The Moshville Times - Album Review: Mark Tremonti

We may have only dipped our toes into November, but the Christmas releases are already staring to appear. So, grab your Santa hat (or your Bah Humbug hat if you prefer) and get ready for some seasonal song reviews.

The first Christmas release I noticed this year is “Christmas Classics New & Old” from Mark Tremonti. Now, when I heard the name Mark Tremonti, I thought about Alter Bridge, Creed, and Tremonti. If that’s what you thought too, then you are in for a surprise when you listen to this album because this is an album that Mr Tremonti recorded with a rather fantastic orchestra and it sees him channelling his inner crooner. (Apparently, he has already worked with this orchestra on his charity fundraising album “Tremonti Sings Sinatra” – an album which, I must admit, passed me by.)

What we have on “Christmas Classics Old & New”, is ten classic Christmas songs sung in an authentically classic style. Well, nine classics and one new track, Christmas Morning, which (I guess) explains the “New” in the album title. The official video for this new track can be found at the end of this review and should give you a good idea of how the album sounds: heavy on the orchestra; heavy on the crooning; heavy on the schmalz… but light on the heaviness you might expect from Mark Tremonti. It does, however, have a classically Christmas feel and I can imagine many people enjoying it in front of a roaring fire while they wait for Santa.

It is worth noting, that 100% of the album’s proceeds to the National Down Syndrome Society (visit www.ndss.org for more information) and the album is released in connection with Mark Tremonti’s Take A Chance For Charity organisation. The press release says: “Take A Chance For Charity is a new charity focused on giving artists / actors / athletes / anyone with a platform the ability to get out of their comfort zone. The idea is to have people get out of the genre they are known for to raise funds / awareness for the charity of their choice.” And, suddenly, the style of this album makes sense. Mark Tremonti has “taken a chance for charity” and stepped out of the genre he is known for to create this album of Christmas classics. In doing so, he has done a great job: his vocals sound authentic, the orchestra are awesome and his newly penned addition to the Christmas canon fits right in with the other nine tracks.

If you are looking for something Christmassy, that is more Rat Pack than rock and roll, this album will fit right down your Christmas chimney.

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Track listing: