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

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 scared, I害羞草研究所檓 frightened, by how good I think the album is,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淧rivate Eyes.害羞草研究所� 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, 害羞草研究所淪hatner Claus,害羞草研究所� features mainly holiday standards such as 害羞草研究所淛ingle Bells,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淟ittle Drummer Boy害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淲hite Christmas.害羞草研究所� Earlier this year, he released a country album 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淲hy Not Me?害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� a collaboration with Alabama害羞草研究所檚 Jeff Cook.

Two albums in one year? Not bad for a guy who admits he can害羞草研究所檛 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 害羞草研究所淲hat About Me?害羞草研究所� it is a blend of Shatner害羞草研究所檚 urgent, spoken-word style, infused with Cook害羞草研究所檚 country twang.

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.It害羞草研究所檚 an experiment in music that began in 1968. That害羞草研究所檚 when Shatner, then rocketing to fame as the captain of the starship Enterprise on the original 害羞草研究所淪tar Trek,害羞草研究所� recorded 害羞草研究所淭he Transformed Man.害羞草研究所� To reviewers at the time, his halting, high-volume take on Bob Dylan害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢r. Tambourine Man害羞草研究所� and The Beatles害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淟ucy in the Sky with Diamonds害羞草研究所� sounded like bad trips.

Shatner wasn害羞草研究所檛 the only 害羞草研究所淪tar Trek害羞草研究所� actor to release what would later be considered a camp classic. His cast mates Leonard Nimoy (who took a wild whack at 害羞草研究所淚f I Had a Hammer害羞草研究所�) and Nichelle Nichols also recorded albums.

It was 36 years before Shatner tried again. His collaboration with producer Ben Folds on 2004害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淗as Been,害羞草研究所� 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, Shatner害羞草研究所檚 voice sounds better with age, or, as one reviewer put it, 害羞草研究所渁s soothing as a warm cup of eggnog.害羞草研究所� On the new album, Shatner says he害羞草研究所檚 tried to 害羞草研究所渂end the Christmas music a little bit, give it a little slant that an actor might give it.害羞草研究所�

That includes teaming with Iggy Pop on a not-so 害羞草研究所淪ilent Night,害羞草研究所� 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 everyone害羞草研究所檚 Christmas list. Some might prefer listening to Judy Collins take over on vocals on 害羞草研究所淲hite Christmas.害羞草研究所� Shatner also gets festive with ZZ Top害羞草研究所檚 Billy Gibbons on 害羞草研究所淩udolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淏lue Christmas.害羞草研究所�

The all-star collaborators are as eclectic and unique as snowflakes. 害羞草研究所淲e get into rock and roll,害羞草研究所� says Shatner, 害羞草研究所渁nd I have these great artists, working with me, great musicians working on each song.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭his guy wrote incredibly beautiful poetry,害羞草研究所� says Shatner, 害羞草研究所渂ut they were all about how ugly battle is and how fearful it is.害羞草研究所�

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, 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a military thing here, and then, he has sadness and there害羞草研究所檚 a battle害羞草研究所�害羞草研究所� The result is the album害羞草研究所檚 sole original track, 害羞草研究所淥ne for You, One for Me.害羞草研究所�

And that is how, says Shatner, 害羞草研究所渢here is embedded in this Christmas album, an epic poem.害羞草研究所�

Throw a captain害羞草研究所檚 log on the fire and listen.

Bill Brioux, The Canadian Press

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