Have you heard?

Have you heard the new Michael W. Smith Christmas CD? I got it a couple of weeks ago and have been listening to it while I decorate and just hang out. I'm at a loss as to how to describe it.

It is full of lovely music to be sure. I mean, really, did Michael W. Smith ever record anything that wasn't? But this is an odd sort of album. It really has the feel of a soundtrack.

The first song, Christmas Angels, starts out with tinkling sounds and then jumps into this sweeping orchestration. It is lovely, but the whole time I am visualizing wide camera shots sweeping over freshly fallen snow on a city street. Maybe just as the stores are opening for the day. It then turns to the actually song with Michael singing with a choir back up. Great song. Great arrangement. I love it.

The second song, The Promise, is back to the orchestration again. Again, very beautiful. But again, I'm visualizing cameras flying over fields and trees. It settles into quiet lyrics about the promised Messiah who is to redeem us. Again, a beautiful song. Just a rather odd intro.

Most of the rest of the album is what you would expect to hear on a Christmas album. All of the songs are unmistakably Michael W. Smith - which is a good thing. Mandisa joins him on Christmas Day. She is awesome.

I like the album. Personally, I would like to have a whole separate album of the heavily orchestrated instrumentals. Or maybe just have it separate from the other songs. While beautiful, they just seem strange stuck in between the other songs. Like I said, I felt like I was listening to a soundtrack.

If you would like to hear some of the album you can click here. Enjoy!