The Christmas Attic Explained

The Christmas Attic
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Cover:	The_Christmas_Attic.jpg
Released:	September 15, 1998
Recorded:	1997–1998
Studio:	Soundtrack Studios, Studio 900 and Stellar Productions (overdubs), New York City
Genre:	Symphonic rock, Christmas music
Length:	73:19
Label:	Lava/Atlantic
Producer:	Paul O'Neill and Robert Kinkel
Prev Title:	Christmas Eve and Other Stories
Prev Year:	1996
Next Title:	Beethoven's Last Night
Next Year:	2000

The Christmas Attic is the second studio album by the American rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra, released in 1998. The cover art is by Edgar Jerins.^[1]

On September 5, 2019, The Christmas Attic was certified 2× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.^[2]

References to other carols and works

• "Boughs of Holly" is a reworking of "Deck the Halls".
• "March of the Kings/Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," besides the obvious carol, is also a rock version of the Farandole from Bizet's L'Arlésienne's Suite No. 2.
• "The Three Kings and I (What Really Happened)" briefly quotes "O Holy Night" and the "Hallelujah" chorus.
• "Christmas Canon" is based on Pachelbel's Canon.
• The "Joy" section of "Joy/Angels We Have Heard on High" is a reworking of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."

Track listing

The album was re-released in 2001 with a companion track to "The World That She Sees" (which was shortened from 6 minutes to just 3) called "The World That He Sees" inserted into the track listing directly after "She Sees" and having a length of 4:45. The last track "Music Box Blues" was also truncated to 4:57; this version was previously used in the TSO film The Ghosts of Christmas Eve.

Personnel

Performers

Vocals

Solos:

• Jody Ashworth
• Joe Cerisano
• Katrina Chester
• Marlene Danielle
• Thomas Farese
• Peggy Harley
• Daryl B. Pediford

Back–Ups:

• Latisha Jordan – background coordinator
• Peggy Harley
• Robert Kinkel
• Maurice Lauchner
• Al Pitrelli
• Jon Oliva
• Timara Sanders
• Zak Stevens
• Doug Thoms
• Yolanda Wyns

Child choir

• Dan Moriarty – conductor

Choir:

• The Choristers, St. Bartholomew's Church, New York City
• Marilina Acosta
• Brendan Burgess
• Julia George
• Shoshana Frishberg
• Julian Drabik
• Jack Gibson
• Nina Gottlieb
• Erick Hernandez
• Michelle Repella
• Anton Spivack

Orchestra

• Robert Kinkel – piano and keyboards
• Jon Oliva – piano, keyboards and bass guitar
• Al Pitrelli – lead, rhythm and bass guitars
• Paul O'Neill, Chris Caffery^[3] – rhythm guitars
• Johnny Lee Middleton – bass guitar
• Jeff Plate – drums

Production

• Paul O'Neill – producer
• Robert Kinkel – co–producer, additional engineering
• Dave Wittman – recording and mixing engineer
• Darren Rapp, Kathy Rich, Robert Duryea, Steve Ship, Tim Ronaghan – assistant engineers
• Joe Johnson, Michael Shielzi, Sheldon Guide – additional engineering
• Gin–Won Lee – additional engineering assistant
• Kevin Hodge – mastering at The Cutting Room, New York

Charts

Year-end charts

External links

• Trans-Siberian Orchestra Homepage

Notes and References

1. Web site: A conversation With Edgar Jerins: the man behind seven classic Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra album covers . Roth . Dan . Music & Art Interviews.com . May 28, 2012 . May 4, 2018 .
2. Web site: RIAA Searchable Database: search for Trans-Siberian Orchestra . . December 1, 2011.
3. Web site: Chris Caffery Interview: Guitarist talks Savatage History . Saulnier . Jason . Music Legends.ca . June 3, 2008 . May 8, 2018 .
4. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. March 22, 2021.