Reviewed by Brendan O'Regan

This 2014 collection, with a generous 15 tracks, grabs the attention right from the start with a rousing version of "Joy To The World" - on this track and throughout the album the choir and orchestra sing and play with infectious enthusiasm with rich orchestrations matched by fine vocal arrangements. It's worth noting as well that the New Irish Youth Choir contributes effectively to the proceedings. Producer/conductor Jonathan Rea gets his choirs and orchestra to breathe new life into the classics without resorting to any gimmickry, and, as I think all Christmas albums should, introduces us to new and less familiar material. I particularly loved Don Patterson's "Jesus Is His Name", all the better for Eilidh Patterson's vocal solo. There's one instrumental track, "Carol Of The Bells", and this certainly is the best version I've ever heard, right from that opening and insistent drumbeat. If I have any qualms at all, it's concerning "Mary's Boy Child" - too much like a lounge song for me!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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