Còig: A Celtic Christmas Show

"Sometimes I get tired of wading knee-deep through reindeer poop looking for the genuine Christmas music treasures. But, when you find those sparkly diamonds, it's suddenly all worthwhile. "Carols" by Còig is just such a gem. And, true enough, as it was released last year, I should have found it then (though, in my defense, news from Canada seems to come with a built-in time delay). "Carols" is exceptional, from start to finish. And, sure, it's overall a Celtic set, but the band brings a multitude of influences to the music which not only keeps the whole thing sounding fresh and original, but should also draw in some folks more partial to Folk, Classical, Contemporary Pop, and there's even a little bit of Swing. The musicianship and vocals are perfect, there's a nice balance of instrumental and vocal pieces and "Carols" is a robust 57.5 minutes long (no skimpy wish sandwich here). Hard to pick favorites, since its all so good, but the opener--"Carol Of The Celts"--grabbed me when Còig shifted into high gear about 2 minutes in. And if "Swingle Jingle Bells" doesn't put a smile on your face, I think there might be something wrong with you. Just sayin'." - stubbyschristmas.com