Rod McKuen

Real Gone has a newly-remastered reissue of Rod McKuen's New Carols For Christmas - The Rod McKuen Christmas Album from 1971.  Unusual for many Christmas albums, it consists of original songs in the spirit of the season written by McKuen and such collaborators as Anita Kerr, Art Podell of The New Christy Minstrels, and electronic music pioneer Mort Garson.  It was recorded in December, 1970 in London with members of the Westminster Symphony Orchestra.  The album was briefly available on CD in 1995 from Laserlight, but has fallen out of print.  Real Gone has added McKuen's duet with Petula Clark of Frank Loesser's perennial "Baby, It's Cold Outside" recorded in 1973 to the reissue.  The booklet features liner notes by McKuen biographer Barry Alfonso and includes the album's original gatefold artwork and rare photos of the artist.