Merry Christmas from Jackie Wilson

Last time I reviewed Elvis, this time I'm doing the guy who Elvis called the Black Elvis. With that being said, this is Jackie Wilson's sole Christmas album from 1963. Now unlike the James Brown Christmas this is all covers, and while I love Jackie, I don't know if this'll hold up. I have heard a song or two from the album here or there, but front to back... That's a whole different story. Let's delve into my second of four, possibly five, Christmas review(s). Note: of the 12 tracks here 5 are in common with the Sinatra Christmas. The album was conducted by two guys, Dick Jacobs (1-3, 6, 8, 9) and Alan Lorber (4, 5, 7, 10-12)

1. Silent Night: Ah we meet once again.This is a very chill version, that I think honestly works well. There is a white noise in the version I hear, but if that was cut it'd be perfect. The bells really work in this arrangement, and I honestly think this is what helps a bit. Or at least adds to it for me. I love the organ and the chorus sound great. I also like that guitar you hear towards the ending. The arrangement is great, though I wish I could hear all of the instruments. Strings might have helped.
2. White Christmas: I think I've grown to find humor in this track. Probably because of Uncle Bernie's Farm, but this rendition isn't half bad. I like that organ, and the swells in the track take up a lot of the white noise that was in the last track. I feel like his vocals were recorded over the track, there is a distance, but the piano sounds good when you hear it.
3. O Holy Night (Cantique de Noël): This is a standard version of the song. But the vocals are great and you feel Jackie singing in it.This isn't the These Arms of Mine. I do kind of wish they went into a gospel feeling though, like. "Oh night de------ vine!" he holds the "ine" and the backing section turns to a gospel choir type song like The Jefferson Theme. You know what I mean? I think it'd be a nice touch.
4. The First Noel: I also think this is a standard arrangement. Nothing to crazy here, but there is something endearing about the monologue. I mean, I don't know, I like his delivery. And he gives a solid vocal performance.
5. Deck the Halls:  I don't know how this will go over, honestly I was a bit nervous. Not that I doubt him, but you never know. And if I'm being honest, this is too light. Also it just doesn't feel like Jackie fits. I kind of can say this when you turn a rock song into a soul song and don't do it properly. You know, if you go on a covers website, look up your favorite soul/jazz artist and they do a cover of a Beatles or folk tune and the arrangement doesn't work. You end up with a sort of "this is...... kinda good? right?" feeling. Billy Paul's Magic Carpet Ride for example.
6. Silver Bells: I never cared for this sing. It is kind if stupid if I'm being honest. This has this sort of Felice Navi Dad feeling to it in the response to the "ring a ling" lyrics. This isn't a terrible version, but I don't think it really works perfect. Like it has it's short comings I guess. But I also don't like this song either in general. So that could also affect my outlook.
7. Joy to the World: You know this song, and nothing new is here. I like the guitar strumming you can hear, and I like the timpani and the backing vocals. The triangle is nice too. I wonder if his vocals weren't meant for this song. Like I feel like this is a bit of a nightmare, but like it's not his fault.
8. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear: So this track, while not done particularly crazy or different or even new... Works. How you say? Jackie has a great voice and he just oozes charisma. I do actually like this, and it works quite well. The tremolo strings actually work very well and I think he sounds like he fits on this track.
9. Adeste Fideles: Sinatra, did it first. Honestly, I like the church feeling of this song. I just feel the vocals need to be much larger, he sounds like he is in front of the mic and everyone else is in the other room singing into the same mic. There aren't enough swells and it isn't powerful enough for me to feel anything really. The second verse should get larger and add other things, and the way he says "given" sounds weird. I do like this rendition, I just feel it's to bare. But I like it well. And that last note sung, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Kind of indecisive.
10. I'll Be Home for Christmas: Fuck this song, but whatever. This has a nice shuffle feeling to it, but the damning thing about that is I wanna hear solos. It's almost like a sequence, for me. Not that it is one, but how it takes you from one thing to another.
11. O Little Town of Bethlehem: This is just okay, this doesn't do much for me. It's nice, but I've heard it before I guess. Like nothing that new is added. It's not that compelling.
12. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen: Hey, guess what. Next we have one Jimmy Smith who plays a fucking killer version of this track. Like in the next review, not on this track. I do like the harpsichord, it's a nice addition. But I wanna make a suggestion, instead of the bells why not add timpani or a percussion instrument that is a bit more eastern.

Overall I have to give this album a 6/10. There is a sort of soul-jazz feeling through out, like I'd heard on Jimmy McGriff, Jimmy Smith and so on. It's very hard to breathe new life in these songs, especially now. While this isn't mind blowing, I gotta say it's more enjoyable than most other albums that cover this music. Well at parts at least. His voice also helps the album a lot. Don't get me wrong, but there are moments I felt, this is a Ain't that Good News Christmas nightmare isn't this. I guess I think the biggest disappointment was two things. He's great, so I can't imagine him not making at least a 7 or 8. Second, I feel like this soul jazz/vocal jazz christmas thing would work phenomenal. I guess it sound be revisited another day maybe. Also I wanna have a shout out to "Awaken, My Love!". I can't believe how much I'm digging this thing.

Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson

This is the sophomore LP by soul legend, Mr Excitment himself, Jackie Wilson. I have a confession, I only ever heard of him because of the stupid Jackie Wilson Says track by Van Morrison. But hey, that caused me to look him up. Well that and the fact the Isley Brothers samples the "say you will" from Lonely Treadrops for Shout. But in the short number of months I've been a fan, I have listened to a huge chunk of his discography.I'd go as far as saying that I think he's phenomenal and really can make most anything great.

1. Lonely Teardrops: Opening we get a heavy fucking hitter. By that I mean a solid fucking track. I love this song and its so great to sing along with. Jackie's so fucking good here, he just transcends this track. While lyrically its somewhat shallow (or rather just not really realistic), he's just so good you don't notice. A doo-wop classic, a doo-wop masterpiece. 
2. Each Time (I Love You More): This is not as powerful as the opener, but none the less it's a solid doo-wop tune. With some great vintage 30's or 40's sound choir I could imagine in a Christmas song. Plus another great singing performance from Jackie. Also I'm kind of a sucker for that piano progression. While some I think are good, but more in the just because I'm a sucker for doo-wop, this is a solid and nice track. Like I can't think of any that have a chorus behind the singer that harken Christmas record (old school stuff as mentioned earlier).
3. That's Why (I Love You So): A much more lively song than the last. I really like this progression, it's got some nice horns and some pretty solid performance all around. And it's about two minutes long so it doesn't overstay it's welcome. While I love How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You by my hero Marvin Gaye, it's a bit long. This is great and sweet and simple and the perfect length.
4. In The Blue of the Evening: I had to laugh a bit, the second this started I was like this is very old school Sinatra feeling. Well I looked it up and it was originally by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with some vocals from Frank Sinatra back in August 1942. This is actually a really great tune and I want to check out the original afterwords. A great crooner tune and really nice vocal jazz number. A shame I don't see it more often when I listen to vocal jazz albums, there are some standards that I don't think are as good as this tune. Who knows, maybe it is and I just didn't look hard enough. I like this arrangement a lot. Also I should mention that organ and saxophone...... top notch. There are the songs I love to sing along to.
5. The Joke (Is Not on Me): The song has great performances from the baking vocals, and has a nice swing to it. Actually the structure reminds me of maybe a rewrite of Quarter to Three. The thing is this is a bit less "exciting", that don't mean it's bad or worse (though I perfer Quarter to Three). This has a great guitar solo in the tune and this album is surprising me with it's variety. Not just in the songs, but the styles and takes. 
6. Someone to Need Me (As I Need You): Classic doo-wop and you know it is more than welcome. I love the, dare I say (cuz I might be wrong in my phrasing or word), tremolo strings. I mean it's a doo-wop tune, and it's a really good one. I don't think I can say much more than that, other then fucking great arrangement. They really made this thing sound big.
7. You Better Know It: This is a pretty solid soul tune, while it sounds like any other Isley Brother/insert soul artist from this time period, I still enjoy this. It's fun up beat and harmless. It isn't cheesy like some other songs (Another Saturday Night - PS I love that song) it's just nice you know. This also kind of reminds me of Tutti Fruti. I still dig this tune though.
8. By the Light of the Silvery Moon: The horns here are muted, and it give this that vocal jazz feeling. Like the other kind or one of the other kind. I could see this song being in a musical and the chorus sounds really good with him. Like really they compliment him. There are times I listen to the chorus and I don't like it, Ray Conniff Singers *cough*, but they really work good here. This is a fun song, incas I didn't make that clear. Also that band that comes in and plays the tune behind him.... nice :) PLus I love that accordion thing at the ending.
9. Singing A Song: That intro made me feel lik this was taken from a musical. Actually I could see this being in a musical if I'm being honest. I you're not snapping along to this song.... I don't even know. It's pretty fast, but the little calls of the instruments and the whole thing. Pretty tasty. I think my favorite part is the chorus where the strings come in. Damn this things great. It's really well constructed and I just wanna listen to the strings.... damn.
10. Love Is All: See, how can you hate him? listen to the way he sings. This is very soothing and I feel like Ray Conniff would be infinitely better with mister Wilson.
11. We Have Love: I don't know why, I just love these numbers. I also think it's perfect not every song is like this, but these are the stand outs to me a bit. Like there is something in this type of soul where it touches my soul. This is also very well put together and just great.
12. Hush-A-Bye: This is kind of an appropriate closer to the album. It's soft and very smoothe and has a very old feeling to it. Like that Sintra feeling as mentioned earlier. This feels like it's the ending and I don't really know what more to say than that. It's good.

Overall I have to give this album by Jackie Wilson an 8/10. This is great, really check it out. It goes by fast, and there is enough of a variety to keep you interested. Plus once you start to dig his vocals, he's really good bru. To be completely honest I'd have this entire album on my iPod because these are all songs I'll revisit outside of the album. Really there is more substance here than on most rock or metal albums I've been revisiting that I loved years ago, or ones that I've heard recently. To be honest I could see this being even higher rated in the future. Oh also hats of to mister Dick Jacobs for his great orchestration and direction. This whole thing is just so fun and great check it out.