This collection of holiday songs and originals from the second Beauty and the Beast movie by Disney hits all the right notes. The traditional "Deck the Halls," "O Christmas Tree," "What Child Is This" are as delightful and enjoyable as if they were new. Those songs that are new fit right in. Paige O'Hara is the star here, her Belle sweet, pure and clear. But the rest of the vocal cast is more than up to the task, with
Bernadette Peters and a sly
Tim Curry joining
Angela Lansbury,
Jerry Orbach and
David Ogden Stiers. The interplay between
Orbach's Lumiere and
Stiers as Cogsworth alone is worth the price of the disc. Add the Christmas magic, and the new songs as a bonus, and you've got a wonderful record for kids and parents both. ~ Ross Boissoneau