Fernando Ortega - Christmas Songs (2008)

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
Fernando Ortega - Christmas Songs (2008)
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
AWARD WINNING singer/songwriter Fernando Ortega will release in the States his first-ever Christmas project, 'Christmas Songs', on Curb Records on 21st October. The album is produced by John Andrew Schreiner and Ortega and features a set of 10 traditional Christmas songs and hymns. Said Ortega, "'Christmas Songs' is a project that I've wanted to make for a very long time. I love Christmas, but had no idea how to approach the songs without falling into repetition and cliché. In November last year, I started toying around with the melody of 'Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella.' The rest of the album sprang from there."
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Label: Curb Records
Distributed By: Word
Publisher: Curb Records
UPC: 715187911024
Product Code: 560953
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
01. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
02. Carol Of The Birds
03. Joy To The World
04. Go Tell It On The Mountain
05. What Child Is This
06. Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella
07. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
08. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
09. Angels We Have Heard On High
10. Jesus, King of Angels
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
Fernando Ortega’s newest album, simply titled Christmas Songs, is definitely one that you can enjoy over and over this Christmas and for many Christmases to come. Ortega’s timeless contemporary piano arrangements and simple, clean-cut vocals are heart-warming, and his newest takes on some of our favorite Christmas songs are refreshing and enjoyable for all audiences.

Creativity:: 9 The track listing follows the birth of Christ from start to finish, including interesting interludes on classic hymns and some different takes on the traditional meters and rhythms. I also enjoyed the instrumentation. It’s not just piano like some of his other albums. Christmas Songs includes instruments like bongo drums, guitar, various types of percussion, and cello. This album contains three instrumental pieces: “Go, Tell it on the Mountain”, “Carol of the Birds”, and “Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella”.

Original Songs:: 7 All of the songs have original musical arrangements by Fernando except for “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.” The one entirely original song, “Jesus, King of Angels,” seems a bit like an album filler in this case. It’s a good song, but it seems a bit overshadowed by the other Christmas favorites.

Classic Covers:: 10 I loved the inventive arrangements of familiar, traditional songs we all know by heart. Even though I’ve heard them a thousand times, I want to hear them all over again Fernando-style!

Musical Score:: 6 Fernando uses piano interludes and backup vocals on one or two songs, but other than that, it’s usually kind of bare bones piano when he’s not singing. Backup vocals add a lot but don’t overshadow Ortega’s simplistic vocal style, and the instrumental interludes are ornate and creative. I love his simplicity, even though it doesn’t make for big points in this category.

Overall Holly Jolliness:: 9 Overall, this is a great album, and it definitely puts me in the Christmas spirit! More than anything, it’s a reflective album that helps me remember the REAL meaning of Christmas amid our other Christmas songs that mark our very cultural idea of Christmas.

Total score= 41. If you’re getting a little tired of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”, grab a copy of Christmas Songs and a cup of hot cocoa for a relaxing night by the fire.

Review By Charlotte Sublett
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
Artist……………: Fernando Ortega
Album…………….: Christmas Songs
Genre…………….: Holiday
Source……………: CD
Year……………..: 2008
Ripper……………: EAC (Secure mode) / LAME 3.92 & Asus CD-S520
Codec…………….: LAME 3.97
Version…………..: MPEG 1 Layer III
Quality…………..: CBR 192, (avg. bitrate: 192kbps)
Channels………….: Joint Stereo / 44100 hz

Included………….: NFO, M3U
Covers……………: Front