Each week XPN's Mike Vasilikos, serves up another Featured Album of the Week. Tune in to the XPN Morning Show every Monday as Mike reviews another great CD.

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Various Artists - Verve//Remixed – Christmas (Verve)

The popular and innovative Verve//Remixed series adds another compilation to its credit this holiday season. The eighth release in their series, Verve//Remixed Christmas is witness to classic holiday songs from legendary acts like Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday remixed by contemporary DJ's and producers.

The most gratifying part of the compilation is that the remixes do not overpower the vision of the original songs. So often when you hear remixes, the common mistake is to do too much. And to the credit of each producer on this compilation the remixes are done tastefully, leavingthe integrity of each track at large.

Also, the tendency with holiday compilationsis to overwhelm them with too many established songs. While Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" and Shirley Horn's "Winter Wonderland" will fill that craving for a familiar favorite,  Verve//Remixed Christmas balances the disc with seasonal songs that you perhaps haven't heard in a while, like Nina Simone's "Chilly Winds."

If your holiday soundtrack feels a little tired, Verve//Remixed Christmas might be the answer, a sure bet to turn some heads at your holiday parties this season.

Written by Mike Vasilikos

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