New Carols for Christmas--The Rod McKuen Christmas Album

Originally released in 1971 on Rod McKuen’s own Stanyan label, and available on CD for only a brief time in the mid-‘90s, New Carols of Christmas—The Rod McKuen Christmas Album offers the poet/singer/songwriter’s trademark blend of spoken word and song, with songwriting assistance from Rod’s long-time artistic partner Anita Kerr on three of the tracks (The New Christy Minstrels’ Art Podell and electronic music pioneer Mort Garson are his other collaborators). Recorded save for one track on December 6, 1970 at Chappel Studios in London, and featuring members of The Westminster Symphony Orchestra, New Carols offers such highlights as “Bethlehem B.C.,” which begins with a spoken word interlude followed by a really beautiful instrumental passage; “So My Sheep May Safely Graze,”which tells the story of the birth of the Good Shepherd; and the upbeat, uplifting “Here He Comes Again.” Plus, our Expanded Edition offers a great duet between Rod and Petula Clark on "Baby, It's Cold Outside!" We’ve enlisted Rod’s biographer Barry Alfonso to write the liner notes, and added some photos to the original gatefold album art. Celebrate the season this year with the late, great Rod McKuen!