Reviewed by Gareth Paul Taylor

Here's a double CD offering from the producers of the show you may have seen on God TV. It carries a uniquely American flavour, capturing the warm Christmas spirit, though with too much sugar for the average British taste; the cover's quaint snow-covered wooden forest chapel paints the picture! The arrangements are typically immaculate, colourful and inventive, ranging from fully orchestral, conveying Christ's majesty, to deftly played, reflective acoustic guitar work. They have also been combined in such a way as to reinforce the variety of texture and provide musical continuity, between numbers and through clever medleys. Imagine hearing a Christmas film soundtrack, a continuous underscoring of music without dialogue. On the first CD the choral orchestral numbers are often accompanied by a worship leader whose clear presence adds a refreshing element and stops it becoming merely background music - we are invited to participate in the message; true to Integrity Music's expressed aim "to help people worldwide experience the manifest presence of God", we are continually reminded that God is with us! However, instrumentals are plentiful too; the second CD is actually a repackaged National Philharmonic Orchestra Christmas CD featuring Larry Dalton's deft piano work. This only came to light when I put the CD onto my computer - why are so many performers still left un-credited and unrecognized on compilation albums?

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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