CD Review: Joy: An Irish Christmas (Keith & Kristyn Getty)
I realize this is not a southern gospel CD but, since I know southern gospel fans who like Keith & Kristyn Getty, I wanted to announce their brand new Christmas CD.
When I first saw it, I was curious, wondering if it would be full of new Christmas songs. Actually this is a combination of new songs, along with some old Christmas hymns with an Irish flair.
The arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is uptempo and one you can easily picture someone playing a fiddle and dancing around on.
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” also starts with a lively tune. Then slows down slightly when Kristyn starts to sing.
“What Child is This” has more of a contemporary feel as well as an Irish feel. I’ve not heard a lot of Irish music so don’t know if that’s normal but they did a good job of merging the two.
Keith & Kristyn, along with Stuart Townsend wrote “Magnificat,” a song with a nice melody based on Luke 1 where Mary says “My soul does magnify the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”
Kristyn wrote, “How Suddenly a Baby Cries.” Keith wrote the music and a reel he included titled the “Narnian Reel.”
Next is another original tune, “Joy Has Dawned” incorporating at the end the chorus of “Angels We Have Heard on High.”
“Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven” is a nice Christmas ballad.
“O Savior of Our Fallen Race” goes beyond the fact that Christ came to remind us why He left the splendor of Heaven to come to earth.
“Fullness of Grace” tells of the grace God showed in sending His Son and how, because of that, we have hope.
“An Irish Christmas Blessing” is a typical Kristyn Getty ballad: a fitting end to an Irish Christmas CD.
Also included are “Carol of the Bells” and “Joy to the World.”
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