This is Marie Osmond’s first Christmas CD as a solo artist.  All her previous Christmas output was as part of The Osmond Family, the family group that has been around since the early 1960s, starting with The Osmonds.  She was never an official member of The Osmonds, but Marie did some Christmas songs with her brother Donny and appeared on the Osmond Family Christmas CD from 1991.

Marie Osmond was born in 1959 in Ogden, Utah.  Her family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In fact, the entire Osmond clan are probably the most famous Mormons in the entertainment world.  She was the 8^th child out of an end total of 9, and was the only girl.  Having been very young while her older brothers were already established singers through appearing on Andy Williams’ variety show, Marie was encouraged by her mother to join in the family fun.  Marie Osmond was attracted to Country music more than the Pop music her brothers had been releasing.

Marie Osmond released her first single, Paper Roses, in 1973, two months before her 15^th birthday and it is still one of her most popular recordings.  The song shot to number one on Billboard’s Country Singles chart and Marie Osmond became the youngest Country music performer to have a # 1 single on their first try.  Paper Roses, the single and the album, both went on to earn a Grammy nomination that year but did not win any awards.

Having released a few very successful singles with her brother Donny, Donny & Marie Osmond became classic 1970s variety TV stars through their show Donny & Marie.  It was the mid-70s and their show aired on Friday nights, and as a 16 – 17-year-old, I didn’t miss one. 😊

After the show ended, Marie Osmond continued to record popular Country albums that did well on the Pop charts too.  All throughout her career, Marie Osmond had a strong presence on TV, starring in made-for-TV movies, variety shows, and she and Donny had their own daytime talk show for two years starting in 1998.  Marie Osmond also excelled in Broadway productions.  And finally, starting in 2008, she and her brother Donny set up an 11-year residence in Las Vegas.

All throughout her career, Marie has dabbled in other ventures outside of the entertainment world.  Crafting, designing dolls and charitable works have kept Marie Osmond very busy.

Marie Osmond has been married three times, twice to the same man.  She has a son Stephen from her first marriage and two natural children and five adopted children with her second husband.

Marie Osmond keeps a strong presence on TV even today.  You will see her promoting everything from her own line of dolls and skin care products to diet programs.

This Christmas CD from Marie Osmond was released in 2007 on the small independent label, HiFi Records and the CD I own is the Limited Edition, so it also comes with a 5 song bonus CD.  Yea!

The CD artwork is very festive, being mostly red backgrounds with gold lettering throughout.  The CD cover shows a head-and-shoulders shot of Marie wearing a red sweater.  Her name appears near the top in light green letters, and the title Magic of Christmas appears below her name in white script.

The back of the CD has a small picture of Marie in a lime green cardigan holding an ornately wrapped Christmas gift.  The picture is framed in an elaborate gold frame.  The back of the CD features a numerical track listing that includes performing artist duets and time signatures.  Below the track listing, there are production credits and typical label copywrite notices.

The CD cover comes out and opens along a single fold-out.  The inside features numerous pictures of Marie throughout her life.  Some are of her alone and others include her brothers.  There is a personal message from Marie describing the inspiration behind the making of this CD.

The back of the CD cover has all the technical information one could want.  Arranging and conducting credits are listed.  Musicians that play on the CD, engineers and producers and production credits are all listed.  Towards the bottom is a numerical track listing that includes writer credits for all the songs.

Some of this CD was recorded in Provo, Utah and some songs were recorded in Prague, Czech Republic.  Jerry Williams did all the arranging and led the orchestra for the Utah sessions.  The recording sessions in Prague were conducted by Leos Svarovsky with the City of Prague Philharmonic.  So far, I have been unable to determine which songs were recorded in Utah, and which songs were recorded in Prague.  I was hoping Wikipedia or Discogs could help me, but that is not the case.  Nowhere in the CD liner notes does it say specifically which songs were recorded where.

The songs included on the main CD are a mix of traditional Christmas hymns, familiar secular Christmas songs and original Christmas songs.  Over half the songs are original Christmas songs and are unique to this Christmas CD.  Most of the arrangements are Pop oriented with a little Country flavor added in.  The original Christmas songs have Christian music attributes, in the arrangements and in the lyrics.

