Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review


Chris Tomlin, Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Chris Tomlin
Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Christmas / Contemporary / Live
Album length: 11 tracks: 45 minutes, 58 seconds
Street Date: October 23, 2015


READER RATING:   


Around October, some stores start putting out their Christmas decorations, and they usually start playing Christmas music mid- to late-November. A fair amount of patrons (and people with Facebook) love to complain about this. "It's not even Halloween yet!" you hear. And while I do understand the frustration, I tend to lean more toward the side that says "Yay, Christmas is coming!" This makes it a little easier to listen to and review Christmas music in early October, which is when I received my first Christmas album of the year, that of worship artist Chris Tomlin.

Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship is a live album that really emphasizes the "worship" portion while keeping the Christmas theme, as Tomlin and company utilize classic Christmas carols, such as "Midnight Clear," "Silent Night" and "What Child Is This?" to bring the band and audience together to lift up the King of Kings. That being said, Tomlin's Christmas offering is not classically-styled like Nat King Cole, nor is it alternative like what Tooth & Nail/BEC tend to offer up every now and then. Rather, it's an album that fits alongside any other Chris Tomlin album, with slow and, at times, sleep-inducing renditions of these carols. Additionally, I felt like Kristyn Getty's reading of Isaiah 9 in "Hymn of Joy" was more on the cliche side than on the reverent side. Though the Bible has life-giving power and is the most blessed writing in existence, reading Old Testament prophecy of Jesus' birth just seems more like something you're obligated do on a Christmas album these days. I do have to give credit where credit is due, though: "It's Christmas" is a jazzy medley of sorts, featuring "Away In A Manger" and "Go Tell It On The Mountain," and sounds like something you'd hear during a montage in a family Christmas movie from the 90s. It's actually very entertaining; far and away the best track on the whole album. Distant runners-up are "What Child Is This?" (which loses points for leaving out the second verse) and "A King Like This," which bears little artistic merit, but has a somewhat pleasing melody.

Chris Tomlin has dominated the contemporary and modern worship market for years now, and he shows no sign of stopping. Last year's Love Ran Red sold as well as previous entries, and Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship will keep that momentum going for sure. As mentioned before, it has some shining moments, but it's not enough to warrant a purchase unless you're a diehard Tomlin fan. If you're already interested in Christmas music for the 2015 season, I'd recommend skipping this one and going with Rend Collective's new Christmas album, Campfire Christmas, Vol.1, which releases the same day.

- Review date: 10/14/15, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Try Pop Culture Coffee!

 

. Record Label: sixstepsrecords
. Album length: 11 tracks: 45 minutes, 58 seconds
. Street Date: October 23, 2015
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)

  1. He Shall Reign Forevermore (4:10)
  2. Adore (4:45)
  3. Midnight Clear (Love Song) (4:26)
  4. Noel (feat. Lauren Daigle) (4:18)
  5. Hymn of Joy (4:03)
  6. Silent Night (feat. Kristyn Getty) (4:02)
  7. What Child Is This? (feat. All Sons and Daughters) (2:49)
  8. It's Christmas (medley) (4:00)
  9. A King Like This (4:13)
  10. Bethlehem (4:45)
  11. A Christmas Alleluia (feat. Lauren Daigle and Leslie Jordan) (4:32)

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Try Pop Culture Coffee!

Search JFH



This Friday, June 13, 2025
ALBUMS
Coqui Death to Your Ego - EP [DREAM]
iNTELLECT, Philip Anthony The Commission - EP [Polished Arrow]
King's Hammer To Speak In Tongues - EP [Rottweiler]
Brandon Lake King Of Hearts [Provident]
Gileah Taylor I Call This One - EP [Velvet Blue]
Gileah Taylor I Call This One DEMOS - EP [Velvet Blue]
War of Ages Eternal (15th Anniversary Edition) [Facedown]

SINGLES
Alexxander Suma - Single [Reach]
Gracie Binion Not Our First Dance - Single [BEC]
CalledOut Music Worthy of It All - Single [Integrity]
Chosen Road You’ve Already Won - Single [Thoroughbred]
Drenae Ride Or Die - Single [Syntax]
EJ Swavv Deep End - Single [Syntax]
Equippers Worship Garment of Praise - Single [DREAM]
Will Kellum Joy - Single [Syntax]
Keyodis Georgia's Only Son - Single [Charon Collective]
Mainstream Worship Near - Single [DREAM Worship]
Steven Malcolm One You (feat. Parris Chariz) - Single [Curb]
New Christian Order, outr.cty & Prodi Da Prodigal Violence (ft. International Show & Q-Flo) - Single [Syntax]
No Vain Glory A Psalmist's Prayer - Single [Syntax]
Of The Land You've Met Me - Single [BEC]
Hunter Plake Circles (feat. Ryan Ellis) - Single [BEC]
PRXM & Kei Harris No Parts - Single [Syntax]
Red Rocks Worship Faithful Father - Single [Provident]
Jeremy Rosado Keep Holding On - Single [Capitol CMG]
Jordy Sam Dramatics - Single [Syntax]

Next Friday, June 20, 2025
ALBUMS
Dan Bremnes The Hero - EP [Curb]
Dan Dean More [StowTown]
The Swirling Eddies Let's Spin! (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
The Swirling Eddies Outdoor Elvis (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
The Swirling Eddies Zoom Daddy (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
Dr. Edward Daniel Taylor The Miracle Faith Telethon: 35th Anniversary Ed (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]

SINGLES
bodie GOOD OLD DAYS - Single [Provident]
KingsPorch You Can Have it All - Single [BEC]
Rhymes in Harmony In His Presence - Single [Syntax]
Jordan St. Cyr Circles (feat. Riley Clemmons) - Single [BEC]

VINYL
IRONWRATH Master Storyteller (Double Vinyl Gatefold) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images