British vocal trio Blake release A Classic Christmas, a collection of classic festive songs with Hollywood-style arrangements and Blake's vocal harmonies. This is an album with a vintage festive party feel and silver screen glamour, bringing back memories of many Christmas pasts and will be enjoyed for many years to come...

Ah, Christmas. A time when novelty acts release festive albums in a hope to cash in on those desperate to find a suitable gift for mum, or auntie Joan. Thankfully, however, Blake's album is not a simple cash in, but a lovingly crafted and well thought out festive soundtrack that any one with a Christmas bone in their body will enjoy listening to at this festive time of year.

The album contains 13 songs (50 min, 15 sec) and opens on the right note, with Dame Shirley Bassey making a guest appearance on ‘The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)’. This is the perfect way to open the album, and Bassey proves she still has the power behind her vocals.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear a reworking of 'Christmas Time Is Here' which was originally written by Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi for the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas.

For those of you who can't hear 'Walking in the Air' without feeling nauseous after years of having to listen to Aled Jones's original from The Snowman animated movie, Blake turn it back into a song you can enjoy.

What's interesting is how the trio constantly shift their approach to each song. It would have been so easy to just belt out a familiar version, or slightly alter it to give it the Blake harmonisation, but they have tackled each song as separate entities, breaking them down and building them back up again from the ground up.

The end result is a truly magical Christmas album. Add to this the fact that a percentage of the sales of the entire album will go to Variety, the Children’s Charity, and you have no excuse not to pick this us.

Track listing:

01 - The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
02 - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
03 - Christmas Time Is Here
04 - Frosty the Snowman
05 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
06 - It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
07 - Little Saint Nick
08 - Walking in the Air
09 - In the Bleak Midwinter
10 - O Holy Night
11 - I’ll Be Home for Christmas
12 - Back in Your Arms (For Christmas)
13 - Silent Night

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Nick Smithson