Amazon.co.uk Review
"Little Saint Nick," the Beach Boys' 1963 classic, is undoubtedly one of pop music's coolest original Christmas songs. Decades later, the original still sounds as hot as the California sun on this special combination of previously released and unvaulted alternate takes and never-released material, including a distinctly different arrangement of "Nick" and a fun, loopy ditty called "Santa's Got an Airplane". While many of the songs here are fodder for completists--and will sound uneven to others--it's hard to resist a record that features real rarities and Christmas material from 1964. Dig-master Brian Wilson singing solo on "Blue Christmas" from the 1964
Christmas Album and his keenly orchestrated "Winter Symphony" (for a 1977 Christmas disc that was never released, much of which is highlighted throughout this CD) with the warm, brassy instrumental bridge, plus a couple of fun public-service announcements and a Christmas-themed interview with the group's eccentric genius.
--Martin Keller
CD Description
ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS gathers together most of the Christmas material recorded by the group, including 1964's BEACH BOYS' CHRISTMAS ALBUM, selected tracks from a never-released second Christmas album completed in 1977 and some charming oddities (public service announcements, interviews, Christmas messages to their fans). Brian Wilson and his compatriots never approached their work halfheartedly (as least not until muchlater in their career), so their seasonal recordings were no money-making knock-off. Most of the tracks here are original compositions that combine Wilson's surf-and-sun-drenched musical mindset with a Yuletide flavour in a manner that will be agreeable to anyone enamored of the Beach Boys' early work. Thoughtful, informative liner notes add to the appeal of this album.