Holiday Vinyl Records

The Ventures were also one of the first rock acts to conquer the album market, selling large quantities of their LPs at a time when rock n roll was still largely a singles medium. One of the bands best-loved longplayers is The Ventures Christmas Album. Originally released in 1965, it finds the foursomefeaturing the legendary guitar-slinging frontline of Bob Bogle, Nokie Edwards and Don Wilsonapplying their trademark style to a dozen familiar yuletide tunes, including Sleigh Ride, Santa Claus Is Comin to Town, Jingle Bells and White Christmas. The Ventures soup up these seasonal standards by adding snazzy guitar phrases that quote then-current rock n roll hits by the likes of the Beatles, the Searchers and Johnny Rivers, as well as a few older Ventures classics.

In the years since its release, The Ventures Christmas Album has remained a holiday favorite, as well as one of the most popular items in the bands catalog. Tracks from the album continue to grace the radio airwaves during the holiday season, and are regularly included on Christmas-themed compilation albums. But the best way to experience these instrumental gems is on the complete original vinyl LP. Sundazed Music has mastered this vintage gem from the original analog tapes and pressed it on 180 gram vinyl, with complete original cover art.

This year, to celebrate the 10th year of the Holiday Extravaganza, the band will finally release their first volume of holiday songs, titled Holidaydream. Tim DeLaughter (founder of The Polyphonic Spree) says Holidaydream can be played all year round: "We wanted to make a record that has the sentiment of the holidays without the melodic connotation telegraphing the obvious. We took many of the standards that we all knew and loved as kids and rewrote the music and melody to give them a 'new' life while leaving others somewhat true to form."

Holidaydream: Sounds of the Holidays Vol. One is not your typical, by-the‐numbers holiday collection. The music within is magical, otherworldly, and at times somber. The songs captivate as they float by. A few of the songs have alternate melodies and truncated lyrics but maintain the timelessness and sentimentality of the song.

Kirtland Records have partnered with Good Records Recordings to release the 13-song collection on limited edition LP. The album includes 10 standards, two original compositions, and a cover of the always timely "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon & Yoko Ono.

Who better to help you celebrate that most wonderful  time of the year than holiday favorites Bad Religion?  Bad Religion have threatened to record an album of  seasonal classics for years, and now they’ve gone and  done it, tackling eight chestnuts in their classic punk rock  style.  From “White Christmas” with its nod to pioneers  The Ramones, to the glorious choirboy intro to “Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing,” Christmas Songs is the record  you need to get your holiday household’s toes tapping.

Mastered Impeccably By Joe Reagoso And Manufactured At R.T.I.

Johnny Mathis is a musical phenomenon with a legendary musical career breaking wide open in the mid-fifties. Recording a plethora of hit recordings in pop, soul, adult, jazz and even country genres, he shared his vocal talents for millions of fans with his records, concerts and top rated television shows for over five decades.

With 1959’s Merry Christmas LP, Johnny created one of the most successful holiday top charting hit albums of all time, with this stunning masterpiece. The LP features his stellar interpretations of both popular and inspirational favorites like definitive hit versions of Winter Wonderland and Sleigh Ride, plus impressive readings of The First Noel, Silver Bells and O Holy Night.

The 1959 holiday masterpiece finds the artist at the top of his game. Arranged and orchestrated by easy listening giant Percy Faith, Merry Christmas is filled with beautifully arranged classics like Johnny’s hit versions of I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Blue Christmas and the wonderful Silent Night, Holy Night.

This fine album has been out of print for decades on vinyl, and it is our honor to announce the first time 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl presentation of Merry Christmas by the legendary Johnny Mathis on Friday Music. This limited edition audiophile masterpiece is now impeccably mastered by Joe Reagoso and also for a very limited time is pressed by R.T.I. on translucent Red Vinyl for the holidays and features the original LP artwork not seen in years, in a first time gatefold presentation.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland…

Mastered Impeccably By Joe Reagoso – Manufactured At R.T.I.

