With pleasing vocal holiday trimmings from the popular singing quartet, Manhattan Transfer's The Christmas Album seems designed for fans only. Its decidedly safe arrangements and harmony singing yield few surprises, only "Snowfall," the record's first track, and, oddly enough, John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Goodnight," the album closer (and the very song that finished the Beatles' "White Album"). "Snowfall" acts as a romantic table setter for the cuddly fare that follows across The Christmas Album. "Goodbye," which always threatened to fall apart under the weight of its own brand of lovable Beatles schmaltziness, adds a bit more Christmas color to the instrumentation while letting the vocals lull and caress until a cute kid explains why they should go to sleep and wake up to get presents. Lovable schmaltz alert. --Martin Keller

List Song:
1. Snowfall
2. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
3. Santa Clause Is Coming to Town/Santa Man (Medley)
4. The Christmas Song
5. Silent Night, Holy Night
6. Caroling, Caroling
7. Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season (Medley)
8. A Christmas Love Song
9. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
10. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
11. Good Night