These Are Special Times＜完全生産限定盤/Gold Vinyl＞

セリーヌ・ディオンのホリデー・アルバム『These are Special Times』のアナログ盤(ゴールド・ヴァイナル)

1998年のクリスマス・シーズンに向けて発表され、日本でも50万枚以上のセールスを記録したセリーヌ・ディオンのホリデー・アルバム『These are Special Times』のアナログ盤(ゴールド・ヴァイナル)を発売。
Rケリーやアンドレア・ボチェッリとのデュエット曲の他、ジョン・レノンの「ハッピー・クリスマス」のカヴァーや、「アヴェ・マリア」「ブラームスの子守歌」など、クラシックやトラディショナル・ソングも満載のロマンティックな大ヒット・アルバム。本アナログ盤には、「I Met an Angel (on Christmas Day)」を追加収録。

In the wake of her Titanic success, Celine Dion produced two new albums for the holiday season of 1998. One was a new French album, and the other was These Are Special Times, her first Christmas album. These Are Special Times is an especially successful holiday album since Dion wisely balances popular carols ("The Christmas Song," "Blue Christmas," "Feliz Navidad") with new songs ("Don't Save It All for Christmas," the R. Kelly duet "I'm Your Angel"), hymns ("Ave Maria," "Adeste Fidelis"), and Christmas songs with a distinct religious theme ("O Holy Night," the Andrea Bocelli duet "The Prayer"). At times, the production is too slick, at other times Dion's vocals are a little mannered, but overall, These Are Special Times is very effective, because the songs are good and she's committed to the material. Any fan of Dion, or of '90s adult contemporary pop in general, should find this very enjoyable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine