December 11, 2011

New Christmas Music Releases 

Reviewed by Holly Wilson 

A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume Two (Skaggs Family Records)

Do not look for “Chestnuts Roasting on An Open Fire,” on A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume Two. Forget about “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” This is not the CD to play as background music for a lively, chatty Christmas party. Listen to this album in a darkened candlelit room and allow the Skaggs Family to lead you through a lyrical time of Christmas devotions. 

The album opens with a joyous bluegrass treatment of “Christmas Time’s A Coming.” Fiddle, accordion, banjo, most of the instruments associated with the hills of Appalachia are on this track. Then the mood shifts with the gorgeous voices of sisters Sharon (married to Ricky) and Cheryl White on “Light of the Stable.” 

Despite a stage full of gifted musicians, “The First Noel” is sung completely acappella. Skaggs joins his wife and sister-in-law to sing the carol in three-part harmony, utilizing unexpected minor note progressions. Their spirit of worship carries the soaring final notes aloft.  

I cannot get enough of track 4, “What Songs Were Sung,” written by American folksinger John Jacob Niles, born in 1892.  Ricky’s daughter Molly taps into her heart as an influential worship leader and lifts her wonder-filled soprano voice in contemplation of God’s willingness to become man for our sake. Her pure tone reminded me that “wonder” is a rarity within our modern world that elevates cynicism. 

Luke Skaggs, Molly’s guitar-playing brother, leads an ensemble for “Flight to Egypt,” an instrumental piece he composed. It opens with soothing plucking and light orchestral strings before conveying the story’s danger and urgency through percussion, urgent violins, hard strumming, and pensive piano. 

The Nashville Strings enriches several songs, including “Silent Night,” and “Joy to the World.”  

Ricky Skaggs returns as the lead singer for “Reunion Song.” When was the last time I heard a modern song that unabashedly uses the old-fashioned word “incarnation?”  This song goes from Jesus’ birth to Satan “right at his heels” to “the cross of Cavalry,” and marches right on into the Book of Acts. 

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is such a Christmas standard that artists often try to “dress it up” with extra vocal or instrumental layers in the pursuit of “fresh.” The Skaggs’ arrangement maintains the simplicity and reverence that have made this hymn endure through the ages.  

Other key family member contributions come from vocalists Buck White (Sharon and Cheryl’s father), Rachel Leftwich (Cheryl’s daughter) and her brother, fiddler Andy Leftwich, 26, the youngest member of Ricky’s band, Kentucky Thunder. 

When the 10-song CD concludes, there is still the 23-song DVD performance to watch, recorded as a live performance in Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. 

Snow Globe by Matt Wertz (Handwritten/Essential Records)

The first Christmas album by singer/songwriter Matt Wertz was not a CD I wanted to review. A quick impatient scan of the titles suggested just another rehash of secular music that revels in, well, snow. 

I grew up in California and never really understood lyrics describing glistening treetops and sleigh bells.  In fact, songs like “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know,” made me feel slightly resentful – as if snow is the reason for the season. My house had cactus in the front yard!

However, I am glad I gave this album a fair listening. Wertz’s goal was to make a Christmas album for his future grandchildren. The wistful piano instrumental of “Christmastime Is Here,” Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson’s classic from “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” was not the only track that softened my resistance. This is a very personal album for the acoustic artist, combining songs he grew up with, original compositions, and a soft orchestral sound.

His smooth vocals on “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” are Harry Connick Jr.-esque. His rendition of “White Christmas,” would make Bing Crosby smile. In fact, this young man could easily make the big band sound his main genre. 

The title track, co-written by Wertz, Chad Cates, and Tony Wood, has a pop sound to accompany a child’s imagination while gazing into a pristine snow globe. It is just the sort of fun sound to get the youngsters singing along from the back seat for the trip to grandmother’s house - snow or no snow. 

Wertz, a Missouri native, now calls Nashville home. Fellow Nashville residents contributed vocals, including Amy Grant, Brandon Heath, and Dave Barnes. Heath contributed to the vocals on two songs while co-writing “Christmas Just Does This To Me” with Wertz. 

“Christmas in the City,” is a romantic description of New York City shared with a loved one in December. The thoughtful lyrics of Wertz and Cates avoid the schmaltz such a theme might inspire. “Wake Up, Wake Up” by Wertz, Cates, and Wood appropriately opens with horns to convey a child’s perspective on Christmas morning – as in, “Dad, I went ahead and got the camera out and momma don’t worry ‘bout your hair.”

Yup. I think one of my boys gave me the same instruction on at least one Christmas morning…

WOW Christmas 32 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs (EMI Christian Music Group, Provident Music Group, Word Entertainment)

Ten selections first appeared on four albums: Essential Christmas (Brandon Heath, Bldg. 429, Kerry Roberts, Jars of Clay) in 2010, O Come All Ye Faithful (Jeremy Camp, Kutless) in 2010, Glory in the Highest (Chris Tomlin, Audrey Assad) in 2009, and When Love Was Born (Mark Shultz), 2009. 

The collection of contemplative songs written from the perspective of both Mary and Joseph is particularly enjoyable. Mark Lowry’s iconic Mary, Did You Know? set a high bar for attempting to get inside an unwed teen mother’s head. The hard rock band Kutless puts its own memorably artistic stamp on Lowry’s classic. 

In addition, 2011’s Dove Artist of the Year, Francesca Battistelli sings an imagined first person version of Mary’s perspective. Battistelli even sounds like a teenager as she portrays Mary holding her baby and welcoming him with “You’re Here.”

Mercy Me gives overdue attention in “Joseph’s Lullaby” to what it must have been like for the young earthly father of Jesus: “Go to sleep my son, go and chase your dreams, this world can wait for one more moment… I believe the glory of heaven is lying in my arms tonight, Lord I ask that he, for just this moment, simply be my child.”

Can any modern Christian compilation in this generation not include the music of Chris Tomlin? His “Emmanuel (Hallowed High Ground)” is structured for contemporary congregational worship. Tomlin also appears with Audrey Assad on “Winter Snow.” 

One of the most distinctive hymns is Mandisa’s rendition of “Angels We Have Heard on High.” She effortlessly steps up in key on the challenging refrain. Adapting a classic with a modern sound can be tricky. Mandisa’s R&B-tinged version is a perfect blend of accomplished singing and reverence for a beloved Christmas favorite.  

For the young and restless at heart, Tenth Avenue North performs an almost rowdy “Deck the Halls.” Toby Mac and Leigh Nash sing an exuberant “Christmas This Year.” Natalie Grant performs a jazzy, sassy “Let it Snow.”  

Of all 32 titles of the newest WOW Christmas album, my vote for best song title is Amy Grant’s “I Need A Silent Night.” This formidable songwriter packs a reality check into the chorus through several word plays with traditional Christmas carols. †