Joy for Christmas Day

1	Christmas Collage 3:36
2	Unto Us a Child Is Born 2:52
3	Angels We Have Heard on High 2:54
4	Straw Against the Chill 4:50
5	Baby King 4:06
6	When the Baby Grew Up 4:59
7	Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 3:06
8	O Come All Ye Faithful 3:49
9	All Because of Him 3:43
10	Sing, Mary, Sing 4:14
11	There's Still My Joy 5:09

Barnes & Noble

Anyone who's been listening to Kathy Mattea's recent albums knows to expect the unexpected, and that's what she delivers on this, her second Christmas album (the first was 1993's Grammy-winning Good News). This time around, Mattea offers a new twist on some old favorites, brings da funk a couple of times, and spices the seasonal mix with some new songs. The powerful opener, "Christmas Collage," melds five traditional carols centered on the birth of Christ and his impact on the world, including a polyphonic rendering of "O Come All Ye Faithful." Mattea intertwines a cappella or minimally arranged segments with more elaborate, vocally rich pieces, before everything comes together in a triumphant chorus of "What Child Is This?" "Baby King," written by Marc Cohn, is a funky gospel call-and-response number anticipating the new world the Christ Child will shape. "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" showcases Mattea's magnificent, expressive voice, which accompanied only by a lightly strummed acoustic guitar. In a startling transformation of a Yuletide favorite, "O Come All Ye Faithful" begins a cappella in Latin, then slinks into a greasy soul groove. Penned by Melissa Manchester and Beth Nielsen Chapman, "There's Still My Joy" is a powerful tale of healing after tragedy by drawing strength from the season. Mattea's emotion is palpable here, and no wonder -- her father, who sings on a bonus track, passed away while she was recording this album. His genial voice is preserved here on what should become a classic Christmas album. David McGee

All Music Guide

The two-time Grammy winner checks in with her first Christmas disc in ten years, drawing from all the unique traditions that have enhanced her career as a decorated country artist -- including folk, bluegrass, and Celtic. The key to a strong holiday CD is finding clever new arrangements of the classics and offering originals that present the spirit in a unique way. Mattea does both, opening with an Irish folk-styled "Christmas Collage" featuring marching drums, bells, and a small choral group. The Celtic flavors tag along throughout, informing both her vocal approach and instrumentation (pennywhistle, mandolin) on a jubilant, Handel-inspired "Unto Us a Child Is Born" and the more subtle and wistful "Straw Against the Chill." "Baby King" blends steel guitar and a country gospel choir behind Mattea's most powerful delivery, and the similarly organic country flavors make the clap-along "When the Baby Grew Up" a wildly irresistible back-porch burner. Mattea is also aces on more traditionally arranged pieces like "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," which she performs with only a gentle guitar accompaniment. Definitely one of 2003's best holiday treats. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide