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WOW CHRISTMAS (2002)
An Open Letter to Santa ClausDear Santa,
I have been an exceptionally good young adult this year. I have A's in all of my college courses, I donated toys to needy children, I ate my vegetables (well, except the broccoli), and I only locked my little brother in the basement once while mom and dad were out. But this letter isn't about me; I sent you my list in February, remember? Let me get to the point. I'm sure picking up FM stereo reception while riding in your sleigh is a bit of a pain, and it's a well-known fact that reindeer are horrible singers. I bet you could use an extensive collection of Christmas carols that you can listen to while delivering all those toys, right?
Might I recommend WOW Christmas? If you're familiar with Word Records' annual WOW Hits series, you can probably guess the gist of WOW Christmas: A 2-CD set of thirty-one Christmas favorites performed by thirty-one well-known Christian artists. Also like the rest of the WoW series, the discs are divided by genres; that is, the red disk features performances by adult contemporary artists - with the exception of Rachael Lampa - such as Kirk Franklin, Amy Grant, and CeCe Winans. The yellow disc contributes rock/pop acts like Plus One, Sixpence None the Richer, and Out of Eden. Have I piqued your interest yet, Santa? Maybe Michael W. Smith's famous orchestrated performance of "Emmanuel" will. Or how about the heavenly harmonies of heavyweights Mark Schultz and Nichole Nordeman, who breathe life into their own stirring rendition of "Silent Night?" The rare "Strange Way to Save the World" by 4Him finds its way onto the red disc, as well as an appearance by country artist Kathy Mattea who sings her own version of Mark Lowry's "Mary, Did You Know?" Another noteworthy performance is that of Steven Curtis Chapman, who offers his quintessial holiday hit "Christmas is All in the Heart," from his 1996 album The Music of Christmas.
If you ever get tired of feeling old, Santa, you can try out the yellow disc for the kid in you. It's a little hard to picture you feeling the smooth, urban groove of TobyMac's "This Christmas," but maybe the haunting "God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen" from Jars of Clay's Drummer Boy album is more your style. Additionally, Third Day's southern-fied rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" makes up for their previous Yuletide disappointments "Manger Throne" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel," both found on other Christmas projects. Resident Grinches Audio Adrenaline rock the "Little Drummer Boy," but fair warning, Mr. Claus, Plus One's sugar-coated "A Prayer for Every Year" satisfies about as much as a plate of stale cookies and sour milk. Steer clear of it. There are plenty of other tracks to bang your head to.
I know what you're thinking, Santa. "This must be the definitive collection of Christmas music!" Well, I wouldn't go that far. Other than a rehashing of Christmas carols, WOW Christmas is nothing special. But if you need a collection to tide you over until the New Year, this is the compilation to own. In fact, I've even enclosed it for you. Now, could you PLEASE bring me that Sony Playstation 2 that I've been asking for three years running?
- Rick Foux
December 2002
December 2002
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