{"id":892,"date":"2011-11-30T18:00:53","date_gmt":"2011-11-30T23:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/wholenotes\/?p=892"},"modified":"2011-11-30T17:50:32","modified_gmt":"2011-11-30T22:50:32","slug":"christian-music-artists-release-wide-variety-of-christmas-offerings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/2011\/11\/christian-music-artists-release-wide-variety-of-christmas-offerings.html","title":{"rendered":"Christian music artists release wide variety of Christmas offerings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click \u201cLike\u201d to share this with your friends!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The leftover turkey has been gobbled up. Black Friday has faded to black. The neighbor\u2019s ridiculously gaudy light display is already casting a shadow on your dimly lit abode.<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t fear. Be of good cheer, even. Only a few short days and weeks separate you from holiday bliss. And what better way to get into the Christmas spirit than with brand new releases from your favorite Christian artists.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at some of the music that will help us all make sure to keep Christ in this year\u2019s celebration of Christmas:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>TobyMac \u2013 Christmas In Diverse City<\/em><\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s been 10 years since Christian music mogul TobyMac has released a Christmas album and man was it worth the wait. The first half of the album features Toby doing what Toby does best\u2014genetically altering the DNA of musical genres to create a hybrid mix of rock, pop, RNB and hip-hop. Some of the highlights include \u201cThe First Noel\u201d featuring Owl City, \u201cMary\u2019s Boy Child\u201d featuring Jamie Grace and \u201cThis Christmas (Father of the Fatherless)\u201d featuring Nirva Ready.<\/p>\n

The second half of Christmas In Diverse City <\/em>gives the listener a taste of what a Christmas jam session with TobyMac\u2019s multi-talented band members might sound like. \u201cCarol of the King,\u201d for instance, highlights the production skills of DJ Maj along with singer\/dancer Gabe Real and guest vocalist Liquid. Nirva Ready shines on \u201cAngels We Have Heard on High\u201d and the ever-popular Mr. Talkbox (aka Byron Chambers) shares his unique vocal stylings on \u201cChristmas Time.\u201d Another track worth checking out is \u201cBirth of Love\u201d by drummer B. Haley\u2019s new funk\/RNB outfit Superherose, a group from which we\u2019ll be hearing more in the coming year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Jamie Grace \u2013 Christmas Together EP<\/em><\/strong>
\nOne of the freshest faces to hit the Christian music scene in a while, Jamie Grace (who was discovered by the aforementioned TobyMac) is carrying a lot of forward momentum from her debut album earlier this year. Grace\u2019s unique blend of soulful vocals and acoustic pop shine through again on this four-song EP that includes the original title track plus holiday favorites such as \u201cO Come, O Come Emmanuel\u201d and \u201cThe Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don\u2019t Be Late).\u201d Grace can be seen on the Very Merry Christmas Tour along with Newsong, Chris August and Kutless.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Kutless \u2013 This Is Christmas EP<\/em><\/strong>
\nSpeaking of Kutless, the pop\/rock outfit from Seattle will be on the Very Merry Christmas Tour performing songs from its This Is Christmas EP<\/em>. True to the band\u2019s recognizable guitar-driven sound, this collection puts a rock-and-roll spin on such classic songs as \u201cO Holy Night,\u201d \u201cLittle Drummer Boy,\u201d and the Amy Grant favorite \u201cBreath of Heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Matthew West \u2013 The Heart of Christmas<\/em><\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s hard to believe, but perennial hit-maker Matthew West has never released a Christmas album until now. The Heart of Christmas <\/em>is a dream come true for the talented singer\/songwriter who says he\u2019s been waiting for the right time to put out a collection of both original and traditional holiday tunes. \u201cOne Last Christmas\u201d provides one of the album\u2019s biggest hits, which in fact was the inspiration for the Gospel Music Channel (GMC) original film The Heart of Christmas <\/em>(in which West has a guest-starring role). Other highlights on West\u2019s debut Christmas album include guest appearances from Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Mandisa.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>David Crowder Band \u2013 Oh For Joy<\/em><\/strong>
