Music Review This Gift by Gary Chapman

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

Cons: "Part of Heaven"

The Bottom Line:

Classic Christmas feel

With many standards covered

A must for this year

A Gem

In the mid-90's, Gary Chapman's career had a resurgence with several popular Christian music releases. He also had a gig hosting "Prime Time Country" on The Nashville Network. It was during the height of his popularity that he released This Gift, a gem of a Christmas CD.

The CD opens with a big band inspired medley of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town." It makes me want to get up and dance and I could easily picture it as a Christmas swing.

The only other upbeat song on the disc is "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," which again has a big band feel. While I love the Brenda Lee version, this is easily my second favorite.

The rest of the CD is slow and contemplative adult contemporary. But it works. Partially because the songs selected are supposed to be slow songs. Thanks to the piano, "The Christmas Song" has a bit of a jazzy feel to it. Gary's vocals on "O Holy Night" convey a passion that makes the song take on new life. And the guitar and mandocello on "Silent Night" give it almost a country feel.

Hands down my favorite song on this disc is "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing." This version is completely a cappella. Gary starts it as a solo, but after the first few lines a choir joins in. They continue to build the intensity and volume as the song moves into the second verse. The harmonies are incredible. This version gives me goose bumps every time I hear it.

When this CD was released in 1997, "Mary Did You Know?" was only starting to be recorded as a Christmas song. This was the first Christmas CD I had it on anyway. This is probably the slowest version of the song I've ever heard. It is meditative and Gary's powerful vocals are great to listen to, but I prefer it a little faster. Still, I love the lyrics that contemplate what the ordinary looking baby Jesus would grow up to do.

There are two new songs on this CD as well. The first is the title song. "This Gift" finds the speaker looking for the perfect gift for a friend until he realizes the perfect gift is himself. Maybe it's the romantic in me, but I've always loved this song.

The other song isn't as good. A duet with Alison Krauss, "Part of Heaven" is Mary and Joseph's reaction to the events of Jesus' birth. While Joseph struggles with accepting what is happening, Mary reassures him with her faith. It has a very pretty melody, but it just doesn't do much for me lyrically. This is my least favorite song here, but it is the only weak link.

I got This Gift when it first came out and I have loved it ever since. The music is beautiful and it immediately puts me in the Christmas mood.

CD Length: 37:41

Tracks:

1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

2. The Christmas Song

3. O Holy Night

4. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing

5. This Gift

6. I'll Be Home for Christmas

7. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

8. Silent Night

9. Mary Did You Know?

10. Part of Heaven