A few thoughts on Christmas music. It just seems the thing to do in the overcommercialized American Christmas season for everybody who is anybody in the music industry to release a Christmas album. The unfortunate glut of rehashed renditions of everything from "Silent Night" to "Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer" is almost too much to take. Do we really need to hear the latest teenage pop diva or some mainstream crooner whose career is being overtaken by the next big (read young) act trying to squeeze a few more sales out of his or her version of "Silver Bells".
My favorite exceptions, Kathy Mattea's "Good News" (several years old now) and "Joy For Christmas Day" (New). I don't know Kathy Mattea's specific beliefs, but there is some sort of genuine Christian faith here that goes very very deep. Tasteful, lyrically rich and focused completely on the birth of Christ. And Phil Keaggy's "Majesty and Wonder", though a few years old as well, has a couple of cuts that are less than stellar, but most combine Phils mastery of guitar with some lush orchestral arrangements that are fresh and dignified.
It is hard enough these days to keep our priorities straight. Nice to have a few tunes that help rather than hinder.
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