\nWhat better time for a band to release a debut Christmas album than right before its official swan song\u2014at least that\u2019s what David Crowder Band must have been thinking when it decided to record Oh For Joy <\/em>just a few months before amicably breaking up. If there\u2019s any artist that can make Christmas music truly interesting, it has to be these guys whose penchant for experimental creativity turns up on familiar songs such as \u201cJoy To The World,\u201d \u201cOh Holy Night,\u201d and \u201cSilent Night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>FFH \u2013 One Silent Night<\/em><\/strong>
\nFor the first time in two years, husband-and-wife duo Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler return with a brand new studio album and a first-ever Christmas project. One Silent Night<\/em> includes several notable tracks including a playful back-and-forth on \u201cBaby It\u2019s Cold Outside,\u201d an ode to the late 1950s-era classic \u201cJingle Bell Rock,\u201d and a laid-back jazzy version of \u201cI\u2019ll Be Home For Christmas. FFH also offers three brand new songs including the tender piano ballad \u201cBirthday of a King\u201d and a title track that will remind listeners of the group\u2019s signature pop\/acoustic sound with a folk twist.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Hawk Nelson \u2013 Christmas<\/em><\/strong>
\nWith its signature fun-loving punk-pop sound oozing through each track, Hawk Nelson delivers an energetic holiday album simply titled Christmas<\/em>. \u201cSilent Night\u201d and a medley featuring \u201cHark The Herald Angels Sing\u201d and \u201cO Come All Ye Faithful\u201d are sure-fired favorites, along with the somewhat obscure traditional tune \u201cI Saw Three Ships.\u201d Fans can check out Hawk Nelson performing these songs on the Christmas Pageant Tour with Family Force 5.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Matt Wertz \u2013 Snow Globe<\/em><\/strong>
\nIf singer\/songwrtier Matt Wertz isn\u2019t a household name within Christian music fandom yet, he should be. And certainly, his debut Christmas project Snow Globe could go a long way in pushing the veteran solo artist into the forefront of the scene\u2019s collective consciousness. Wertz\u2019s multi-faceted talent comes oozing out in a spectacular collection of songs that range from the jazz-pop flair of \u201cWalking In a Winter Wonderland,\u201d and the old-school be-bop sound of \u201cChristmas Just Ain\u2019t Christmas (Without You), to the folk-flavored rendition of Amy Grant\u2019s \u201cTennessee Christmas\u201d and the crooning style of \u201cWhite Christmas.\u201d Other highlights include the jazz piano backed \u201cChristmas Time Is Here\u201d and the bouncy toe-tapping inducing title track.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>David Ian \u2013 Vintage Christmas<\/em><\/strong>
\nYou wouldn\u2019t know it by listening to David Ian\u2019s debut holiday album Vintage Christmas<\/em>, but he is in fact the same David Ian who regularly rocks out as the lead guitarist for the popular Christian rock band Superchick. Turns out, Ian has been studying classical piano since the age of five and later in his teens studied jazz piano for good measure. His intense level of artistry is evident throughout the 11-track collection. Ian effortlessly bounces back and forth between the two genres and showcases a talented pair of vocalists in the process. Some predicted listener favorites include a traditional jazz rendition of \u201cHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas\u201d (a la Norah Jones) featuring Acacia and \u201cLet It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!\u201d (a la Harry Connick Jr.) featuring Andre Miguel Mayo. This is a great album for playing around the house while putting up the tree, sitting around the fire or just relaxing with the family.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at some other new Christmas albums you might want to check out this holiday season:<\/p>\n

After Edmund \u2013 Twas the Night After Edmund EP<\/em>
\nSarah Hart \u2013 This Winter\u2019s Eve<\/em>
\nHillsong Live \u2013 Born Is The King EP<\/em>
\nJars of Clay \u2013 More Christmas Songs EP<\/em>