The opening song on the CD is The Christmas Song and it is traditional in all respects from the lush orchestrations to Marie’s vocals.  Marie Osmond’s voice has matured since her days as a teen Pop idol.  I could never have guessed it was her if I didn’t have the liner notes to inform me.  Marie Osmond presents a pleasant and endearing version of this Christmas standard.

The 2^nd song, When Christmas Comes This Year, features Marie in a duet with her brother Donny.  Although an unfamiliar Christmas song, the song is not unique to this Christmas CD.  I believe B.J. Thomas recorded it first for his Christmas CD in 1997.  The song is a soft, soulful Christmas song that evokes all the sentiments of combining Christmas traditions with the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus at midnight.  The arrangement is lush and features a full orchestra.  This is not the Donny & Marie from 1977, but they still produce terrific duets.

A full orchestra ushers in the medley Angels We Have Heard On High / Away In The Manger.  Again, Marie provides a maturity in her voice that is soulful and endearing.  Jerry Williams continues the lush arrangements with a full orchestra.  This song reminds me of Contemporary Christian music.  The way the arrangement is constructed, and Marie Osmond’s vocal delivery show strong Contemporary Christian influences.  After all, this Christmas CD went only as high as # 93 on Billboards 200 Album chart but went as high as # 4 on their Christian Albums chart.

The 4^th song, Season Of Seasons, features Marie Osmond with her son Stephen, a child from her first marriage.  The song is unlike any other on this CD.  It features a syncopated R&B arrangement and is very Contemporary for a 2007 Christmas release.  This does not sound bad at all, but it definitely does not sound like The Osmonds.  I am impressed with how well Marie Osmond handles the vocals in this.  If there is any confusion as to what you are listening to, the lyrics clear that up instantly.  The lyrics speak only of the life and love of Jesus Christ.  It is a Christian R&B Christmas song, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was included in the popular Christian Christmas compilation series WOW! Christmas.

The 5^th song is an original Christmas song, unique to this release, (I think.)  Amy Grant wrote a song called Christmas Lullaby, but this is not that song.  This Christmas Lullaby features a lush arrangement of strings and piano that gives a solid platform for Marie to deliver the vocals.  The song evokes a longing to be with the one she loves although that is not possible this year.  The lyrics deliver her sentiments that they have a Christmas filled with love.  It could be directed at her husband or one of her children.

The 6^th song, The Gift Of Love, features a duet between Marie Osmond and Paul Engelmann.  It is a soft endearing Christmas song of love.  The arrangement is Contemporary and incorporates a full orchestra to achieve the modern melody.

Marie Osmond handles the vocals all by herself with the other medley, Hark The Herald Angels Sing / O Come All Ye Faithful.  The arrangement is grandiose, incorporating strings and brass instruments.  In the liner notes, Marie gives a thanks to individuals of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and I believe some of that group provides the large choral voices that accompany this song.  It definitely sounds like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

The Osmond Brothers join their sister Marie for the Country influenced The Locket.  It tells the story of a locket that holds a picture of a woman’s husband who has passed away and as she misses him more every year, she opens it every Christmas Eve to see the picture of her late husband.  It is one of three original Country flavored Christmas songs on the CD written by Gerald Crabb.

The following song, Christmas In The Country, is another Country influenced original song by Gerald Crabb.  The song combines a full orchestra alongside traditional Country instruments to describe a somber Christmas in the Country.

Marie’s younger brother Jimmy joins her on the 10^th song, It’s Christmas Once Again.  It’s another Country influenced Christmas song.  This time, the orchestra is put to rest and the arrangement uses contemporary Country instruments to provide the melody.  The song describes all the sights and sounds of the season that come together every year to remind everyone that it’s Christmas Once Again.  The lyrics combine the secular Christmas trimmings along with the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus.

We return to lush, traditional arrangements for the 11^th song, O Holy Night.  After a big opening, the piano takes center stage while Marie Osmond delivers the lyrics in a soulful, somber manner.  The full orchestra returns to provide reverence to this familiar Christmas hymn.

