Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Christmas Eve And Other Stories

Oh, imagine the coincidence of reviewing an album title Christmas Eve And Other Stories on Christmas Eve, 1 minute before midnight! It’s certainly not deliberate, I assure you. Nope, nuh-uh. Purely coincidental.

For those of you not familiar with the glory that is Trans-Siberian Orchestra (and I’d be surprised if anyone were unfamiliar with them), they’re like a Christmastime version of Queen, complete with symphonic rock overtones and bombastic multitracked guitar power chords. They’re relatively new, too, having been formed in 1996, but Christmas Eve… was their first release, and first of three Christmas-themed album (remarkably, they released one non-Christmas-themed album, and are working on a second, due for release next year). A common practice of their albums is that they are conceptual, and Christmas Eve... is constructed like a storybook, with each song representing a separate chapter of a larger narrative, but the beauty of it is that each song can work well enough on its own to be listened to away from the story background. (For the sake of maintaining its conceptual continuity, I am going to forgo the “Essential listening” footnote and simply recommend that if you’re in the mood for progressive Christmas rock, you should do yourself a favor and listen to the entire thing, without skipping tracks.)

The plot is integral to the songs, though not necessarily integral when listening to it as background music, which I did earlier this afternoon while I was assembling the Christmas tree at my mom’s house. (I recall that I may have listened to this last year while I was decorating my own tree at my own house, and was hoping to make it a tradition of sorts, but, because I’m no longer in that house, some liberties had to be taken, and so I continued this tradition … even though I was decorating the tree by myself.) It’s a remarkable piece to listen to, and benefits from having the speakers turned up nice and loud to enjoy the sheer sonic scope that each song provides. However, the story can be lost when one isn’t busy concentrating on it, and while the plot is one that’s familiar to us all, it’s still touching and heartwarming, and, when the lyrics are really listened to, can even bring a tear to the eye. If that effect is desired, it’s recommended to listen to it with headphones on, so that the nuances of the arrangements and story are most effectively heard. Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s songs really are like little presents, collected into a larger gift – and, without sounding terribly clichéd, these are gifts that keep on giving.

Speaking of traditions, it’s now time for me to watch Christmas In Tattertown, and then spend the next 24 hours parked in front of the TV watching A Christmas Story. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone!