First off, let me just say that I adore Christmas. I’m that crazy lunatic that listens to Christmas music all year round, and I would totally be on board for celebrating the holiday all year round as well. I never get sick of it. So the fact that I’ve been able to review 3 new Christmas albums for FTCR this year is just awesome!
Now we are with another brand new Christmas album, this one from legendary bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent. Seriously, getting all this great holiday music, it’s almost like Christmas! Alright, that was more punny and funny. Anyway, back to the artist at hand!
Vincent has previously released the holiday album, Beautiful Star: A Christmas Collection, in 2006. She puts her own bluegrass spin on both modern/new songs and the Christmas classics, using the mandolin and fiddle, along with other string instruments associated with the bluegrass genre, to round out a delightful Christmas record.Christmas Time opens with “Dreaming of Christmas”, a mandolin driven modern day version of “White Christmas”. It’s an energetic, cheerful song wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and using imagery that has come to represent the holiday. Vincent proclaims, “I’m dreaming of Christmas/ What a celebration, it’s my favorite time of year/ I’m dreaming of Christmas/ Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” The track is just fun and cheerful, provoking memories of sledding down snowy hills, presents under the tree, and Christmas cookies. Using the word “Christmas” in song titles seems to be a theme with this record, obviously not an out of place or farfetched one! In total there are five songs with the word “Christmas” in the title, with four of those being new compositions.
“Christmas Time” features a slower, softer melody, reminiscent of a quiet evening by the fire place. “Christmas Time” could definitely fit the bill for the counterpart to “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, with this song coming from the point of view of the family members who are wishing a person home for the holiday. The title theme continues with “Christmas Time at Home”, which picks the pace back up with an energetic fiddle, mandolin, and banjo. Another theme on this record is reminiscing and happy times, which “Christmas Time at Home” is all about. Vincent sings about the good Christmas times they had back home, listing off some of the things that really made the holidays special in the chorus, “Like candy canes and handmade things/ socks hanging on the mantle/ turkey bacon, decorations, hand-dipped candy apples.”
The record also features two classic Christmas songs, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and “Jingle Bells”. Vincent’s version of “Twelve Days of Christmas” is absolutely a hoot! The song features vocals by Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ronnie Milsap, Gene Watson, Bill Anderson, Larry Gatlin, Jeannie Seely, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis, and EmiSunshine, and it’s chalk full of fun and hilarity. Each artist sings their part in their own special way, with their unique voices that you can easily pick out, all adding to the feeling of it being a family affair. “Jingle Bells” is always a fun song to sing along to, and Vincent certainly doesn’t disappoint with her version of the classic. This version features fiddle and mandolin solos, which adds to the folk feel and overall energy of the track.
Christmas Time features five traditional Christmas hymns, “Angels We Have Heard On High”, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman”, “Silent Night”, “Away in the Manger”, and “O Little Town Of Bethlehem”. “Angels We Have Heard On High” is one of my absolute favorite Christmas hymns, and Vincent’s version is excellent, featuring a beautiful mandolin. Vincent reminds us how she came to be a respected bluegrass artist, with her expert musicianship and beautiful, soft vocals.
You’ve never heard the mandolin until you’ve heard it on Vincent’s version of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman”. This is another one of my absolute favorite holiday hymns, and again, Vincent does an amazing job with it. I absolutely love the fiddle on “Away In A Manger”, it’s so sweet and pretty, just like the song itself. “Silent Night” is always such a beautiful song, originally written by monks whose organ broke down causing the monks to get together and write a song that could be done a cappella (aka without the only instrument they had, the organ). It’s absolutely stunning, proclaiming the pure joy of the Savior’s birth, and Vincent’s vocals are beautiful on it. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” has an interesting melody, both a little fast, yet slower, drawn out as well. It’s always a favorite for children and church Christmas programs. I have to say, Vincent’s is my new favorite version of the song. It’s sweet and simple.
The record closes with “Christmas Medley”, a medley of “What Child Is This”, “We Three Kings”, “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”, “O’ Come All Ye Faithful”, “The First Noel”, “O Holy Night”, and “Hark The Herald Angels Sing”. Rhonda’s vocals are accompanied by only a piano, and it’s pure magic. The “Christmas Medley” consists of the majority of my absolute favorite Christmas Hymns, which just adds to the magic, for me at least. The piano accompaniment allows Vincent’s vocals to truly shine and take the spotlight. For me the crescendo of this medley is “O Holy Night”, which finds Vincent at her vocal best on the record, featuring big powerful vocals which complement the powerful song. This medley is indeed the standout on the record, it’s absolute perfection.
Over all, this is such an enjoyable Christmas record, one you’ll no doubt add to your Christmas playlist! I know I’ll be adding it to mine, and FTCR’s Christmas Playlist, so check it out!
Originally posted here.
