cheer with "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas", I found the overall execution underwhelming. The album lacks the warmth and sincerity that I associate with his music. The performances felt forced and the arrangements were too predictable, offering nothing new or refreshing. It's a forgettable addition to the countless Christmas albums out there. As a longtime fan, I was hoping for something more imaginative and captivating.
4. Emily - 2 stars - "Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas" failed to impress me. The album felt like a cash grab and lacked the genuine holiday spirit. The production was overly polished and the arrangements felt soulless. It seemed like Garth Brooks was just going through the motions, without putting his heart and soul into the songs. It's a shame because I expected better from such a talented artist. I'll be sticking to his earlier work for my Christmas music fix.