The 12^th song, The Secret Of Christmas, is not a Christmas song unique to this CD, although it is probably unfamiliar to most listeners.  The song was written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen in 1959 and was first recorded by Bing Crosby.  Numerous artists have recorded it over the years, and I have at least five other versions.  This version combines light orchestrations with piano so as not to overshadow Marie’s somber vocals.

The 13^th song, The Lord’s Prayer, features a traditional arrangement.  The song usually features a very slow tempo along with an endearing vocal delivery.  That is the case here, yet the arrangement is quite large for this song.  As Marie declares the lyrics, the orchestra grows as the song progresses.

The 14^th song, True Love, is another original Christmas song unique to this CD.  It is not the Pop Standard from 1956.  This song features a lush arrangement that is soft enough to allow the piano to take most of the melody.  Marie Osmond’s vocals are soft, almost to a whisper, as she sings of her sentiments of her true love at Christmas.

The last song on the CD, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, features a duet between Marie Osmond and her older brother Merrill.  The arrangement is Contemporary, utilizing Rock instruments that provide a little Country flavor.  Marie and Merrill’s vocals are also Contemporary in nature, combing Country, Rock and Gospel influences.

The next part of the review centers on the 5-song bonus CD that comes with the Limited Edition of this CD release.  All 5 songs are 20^th century, familiar, secular Christmas songs.  The official title of the bonus CD is Marie Osmond’s Magic Of Christmas Stocking Stuffer.  I guess you could keep the 15 track CD for yourself and give the bonus CD to someone else.  Uh, no.  I think I’ll keep it for myself.  There is a disclaimer on the bonus CD that states “For promotional purposes only.  Not for sale”.  I guess this is so stores can’t break them apart and sell the bonus CD separately.  All my information says that the Limited Edition version of Marie Osmond’s Magic Of Christmas was sold through QVC, but I got mine off Amazon some years ago.

The first of these is White Christmas.  The song opens with a lush arrangement of strings and piano.  As Marie starts her vocals, she sings the lyrics in a slow, soft, soulful, albeit traditional, manner.

The 2^nd song on the bonus CD takes a turn from the first and features a very Contemporary arrangement of Sleigh Ride.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard an arrangement such as this applied to this song.  The arrangement employs Country Rock influences, mixed with Jazz and the tempo is quick.  For the finish, Marie channels her inner Jazz self as she slows the vocals down and delivers the end in a soulful manner reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald and combining Gospel influences.

The 3^rd song, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, is a slow paced, piano driven arrangement of this familiar Christmas standard.  Marie delivers the vocals in an endearing, soulful manner.

A medley of It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas / Pine Cones & Holly Berries follows.  The arrangement is very traditional, invoking memories of the 1960s.  Although the melody uses brass and flutes, along with piano, it has a Contemporary sound to it as well.  As the medley changes over to Pine Cones & Holly Berries, a children’s chorus takes over the vocals.  Afterwards, Marie returns again with It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas.  As Marie finishes the song, the tape is left running to record in-studio laughter between Marie and the children.  They seem to be having a good time with this one.

The last of the 5 songs on the bonus CD is My Favorite Things.  The arrangement uses brass out front, and the song sounds very much like the Tony Bennett version, except with Marie singing.  The melody combines Jazz and Contemporary arrangements and Marie Osmond does a great job with the vocals.

Before I forget, I want to say that Marie Osmond seems to be very much at home with Pop, Jazz, Soul and Contemporary arrangements.  She does a terrific job on all the songs.  I was surprised with her vocals.  She has matured into a seasoned entertainer whose years of experience pays off very well with this CD.

There is nothing bad about this CD, but the arrangements are varied.  Some are more traditional than others, and a few display very Contemporary takes on original Christmas songs.  As much as I like Marie Osmond, and the packaging is very festive, I would not put this on for folks that want to hear their Christmas favorites.

This is a perfect Christmas CD for the new generation of listeners that find the older Classic Christmas recordings boring.  In that respect, this is a great CD.  If you like Contemporary Christmas music, and I know my brother Pat does, you will absolutely love this.

There are many reasons to own this CD.  It represents new Christmas music very well.  It possesses a very Contemporary sound.  The cover is very festive, and Marie Osmond is a very attractive, well-loved entertainer.  If you are under 40, you should get this for your collection.  Your friends will thank you for it.

I give this CD :

*****