Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Trust Nicole C Mullen to actually break fresh ground with this Christmas release. The album opens with the timeless telling of a virgin mother and the coming of a Saviour into the world through a spoken word intro. The album having established that this is about Jesus opens out with a combination of some fine original songs and sadly a few obvious carols. Musically she repeats the pop and R&B flavours of her successful albums but adds in a few sugary sentimental moments like a duet with her father Napoleon Coleman on "The Christmas Song". Oh dear! Elsewhere though original songs like "Lamb Of God", "Gifts From You" and the funkier "365" at least push things beyond the same old same old that bogs down so many Christmas releases. 'Christmas In Black And White' is the most original
Christmas album I've heard this year.

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