1. Introduction
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
4. Blue Christmas
5. Emmanuel
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. White Christmas
8. Carol Of The Bells
9. Alleluyah Sasa! (He Is Born)
10. This Child *
11. Ave Maria
12. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Reprise)
13. Panis Angelicus
14. The Hallelujah Chorus
15. Auld Lang Syne
16. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
PURCHASE CD THROUGH DONNIE IRIS' SITE 17. Silent Night
It's been said that baseball is a game while football is an event. If Bing Crosby or Andy Williams or even Phil Spector are baseball--in that we can comfortably put their Christmas records on at any time during the holidays, knowing them by heart, paying attention when we choose to, a suitable soundtrack for any circumstance--then this album from Donnie Iris is our event. "Ah! Leluiah!" is a Rock Opera, a history of Rock N Roll, the holiest of high holy masses, a WWE steel cage death match, and a once in a lifetime event Rock concert all rolled into one. You are not likely going to put this album on as background music for Sunday dinner, but this complete re-imagining of what a Christmas album can be from Donnie Iris, The Cruisers, and producer Mark Avsec should not be missed.
Donnie Iris isn't a household name, but he should be. The rocker, who looks a bit like Buddy Holly, has been turning out smartly crafted pop/rock tunes for 40 years, now, only occasionally broaching the public consciousness. Back in 1970, young Dominic Ierace led the Pittsburgh group The Jaggerz to number 2 on Billboard's charts with "The Rapper". Later, Iris toured as a member of Wild Cherry. In the 80s, Iris hit the Top 40 three times with his group The Cruisers, most memorably scoring with "Ah! Leah!" (the album title here is obviously a play on that hit). Iris and The Cruisers have continued writing, recording and performing to the present day. He's even got a beer named after him--King Cool Light ("a light beer that rocks!")--which is available, primarily, in western Pennsylvania.
Just as Iris' own life is a history of rock n roll, so too is this Christmas album. "Ah! Leluiah!" features everything from the country rock of "Blue Christmas" on through the Beatles, Billy Joel, New Wave, Punk, Queen, Metal, Paul Simon; it's all here. Listen to the organ riffs on "Emmanuel" and you'll instantly recall "House Of The Rising Sun". "Panis Angelicus" has an undercurrent of "Whiter Shade Of Pale". "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" has touches of John Lennon's spirit and style. It's truly amazing. But nothing sounds forced or contrived; these wonderful arrangements all sound perfectly organic.
It would be a mistake to simply say "Ah! Leluiah!" is a Rock album or a Christmas album, though it's clearly both. Iris covers quite a bit of musical ground, here--from the classical "Ave Maria" (Caccini's, not Schubert's) to the Swahili "Alleluyah Sasa". Donnie shows that, at 68 years of age, he's still got the chops to handle any song at any time.
The production is absolutely incredible, but nowhere more so than on "The Hallelujah Chorus" featuring 81 different tracks of Donnie's vocals, layered "until it scrapes the heavens" (to use Donnie's own phrase). Iris and Avsec worked for months on just this one track, but, man, it was worth it.
For nearly 55 minutes, this album features highlight after highlight. It retains a reverence for both the meaning of the holiday and for rock n roll throughout--no easy task. A lot of the credit for this goes to drummer Kevin Valentine, keeping the backbeat strong from start to finish. And when, a bit more than midway through, Donnie & Company get to rock out Cruiser style on "This Child" (the album's lone original, written by Avsec), I, for one, nearly lept to my feet to applaud! That song, alone, is worth the price of admission. It is a freaking Rock Christmas Anthem.
This is an album you'll be blasting in your car all through the holiday season. It is the Church of Rock N Roll and Reverend Donnie Iris is preaching the gospel like it ain't never been preached before. Brothers and Sisters, do not let this experience pass you by. "Ah! Leluiah!" is one of a kind. Can I get an Amen?
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
4. Blue Christmas
5. Emmanuel
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. White Christmas
8. Carol Of The Bells
9. Alleluyah Sasa! (He Is Born)
10. This Child *
11. Ave Maria
12. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Reprise)
13. Panis Angelicus
14. The Hallelujah Chorus
15. Auld Lang Syne
16. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
PURCHASE CD THROUGH DONNIE IRIS' SITE 17. Silent Night
It's been said that baseball is a game while football is an event. If Bing Crosby or Andy Williams or even Phil Spector are baseball--in that we can comfortably put their Christmas records on at any time during the holidays, knowing them by heart, paying attention when we choose to, a suitable soundtrack for any circumstance--then this album from Donnie Iris is our event. "Ah! Leluiah!" is a Rock Opera, a history of Rock N Roll, the holiest of high holy masses, a WWE steel cage death match, and a once in a lifetime event Rock concert all rolled into one. You are not likely going to put this album on as background music for Sunday dinner, but this complete re-imagining of what a Christmas album can be from Donnie Iris, The Cruisers, and producer Mark Avsec should not be missed.
Donnie Iris isn't a household name, but he should be. The rocker, who looks a bit like Buddy Holly, has been turning out smartly crafted pop/rock tunes for 40 years, now, only occasionally broaching the public consciousness. Back in 1970, young Dominic Ierace led the Pittsburgh group The Jaggerz to number 2 on Billboard's charts with "The Rapper". Later, Iris toured as a member of Wild Cherry. In the 80s, Iris hit the Top 40 three times with his group The Cruisers, most memorably scoring with "Ah! Leah!" (the album title here is obviously a play on that hit). Iris and The Cruisers have continued writing, recording and performing to the present day. He's even got a beer named after him--King Cool Light ("a light beer that rocks!")--which is available, primarily, in western Pennsylvania.
Just as Iris' own life is a history of rock n roll, so too is this Christmas album. "Ah! Leluiah!" features everything from the country rock of "Blue Christmas" on through the Beatles, Billy Joel, New Wave, Punk, Queen, Metal, Paul Simon; it's all here. Listen to the organ riffs on "Emmanuel" and you'll instantly recall "House Of The Rising Sun". "Panis Angelicus" has an undercurrent of "Whiter Shade Of Pale". "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" has touches of John Lennon's spirit and style. It's truly amazing. But nothing sounds forced or contrived; these wonderful arrangements all sound perfectly organic.
It would be a mistake to simply say "Ah! Leluiah!" is a Rock album or a Christmas album, though it's clearly both. Iris covers quite a bit of musical ground, here--from the classical "Ave Maria" (Caccini's, not Schubert's) to the Swahili "Alleluyah Sasa". Donnie shows that, at 68 years of age, he's still got the chops to handle any song at any time.
The production is absolutely incredible, but nowhere more so than on "The Hallelujah Chorus" featuring 81 different tracks of Donnie's vocals, layered "until it scrapes the heavens" (to use Donnie's own phrase). Iris and Avsec worked for months on just this one track, but, man, it was worth it.
For nearly 55 minutes, this album features highlight after highlight. It retains a reverence for both the meaning of the holiday and for rock n roll throughout--no easy task. A lot of the credit for this goes to drummer Kevin Valentine, keeping the backbeat strong from start to finish. And when, a bit more than midway through, Donnie & Company get to rock out Cruiser style on "This Child" (the album's lone original, written by Avsec), I, for one, nearly lept to my feet to applaud! That song, alone, is worth the price of admission. It is a freaking Rock Christmas Anthem.
This is an album you'll be blasting in your car all through the holiday season. It is the Church of Rock N Roll and Reverend Donnie Iris is preaching the gospel like it ain't never been preached before. Brothers and Sisters, do not let this experience pass you by. "Ah! Leluiah!" is one of a kind. Can I get an Amen?
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