Reviewed by Tony Cummings As any student of Christian music will tell you the Continentals, led by the tireless Cam Floria, Made dozens of albums. This Christmas offering, released in 1984, gave Joe Public 32 Christmas songs - many of them put into medleys - so alongside the usual suspects ("Away In A Manger", "Hark The Herald", "O Come All Ye Faithful") there are some unfamiliar Christmas songs, toted on the sleeve as "international". By far the best new song and the best rendition on the whole album is "Hallelujah Jesus Is Born", written by two Fins, Anna-Mari Kaskinen and Pekka Simojoki, emanating from a work of theirs called the African Gospel Mass and with Paulino da Costa weighing in with some African drumming and the mighty Dan Huff contributing some tasty guitar. Talking of the accompaniments, despite a backsleeve promise of "Continental Singers And Orchestra" the "orchestra" is synth played by Rhett Lawrence. The Singers' vocals are competent enough and there are some CCM big names drafted in as guest vocalists. So if you're a big fan of Steve Green, Sheila Walsh, Steve Camp or Phil Driscoll you might want to search out this album to complete your collection. And the best of the special guest renditions, Michelle Pillar on "European Christmas Lullabies", Is sweetly sung. All in all, a pleasant enough Christmas album.
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This is one of my all time favourite Christmas albums along with The Gunter Kallmann Choir Christmas LP (you'll find this one on Youtube).
Thanks to Cross Rythems I now have the Continentals album on CD (purchased here several years ago & on play in my car at the moment). Thanks very much & a Happy Christmas to everyone. Xxx