\nDana Jorgensen \u2013 Christmas and Hymns EP<\/em>
\nJadon Lavik \u2013 Christmas<\/em>
\nOur Hearts Hero \u2013 Christmas EP<\/em>
\nMichael W. Smith \u2013 Michael W. Smith Presents Strings of Christmas<\/em>
\nSmalltown Poets \u2013 Smalltown Poets Christmas<\/em>
\nKathy Troccoli \u2013 Christmas Songs<\/em>
\nVarious Artists \u2013 Maranatha! Christmas: Christmas Classics<\/em>
\nVarious Artists \u2013 Maranatha! Christmas: Songs for the Season<\/em>
\nVarious Artists \u2013 WOW Christmas (Green)<\/em>
\nVarious Artists \u2013 Rockin\u2019 Around The Christmas Tree<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click \u201cLike\u201d to share this with your friends! The leftover turkey has been gobbled up. Black Friday has faded to black. The neighbor\u2019s ridiculously gaudy light display is already casting a shadow on your dimly lit abode. But don\u2019t fear. Be of good cheer, even. Only a few short days and weeks separate you from…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":418,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4,131],"tags":[532,529,477,531,544,542,539,753,521,370,533,546,369,522,510,469,530,535,171,526,419,527,523,520,538,545,537,534,191,430,543,540,509,413,525,12,528,524,37,541,8,536],"class_list":["post-892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christian-music","category-music-news","category-new-music-release","tag-acacia","tag-after-edmund","tag-amy-grant","tag-andre-miguel-mayo","tag-b-haley","tag-byron-chambers","tag-chris-august","tag-christmas-music","tag-dana-jorgensen","tag-david-crowder-band","tag-david-ian","tag-dj-maj","tag-family-force-5","tag-ffh","tag-gabe-real","tag-gospel-music-channel","tag-harry-connick-jr","tag-hawk-nelson","tag-hillsong-live","tag-jadon-lavik","tag-jamie-grace","tag-jars-of-clay","tag-jeromy-and-jennifer-deibler","tag-kathy-troccoli","tag-kutless","tag-liquid","tag-mandisa","tag-matt-wertz","tag-matthew-west","tag-michael-w-smith","tag-mr-talkbox","tag-newsong","tag-nirva-ready","tag-norah-jones","tag-our-hearts-hero","tag-owl-city","tag-sarah-hart","tag-smalltown-poets","tag-superchick","tag-superherose","tag-tobymac","tag-vince-gill"],"yoast_head":"\nChristian music artists release wide variety of Christmas offerings - Whole Notes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/2011\/11\/christian-music-artists-release-wide-variety-of-christmas-offerings.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Christian music artists release wide variety of Christmas offerings - Whole Notes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Click \u201cLike\u201d to share this with your friends! 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Chad\u2019s professional journey began at the University of Tulsa where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (1993) while working extensively in athletic media relations and serving as a sports editor for The Collegian. Since then, he has written extensively for such publications as Relevant, CCM, Christian Retailing, New Man, Charisma, Today\u2019s Christian, Ministries Today, Breakaway, Brio, Sports Spectrum, Christian Single, Faith & Friends, Sharing the Victory and Gospel Today. He has authored, co-authored or ghost written and edited 13 books including Life in the Fairway (New Leaf Press), Glory of the Games (Cross Training), Wrestling with God (River Oak), Spiritual Journeys (Relevant) and the four-part Fellowship of Christian Athletes Core Value Series; Excellence, Teamwork, Serving and Integrity (Regal Books). Chad is currently working on five new books including Sooner Legacy, Husker Legacy and Lessons From Sooner Football (Cross Training) as well as The Faith of Stock Car Racing (Judson Press). When he's not writing, Chad lends his efforts to various independent television and film projects. He was the coordinating producer for Choosing Life (2010) and Life Happens (2011). Chad is currently serving as producer on a forthcoming documentary about Super Bowl champion Brian Kinchen. Chad and his wife Amy live in Broken Arrow, Okla., with sons Lance (September 2003), Cole (February 2008) and Quinn (February 2011).","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/author\/cbonham"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=892"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":906,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892\/revisions\/906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholenotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}