When it comes to talking about his new album, William Shatner is like a kid on Christmas morning.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 scared, I91裸聊视频檓 frightened, by how good I think the album is,91裸聊视频� says the 87-year-old TV icon.

Shatner made the comments last August when he was in Toronto guest starring on the Jason Priestley/Cindy Sampson detective drama 91裸聊视频淧rivate Eyes.91裸聊视频� He reprises a role he previously played on the Global series as a rival private investigator. The episode will air next year.

The new Christmas CD, 91裸聊视频淪hatner Claus,91裸聊视频� features mainly holiday standards such as 91裸聊视频淛ingle Bells,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淟ittle Drummer Boy91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淲hite Christmas.91裸聊视频� Earlier this year, he released a country album 91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淲hy Not Me?91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� a collaboration with Alabama91裸聊视频檚 Jeff Cook.

Two albums in one year? Not bad for a guy who admits he can91裸聊视频檛 really sing.

What the Montreal native does is interpret song lyrics as if they were poetry, wringing out meaning while surrounded by talented musicians and singers who carry the melodies. In the case of 91裸聊视频淲hat About Me?91裸聊视频� it is a blend of Shatner91裸聊视频檚 urgent, spoken-word style, infused with Cook91裸聊视频檚 country twang.

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.It91裸聊视频檚 an experiment in music that began in 1968. That91裸聊视频檚 when Shatner, then rocketing to fame as the captain of the starship Enterprise on the original 91裸聊视频淪tar Trek,91裸聊视频� recorded 91裸聊视频淭he Transformed Man.91裸聊视频� To reviewers at the time, his halting, high-volume take on Bob Dylan91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淢r. Tambourine Man91裸聊视频� and The Beatles91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淟ucy in the Sky with Diamonds91裸聊视频� sounded like bad trips.

Shatner wasn91裸聊视频檛 the only 91裸聊视频淪tar Trek91裸聊视频� actor to release what would later be considered a camp classic. His cast mates Leonard Nimoy (who took a wild whack at 91裸聊视频淚f I Had a Hammer91裸聊视频�) and Nichelle Nichols also recorded albums.

It was 36 years before Shatner tried again. His collaboration with producer Ben Folds on 200491裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淗as Been,91裸聊视频� however, was warmly received by many critics. That was four albums ago, as the actor continues to boldly go on a musical mission that has lasted 50 years and counting.

If anything, Shatner91裸聊视频檚 voice sounds better with age, or, as one reviewer put it, 91裸聊视频渁s soothing as a warm cup of eggnog.91裸聊视频� On the new album, Shatner says he91裸聊视频檚 tried to 91裸聊视频渂end the Christmas music a little bit, give it a little slant that an actor might give it.91裸聊视频�

That includes teaming with Iggy Pop on a not-so 91裸聊视频淪ilent Night,91裸聊视频� amplified on a robust punk rock reprise of the same tune with actor/singer/commentator Henry Rollins.

Giving punk rock spins to Christmas classics might not be on everyone91裸聊视频檚 Christmas list. Some might prefer listening to Judy Collins take over on vocals on 91裸聊视频淲hite Christmas.91裸聊视频� Shatner also gets festive with ZZ Top91裸聊视频檚 Billy Gibbons on 91裸聊视频淩udolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer91裸聊视频� and does jingle jam sessions with keyboardist Rick Wakeman (from Yes), guitarist Todd Rundgren, flutist Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) and singer Brad Paisley on a countrified 91裸聊视频淏lue Christmas.91裸聊视频�

The all-star collaborators are as eclectic and unique as snowflakes. 91裸聊视频淲e get into rock and roll,91裸聊视频� says Shatner, 91裸聊视频渁nd I have these great artists, working with me, great musicians working on each song.91裸聊视频�

The actor is most proud of one song that came about through a random charity connection. Shatner, who breeds and shows American Saddlebreds and Quarter horses on his Kentucky ranch, met a former marine at The Hollywood Charity Horse Show.

91裸聊视频淭his guy wrote incredibly beautiful poetry,91裸聊视频� says Shatner, 91裸聊视频渂ut they were all about how ugly battle is and how fearful it is.91裸聊视频�

Shatner asked the soldier if he could write something for a Christmas album. He did, and Shatner took the poem to his producers at Cleopatra Records. He said to the orchestrator, 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a military thing here, and then, he has sadness and there91裸聊视频檚 a battle91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� The result is the album91裸聊视频檚 sole original track, 91裸聊视频淥ne for You, One for Me.91裸聊视频�

And that is how, says Shatner, 91裸聊视频渢here is embedded in this Christmas album, an epic poem.91裸聊视频�

Throw a captain91裸聊视频檚 log on the fire and listen.

Bill Brioux, The Canadian Press

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