Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review




Happy Christmas Vol. 4
(Various Artists)



Album length: 14 tracks: 55 minutes and 05 seconds
Street Date: October 25, 2005


The Happy Christmas albums have been fairly successful in their long run. And why not? The idea of MxPx, Bleach, Earthsuit, the Supertones and others belting out Christmas tunes will make more than a few music lover's ears perk. It's been four years since the last installment in the Happy Christmas series, but now it returns with quite a promising list of performers. Volume Four includes Switchfoot, Relient K, Number One Gun, Emery, Anberlin, Copeland, Hawk Nelson, and a couple of The Starting Line and Underoath guys on a single track? Sounds nothing short of entertaining.

And it is. The album begins with Switchfoot's original "Evergreen," which sounds a whole lot like their earlier albums. And it should, considering it appeared first before on the series' Volume One in 1998. The song immediately gets the album off to a great, albeit mellow start. That overall tone continues through most of the album. Switchfoot fades and Emery begins with another original, entitled "(Ho Ho Hey) A Way for Santa's Sleigh." And though not quite as catchy as the title suggests, it's hard not to tap your foot to Emery's slant on the Christmas season. Even catchier still is Anberlin's "Baby Please Come Home," a song about a loved one that seems to have skipped town. Things slow down a bit for "The Winter Song" by Eisley. A beautiful piece of work, I've yet to dislike anything they have done. Next up is Starflyer 59's "Christmas Time Is Here" which keeps the pace slower as Eisley did before it.

Then comes the major selling point for many people. Aaron Gillespie of Underoath and Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line have gotten together to record a Christmas song of their own, entitled "Yule Be Sorry." Though I feel its almost a slap in the face to readers to explain what the song sounds like, I will anyway. It does, truly, sound like what would happen if The Starting Line and Underoath merged. It also happens to be a great song that you almost forget is a Christmas tune.

Mae performs an instrumental "Carol of the Bells." There is somewhat of a choir singing, but Dave Elkins' vocal presence is severely missing. Still, the track is well done, and the band displays their excellent musical capabilities. Copeland is next with a nice rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear." However, they resort to using those horribly cliché voice pitch editors that you usually hear in R&B tracks. Shameful. Relient K's stellar "I Celebrate the Day" from their Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand album is next. It's lyrically one of the sweetest, most reflective songs on the disc, celebrating the day Christ was born to save us from our sins. Hawk Nelson follows with "Last Christmas," a nice song, though not particularly enthralling. Spoken takes their turn up to bat with their cover of Mark Lowry's classic "Mary Did You Know." They play the song well, and make for one of the album's best tracks. The Fold performs their version "O Holy Night" with grace and ease as well. Number One Gun's slow and beautiful "Of Two Bearded Men" explains to us all that "Jesus doesn't hate Santa Claus, ‘cause He knows that Santa only does his job.." The album finishes with John Davis' "God Is Real (Jesus Is Alive)," an excellent closer and all around great Christmas song.

This Happy Christmas installment is sure to put a smile on your face and joy in your heart. Kudos on the wealth of original songs on this compilation. It's been four years, but well worth the wait. Pick this one up as soon as you can.

- Review date: 10/23/05, written by Josh Taylor



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

 

CD

Buy This CD Online


. Record Label: BEC Recordings
. Album length: 15 tracks, 53 minutes and 10 seconds
. Street Date: October 25, 2005
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Evergreen - Switchfoot
  2. (Ho Ho Hey) A Way for Santa's Sleigh - Emery
  3. Baby Please Come Home - Anberlin
  4. The Winter Song - Eisley
  5. Christmas Time Is Here - Starflyer 59
  6. Yule Be Sorry - Aaron Gillespie (Underoath) & Kenny Vasoli (The Starting Line)
  7. Carol of the Bells - Mae
  8. Do You Hear What I Hear - Copeland
  9. I Celebrate the Day - Relient K
  10. Last Christmas - Hawk Nelson
  11. Mary Did You Know - Spoken
  12. O Holy Night - The Fold
  13. Of Two Bearded Men - Number One Gun
  14. God Is Real (Jesus Is Alive) - John Davis

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

Search JFH




This Tuesday, October 29, 2024
SINGLES
Pipe Bomb Hate Club - Single [The Charon Collective]

This Thursday, October 31, 2024
ALBUMS
Neon Horse Habit of Creature - EP [Velvet Blue Music]

This Friday, November 1, 2024
ALBUMS
AWZY Sinners and Saints - EP [DREAM]
Forrest Frank Child of God (Deluxe) [river house]
Future of Forestry Symphonic Christmas (Live) (independent)
Influence Music It's All About You (independent)
The Kingdom Heirs No Better Time [Sonlite]
Limoblaze Young & Chosen (Power Pack) - EP [Reach]
Paul & Hannah McClure Christmas Morning (Re-Release) [Bethel]
Planetshakers Winning Team: Songs For Church (Live) [Venture3Media]
Skillet Revolution [Atlantic]
Sam's the Hero Charlie Cox - EP [Small Step]
Jim "Soni" Sonefeld Light of Joy - EP [Vere]
Ivan Theva Waiting Here for You - EP [Descendent/Provident]
John Van Deusen Anthem Sprinter [Tooth & Nail]
Phil Wickham Hallelujah! It's Christmas! [Fair Trade]
YWAM Kona Music Missionary Anthem - EP [Integrity]

SINGLES
Ayo Shamir, YP aka Young Paul Aaron Judge - Single (independent)
Gabby Barrett O Come, O Come Emmanuel (feat. The Piano Guys) - Single [Warner Music Nashville]
Brennley Brown Mary, Did You Know? - Single [Provident]
Lauren Daigle Then I Will - Single [Centricity]
Dreamers The Reason - Multi-Single [DREAM]
EJ Swavv I Hate Lucy - Single [Syntax]
Jess Ford This is My Jesus - Single (independent)
FYR FYTR So Simple - Single (independent)
Michael Monroe Pour It Out - Single [Provident]
Seph Schlueter We Sing (Joy To The World) [feat. Leanna Crawford] - Single [Provident]
Skye Peterson, Ben Shive Keep the Feast - Single [Getty]
SNT. VINCENT Confession - Single [Syntax]
Cyndi Thompson Silent Night - Single [County Line]
Thrive Worship Hark - Single [Integrity]
Tauren Wells Making Room - Single [Capitol CMG]

VINYL
Skillet Revolution Vinyl [Atlantic]

Next Friday, November 8, 2024
ALBUMS
Gabby Barrett Carols and Candlelight [Warner Music Nashville]
CXMMXNS CXMMXNS Chapter 1 - EP [Essential Worship]
New Hope Oahu There Is One - EP [DREAM]
Neal Morse & The Resonance No Hill For A Climber [InsideOut]
TAKE Time Bomb [Resuscitation Records]
Lauren Talley A Lauren Talley Christmas [Horizon]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury I Hope You Dance - Single [BEC]
Jordan Kauflin, Laura Story Approach, My Soul - Single [Getty]
Sam Bowman & GLADDEN Misfit Toys - Single [DREAM]
Wavorly Enemies - Single (independent)

VINYL
Michael W. Smith Every Christmas Vinyl [Rocketown]
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Vinyl [Frontiers]
TAKE Time Bomb Vinyl [Resuscitation Records]

DVD
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Blu-Ray [Frontiers]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images