If you like melodic music with strong vocals, a lush sound and well produced, then this album is for you, standing up very highly to much of their previous work over the years. Any fans of artists like The Electric Light Orchestra, Alan Parsons, Paul McCartney, The Bee Gees and the like is sure to get alot from this collection.

The opener 'Don't Need a Reindeer' canters along joyfully, and for me is the standout track -- that is, I was humming it all season long. 'December Snow' goes into ballad mode, beautifully and heartfully sung by Justin Hayward, and if it doesn't grab you right off, it was a real grower on me.

'In the Quiet of Christmas Morning' weaves its spell around and through the melody of an old JS Bach classic (Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring), gently lulling us into the season of Christmas.

John Lodge's 'On This Christmas Day' is less standout, though pleasant enough. At the end of the track, an orchestra joins in, leaving you wishing it had been there from the beginning to make this song more of what it might have been.

But top form is soon restored with a fresh version of John Lennon's 'Happy Christmas War is Over', a very creditable cover with Hayward's vocals front and centre, and as good as ever. Wisely, the Moodies elect not to re-create the children's refrain and backing, as on the original (which might have been over the top and too syrupy), preferring instead to keep it simple.

'A Winter's Tale' is a cover of the old David Essex song from 1983. I always liked the song, but was never a fan of Essex's vocal style. So this was a bit of a gem for me, to get it sung by Hayward. Differences in vocal styles aside, this is otherwise quite faithful to the original (as far as I remember), which might be good or bad -- you decide.

'The Spirit of Christmas' and 'Yes, I Believe' continue the mid-paced ballads, which might not stand out on 1st listening, but are likely to grow on you on subsequent hearings, drawing you into the lyrics.

'When a Child is Born' updates the Johnny Mathis classic (?!), substituting sickly spoken parts for flowing guitars.

A real gem is the classic 'White Christmas' cover. Just when you think it's going to be perhaps uninspired and a little lacklustre, it gallops off... Vocals interchange with guitars to give us a version very different from those which have gone before. Another standout.

The carol, 'In the Bleak Midwinter' features a scaled back production, allowing piano and soft drums to come through, closing the album on a pensive note.

Impeccably produced, less synthesiser-driven than their music from the 1980s, and with quality vocals, this album boasts a good balance of new songs together with well chosen & well-covered standards.