Album review : LUMINARE CHRISTMAS – Mistletoe Magic

Frontiers [Release date : 22.12.24]

Founded by Chip Davis, leader of the 28 million selling, neoclassical ensemble Mannheim Steamroller, Luminare Christmas is a relatively new venture.

Mannheim have two albums in the Top Ten Best Selling Christmas albums of all time. That’s some revenue stream right there.

Davis was also keyboardist and musical director for Denis (Styx) DeYoung for many years, so he knows how to entertain an audience, and it transfers well to audio.

If you didn’t know all this, it would be easy to dismiss Luminare as just another Christmas bandwagon jumper, looking to cash in on sentimentality, aimed at soft touches with money to spend.

So, imagine a rock concert blending Christmas songs with Classic and Classical Christmas MOR, and you’re thinking, maybe there’s more to this …

And, if you put aside the schmaltzy stuff that bookends the album, like
‘The Light That Shines’, a slice of white bread soft rock, well produced, even if the lyrics are bit, er … familiar. And closer, ‘You Look Like Christmas’, designed to engage directly with our feelings, but sounds a bit too much like spent emotion, we’re on a winner.

They scatter a few originals – Christmas related ballads – among the classy stuff, but only the genuinely heartwarming ‘Like A Child’ steps up.

Then it gets serious (and international), beginning with the traditional, hymn like Christmas song, ‘Oh Holy Night’, based on a 19th century French poem.

They then dial up into the complex but hypnotic rhythms of ‘Carol Of The Bells’, music of Ukranian descent, followed by an instrumental.

‘Toy Soldiers’ is the album standout. The melody is based on music taken from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet, and is impossible to resist.

It just gets better as this clearly talented bunch of multi instrumentalists carve out a welcome chunk of ‘Winter’, the violin solo from the first movement of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”. Perfectly picked and placed.

If you have any doubts, here’s what the critics are saying about the LC tour:

“Wonderful musicians and vocalists. Christmas songs with an edge.”
“World class talents”.
“A perfect mix of Christmas classics, mixed with their own holiday hits”.

And so on… ***1/2

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Check out radio stream repeat on Tuesday 8th (16:00 GMT) and Thursday 10th April (21:00 GMT)
Next Session: Sunday 4 May

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 2 March 2025.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast on 4 March 2025

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 7 April 2025

SEVEN BLOOD To The Unknown (indie)
FROM FALL TO SPRING Incomplete (Arising Empire)
POP EVIL Side Effects (MNRK Heavy)
ERJA LYYTINEN Abyss (Tuohi Records)
SKY VALLEY MISTRESS Too Many Ghosts (New Heavy Sounds)

Featured Albums w/c 7 April 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Singer Songwriter)

Our occasional Newsletter signposts latest additions to the website(s). We also include a selection of recent top albums, based on GRTR! reviewer ratings. The newsletter is sent out a few times a year.

If you’d like to register to receive this occasional mailing please complete the form:

If using a smartphone/tablet please tap here or re-orientate your device

(Note that this registration is separate from site registration which allows you to leave comments and receive daily emails about new content. If you wish to register for this – in addition or separately – please click or tap here – for more information – the form is at the foot of each page. Please read our privacy policy when opting-in to receive emails.