Some Christmas albums are no more than collections of songs by various artists (most of the Very Special Christmas series) that sound like they;ve been thrown together without much thought. Some artists seem to release Christmas albums just because they don't have anything else better to do and they want to score some quick cash (name just about any pop artist of the last forty years).

Last year, I was wonderfully surprised by Natalie Grant's Believe, a rare achievement in holiday music – a Christmas album that is a) really well done, and b) tied together thematically by it's arrangements to make the entire album hang together nicely. And this year, I've found another one – it's not quite the masterpiece that Believe is, but for a collection of songs by various artists, it's a homogenous blend of modern carol interpretations that promises to please.

For those of you who might feel wary of anything featuring Christian artists – let me set you at ease right away. The music of Unexpected Gifts proves unexpectedly surprising, and a nice gift to add to any collection of those who enjoy the songs of the season. A quick lap through the collection reveals that all the songs are of a similar style, a quieter, reflective mood permeating the album creating that special starry night feeling.

Well, mostly. Let's get a couple tracks out of the way so we can get to the really good stuff.

First of all, I love Chris Tomlin and all his original music. Really, I do. But his arrangement of Angels We Have Heard on High tries too hard to mirror his quieter worship ballads with this very spare, very open acoustic guitar arrangement that sounds lovely at first blush. Unfortunately, it leaves his vocal way too exposed in the chorus and he is left to sing Glo – o – o – o – o (BREATH) o – o – o – o – o (BREATH) o – o – o – o – ri – a (BREATH). It doesn't work, and it ruins the track for me.

Leave it to David Crowder to be the eccentric of this collection (is that a Casio synthesizer trumpet sound I hear?), and while I adore his slightly askew version of Feliz Navidad, it's just a little too eccentric to fit the rest of this collection. It's a fun single, and I love the track on it's own, but sandwiched between absolutely riveting versions of Silent Night by Sanctus Real and O Holy Night by Shawn McDonald, it breaks up the intensity of the other tracks. Move it to the front of the album, and I think it would work – so, a fun song on an album of largely introspective, moving carol arrangements, but definitely out of place at track eight. Not David's fault, by any stretch – blame this one on the producers.

I think that those are the only two mis-steps of the entire production, even with Rebecca St. James' interpretation of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing leading off the collection. I have a like/dislike thing for her music, and her covers of other artists songs generally make me ill, so I was wary of this song as well. But hey – this arrangement (with all it's odd chord choices and modern rock lite sound, of course! It IS RStJ, after all) actually works well, and wow, that is a completely new sound for this song. I love it!

And the album takes off from this firm foundation, providing a lot of fabulous musical moments along the way. Some of the highlights…

Bethany Dillon takes God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and turns it into acoustic jazz gold with a smoky vocal in front of stand up bass, brushed snare, Rhodes piano and a bluesy steel guitar. Steven Curtis Chapman sings O Little Town of Bethlehem over a lush arrangement that features a gorgeous piano line, and Shawn McDonanld mesmerizes with perhaps the most understated version of O Holy Night I've heard, featuring acoustic guitars and string quartet. Who says that O Holy Night MUST be big and bombastic to work? For once, it's a wonderful meditation that focuses more on the message of the song than the vocals.

My favorite track is the most "alt" of the collection – Sanctus Real's Silent Night builds slowly around a new lyric refrain for the chorus - sleep, sleep / live in peace / all is calm…so sleep. And oh, the beauty of this song. I've heard and sung some absolutely lovely versions of this classic, but this – this goes beyond any of them. And then, as if the simple beauty of the carol weren't enough, the band builds into a powerful run through that new refrain again, turning it to a plea for a peace that surpasses all worry, all fear, a truly Happy Xmas indeed.

There are so many unexpectedly wonderful songs to be found in this collection, that I must strongly suggest it as a must have for those who enjoy the music of the Christmas season – these are refreshingly original versions of familiar favorites. Unexpected Gifts certainly was an unexpected surprise for me – it turned out to be a not unwelcome gift for my holiday season.


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Unexpected Gifts - Various Artists
Released September 26, 2006 by Sparrow Records

Track Listing
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Rebecca St. James
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Kutless
Angels We Have Heard on High - Chris Tomlin
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Nichole Nordeman
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Bethany Dillon
O Little Town of Bethlehem - Steven Curtis Chapman
Silent Night - Sanctus Real
Feliz Navidad - David Crowder Band
O Holy Night - Shawn McDonald
O Come, All Ye Faithful - Starfield
What Child Is This? - ZOEgirl
Christmas Song - Michael Tait

Related Reviews
Natalie Grant Believe
A Very Special Acoustic Christmas

This is also my entry for carstairs38's Christmas write off

Recommended: Yes