I was really looking forward to the third in a series of Christmas albums from Mannheim Steamroller, and have to say that I was at least as disappointed in Christmas In the Aire as I was in seeing Mannheim in “concert” (the Milli Vanilli of instrumental music!!!). With a few exceptions, most of these songs sound like the group was trying too hard to top the previous two albums and instead turned out a mostly ho-hum CD. “Joy to the World” is wonderful and full of exuberance. “Rudolph” is almost impossible to listen to all the way through - totally obnoxious to my ears. “Pat A Pan” is inventive, fresh, and very infectious - this was the kind of creativity I was hoping for in more of the album. “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” are pretty standard stuff. “Angels We Have Heard on High” is full of percussion and rhythm - again close to the mark. “Gagliarda” is classic Mannheim and their Renaissance Ensemble Le Doo Dah Band.”Los Pesces en el Rio” is a less well-known holiday piece that mixes soothing wordless vocals with a rock beat in the middle - catchy! “Christmas Lullaby” is a Chip Davis original that is the best thing about this mixed bag of an album. Sublimely sweet and sentimental without any gag factor, this song is a winner! The closing track is a downright depressing rendition of “Jingle Bells”. The piece is lovely, but there is no “laughing all the way” or “oh what fun”. It’s interesting, but I really don’t see the point.