Versatility seems to be the goal of MercyMe's The Christmas Sessions. Comprised of ten old songs and two new ones, Bart Millard and company stretch into several different genres, some faring better than others.
"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" receives a rock treatment, with the end result sounding like U2 fronted by Steven Curtis Chapman. "Winter Wonderland/White Christmas" proves that some songs should not be rearranged, unless the new version is completely original. "Christmas Time is Here," from A Charlie Brown Christmas , leaves a strange taste when performed by adults.
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" mixes in "The Carol of the Bells," While remaining mostly faithful to the original, it comes across as slightly bombastic. "Silent Night" gets countrified, and features Amy Grant on background vocals (no coincidence with Brown Bannister producing this project).
The best of the lot is the original "Joseph's Lullaby," which revisits the theme of Joseph trying to fathom how this newborn could be his son, as well as the Son of God, and hoping that Jesus can be his son, "if only for just a moment." The nadir comes in "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," a song that offers little meaning to Christians to begin with. MercyMe forays into rockabilly with this one, and the results are not pretty.
Call me a traditionalist, call me old, or just disagree with me, but my feeling about Christmas songs is pretty simple: if you can't improve upon the original, don't try. Some of these arrangements are different and modern, but fall flat unless you are really a fan of Christmas songs or MercyMe. Bonus points, however, for the CD designed to look an old 45 rpm single.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Jon RiceCCM artists Mercy Me use their signature acoustic guitar infused style and apply it to some wonderful Christmas classics. It's funny; I think Mercy Me absolutely takes their skills and talents to a new level with this holiday project. It's as if they were moved by a passion to bring justice to the spirit of the season. I liked their previous material, I love this material. Lead singer Bart…The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Joe MontagueWho are those masked men on the CD cover and why did they steal our traditional Christmas songs? Actually they are wearing winter scarves over their faces and it is the band members from Mercy Me who have thrown their toques into the festive derby in a bid for top honors with this year's Christmas albums. Lead vocalist Bart Millard strode into the hallowed halls of sacred hymns earlier this year…Similar sounding releases
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