Johnny Cash was a musical phenomenon and an American icon with his legendary musical career starting in the 50’s at Sun Records. His plethora of hit recordings led to a major move to Columbia Records, and the late legend charted recordings in all the major formats like country, rock , pop, folk, and gospel genres, sharing his legendary vocal, guitar and songwriting persona for millions of fans worldwide.

With 1963’s The Christmas Spirit Lp, Johnny Cash teams up with producer Don Law (Ray Price) and created one of the most revered holiday and inspirational hit albums of all time. The album features Johnny’s stellar interpretations of both popular and religious favorites like the definitive hit version of I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day, the Tex Ritter favorite Here Was A Man, June Carter Cash’s Christmas As I Knew It, plus more traditional fare like Blue Christmas and The Little Drummer Boy. His impressive readings of inspirational favorites like Silent Night, Holy Night, plus Johnny’s own The Christmas Spirit and Who Kept The Sheep, truly made the The Christmas Spirit Lp a groundbreaking effort for this sorely missed legend.

This fine album has been out of print for decades on vinyl, and it is our honor to announce the first time 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl presentation of The Christmas Spirit by the late great Johnny Cash on Friday Music. This limited edition audiophile masterpiece is now impeccably mastered by Joe Reagoso and also for a very limited time is pressed by R.T.I. on White Vinyl for the holidays. Also, the Lp features the original Lp artwork not seen in years, in a first time gatefold presentation exclusively from the Columbia Records archives.

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day…..

First Time On Vinyl

Dan Finnerty caught America's eye in his role as the foul-mouthed wedding singer in the film Old School as well as his appearance in Starsky & Hutch and again as the wedding singer in the movie, The Hangover. The Dan Band plays sold out concerts from Los Angeles to New York and has appeared on numerous television shows including: The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ellen, The Late Late Show, Last Call with Carson Daly, and Last Comic Standing. Steven Spielberg was drawn to the band and produced Dan's one hour concert special "The Dan Band: I Am Woman", directed by McG. SideOneDummy Records previously released The Dan Band’s debut album, “The Dan Band Live”, and is proud to release “HO: A Dan Band Xmas” for the first time on vinyl.

Dwight Yoakam's Come on Christmas is a rollicking set of rocking holiday classics ironically highlighted by the title track, a haunting original that is one of Yoakam's best songs of the late '90s. The remainder of the album is comprised of high-spirited, entertaining country-rockers that make the record an enjoyable holiday album.

John Denver's music always had a warm, home-spun quality to it, so it isn't surprising that his 1975 holiday effort, Rocky Mountain Christmas, is a wonderfully low-key and friendly Christmas album. Divided between classic carols and new numbers, such as the fine "Aspenglow" and "Christmas for Cowboys," the album is an appealing, pretty record, perfect for late nights by the fireside.

This country-music dynamic duo went pop Top 40 with this holiday hit in '84. Along with White Christmas and a medley featuring Winter Wonderland; Sleigh Ride , and other favorites, they sing Dolly's own Once upon a Christmas; A Christmas to Remember; With Bells On; I Believe in Santa Claus , and more!

For material, Mannheim Steamroller asked their fans to choose their favorite holiday selections and vote on their Web site. The results of the poll are a fine mix of old and new--with slightly more emphasis on the modern--ranging from the bracing "Fum, Fum, Fum," a traditional Catalan carol, to Tchaikovsky's "Faeries" from The Nutcracker. Mannheim Steamroller imbues this beloved song with an almost militaristic edge, grounding it with an ominous tuba that gives the usually fey "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" an edgy tension. "Winter Wonderland" is a spectacular work, bordering on prog rock, as if Emerson, Lake & Palmer had re-formed to whip up a winter blizzard gone amok.

While most of the Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas albums are largely instrumental, Davis has employed the considerable talents of University of Michigan's Glee Club to sing on "O Tannenbaum," respectfully fading their elegant, full vocals around the pristine voice of Johnny Mathis, elevating this German carol to a cinematic peak. -Jaan Uhelszki

This special, audiophile edition of the album has been cut by George Horn at Fantasy Studios and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP. The LP comes housed in an old-school replica tip-on jacket, featuring the original 1965 cover art.