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

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 scared, Isa国际传媒檓 frightened, by how good I think the album is,sa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒淧rivate Eyes.sa国际传媒� 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, sa国际传媒淪hatner Claus,sa国际传媒� features mainly holiday standards such as sa国际传媒淛ingle Bells,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淟ittle Drummer Boysa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒淲hite Christmas.sa国际传媒� Earlier this year, he released a country album sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淲hy Not Me?sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� a collaboration with Alabamasa国际传媒檚 Jeff Cook.

Two albums in one year? Not bad for a guy who admits he cansa国际传媒檛 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 sa国际传媒淲hat About Me?sa国际传媒� it is a blend of Shatnersa国际传媒檚 urgent, spoken-word style, infused with Cooksa国际传媒檚 country twang.

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.Itsa国际传媒檚 an experiment in music that began in 1968. Thatsa国际传媒檚 when Shatner, then rocketing to fame as the captain of the starship Enterprise on the original sa国际传媒淪tar Trek,sa国际传媒� recorded sa国际传媒淭he Transformed Man.sa国际传媒� To reviewers at the time, his halting, high-volume take on Bob Dylansa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒淢r. Tambourine Mansa国际传媒� and The Beatlessa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淟ucy in the Sky with Diamondssa国际传媒� sounded like bad trips.

Shatner wasnsa国际传媒檛 the only sa国际传媒淪tar Treksa国际传媒� actor to release what would later be considered a camp classic. His cast mates Leonard Nimoy (who took a wild whack at sa国际传媒淚f I Had a Hammersa国际传媒�) and Nichelle Nichols also recorded albums.

It was 36 years before Shatner tried again. His collaboration with producer Ben Folds on 2004sa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒淗as Been,sa国际传媒� 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, Shatnersa国际传媒檚 voice sounds better with age, or, as one reviewer put it, sa国际传媒渁s soothing as a warm cup of eggnog.sa国际传媒� On the new album, Shatner says hesa国际传媒檚 tried to sa国际传媒渂end the Christmas music a little bit, give it a little slant that an actor might give it.sa国际传媒�

That includes teaming with Iggy Pop on a not-so sa国际传媒淪ilent Night,sa国际传媒� 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 everyonesa国际传媒檚 Christmas list. Some might prefer listening to Judy Collins take over on vocals on sa国际传媒淲hite Christmas.sa国际传媒� Shatner also gets festive with ZZ Topsa国际传媒檚 Billy Gibbons on sa国际传媒淩udolph The Red-Nosed Reindeersa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒淏lue Christmas.sa国际传媒�

The all-star collaborators are as eclectic and unique as snowflakes. sa国际传媒淲e get into rock and roll,sa国际传媒� says Shatner, sa国际传媒渁nd I have these great artists, working with me, great musicians working on each song.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淭his guy wrote incredibly beautiful poetry,sa国际传媒� says Shatner, sa国际传媒渂ut they were all about how ugly battle is and how fearful it is.sa国际传媒�

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, sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 a military thing here, and then, he has sadness and theresa国际传媒檚 a battlesa国际传媒�sa国际传媒� The result is the albumsa国际传媒檚 sole original track, sa国际传媒淥ne for You, One for Me.sa国际传媒�

And that is how, says Shatner, sa国际传媒渢here is embedded in this Christmas album, an epic poem.sa国际传媒�

Throw a captainsa国际传媒檚 log on the fire and listen.

Bill Brioux, The Canadian Press

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