Prog rock lives! This fusion of rock, jazz, and classical, driven by synthesizers, excess, and dry-ice fog, was once the domain of '70s groups like Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. But Mannheim Steamroller has kept prog rock's intoxicated spirit and bright spectacle alive, mainly through 20 years of Christmas albums and concerts, and Christmas Celebration won't disappoint their many worldwide fans. With its overblown arrangements of standards and readily accessible new pieces, it combines a variety of styles with a heavy mix of instruments and voices. Noteworthy are the choirs and soloists featured on various tracks, including the Cambridge Singers and Johnny Mathis on "O Tannenbaum" as well as lesser-knowns like Germany's Bielefelder Kinderchor and the University of Michigan Glee Club. All told, it's a full, pretty- paper assault, an aural smorgasbord laid out with bold strokes and many a glittering bauble.
01 Celebration 02 Christmas Lullaby 03 Deck the Halls 04 Veni Veni 05 Away in the Manger 06 Hallelujah 07 O Tannenbaum 08 Wassail, Wassail 09 Carol Of The Birds 10 God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen 11 God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 12 Greensleeves 13 Traditions of Christmas 14 Good King Wenceslas 15 Carol of the Bells 16 Auld Lang Syne 17 Fum, Fum, Fum 18 Stille Nacht (Silent Night)