Christmas Music Wrap-Up 2005

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October 28, 2020

The following article is located at: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/januaryweb-only/2005christmas.html

Christianity Today, January, 2005

Russ Breimeier /postedJanuary 1, 2005

This is a strong year for Christmas releases from Christian artists, and not just because there are more holiday albums than usual. Here, we present 13 of them, and most all rate good to excellent, with a few of them far surpassing what some might expect from the artists. So trim the tree, bake some cookies, wrap some gifts, and celebrate the season of our Lord's birth with 2005's most notable Christmas recordings.

Steven Curtis Chapman

All I Really Want for Christmas (Sparrow/EMI)
Pop/rock

If this is the second Steven Curtis Chapman album for you after 1995's The Music of Christmas, there's a lot to love. But fans that bought Christmas Is All in the Heart exclusively through Hallmark in 2003 might feel cheated, since that album's six new tracks are again featured here—with six other new ones. (Our review of the 2003 album touches on the highlights, and fans that own that album may want to consider purchasing the newest tracks individually at Christianbook.com.) The newer stuff is fine, and there are a couple of adorable moments with adopted daughter Shaoey. But aside from some slightly folksier instrumentation, co-producer Ed Cash generally keeps things routine. It doesn't help that some of the new melodies and guitar riffs are too similar to recent Chapman songs from the last five years. The album's good, but all that Chapman fans really want for Christmas is something truly new.

Bryan Duncan & the NehoSoul Band

A NehoSoul Christmas! (Red Road Records)
Soulful pop/rock

After twenty years as a solo artist, Bryan Duncan left behind formulaic AC pop to pursue the music he wanted to make, resulting in his impressive NehoSoul Band, which made its debut with Music City Live. The R&B-flavored pop quintet ...

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