Hillsong Music Australia - Celebrating Christmas (2005)

Before we get to the music, a word about the packaging. No, I don't mean the glitzy photos of Darlene Zschech and co interspersed with Christmas tree baubles - one gets used to design schmaltz at this time of the year. But to have a sticker on the front of 'Celebrate Christmas' proclaiming "Featuring special guest James Morrison" is outrageous. One wonders how many of us Brits would have excitedly bought a copy thinking the UK pop star had found Christ and was demonstrating the fact by guesting with Hillsong. It turns out THIS James Morrison is an Australian jazz pianist! Authentic Music should be ashamed of themselves for not removing the stickers for the UK market. This album originally came out in 2005 in Australia and features classy Hillsong arrangements of evergreens like "Angels We Have Heard On High", "O Little Town Of Bethlehem", "What Child Is This" and "Hark The Herald Angels Sing". The best tracks are a wonderful gospel-blues version of "Joy To The World" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" transformed into big band swing which would give Denver And The Mile High Orchestra a run for their money and which ironically features that Mr Morrison. The few originals include the Barry Southgate written and sung "Christmas Time Again" but it's not much of a song despite its Cross Rhythms radio exposure. All in all, a pretty mundane Christmas album.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
Hillsong Australia - Celebrating Christmas
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-

Artist……………: Hillsong Australia
Album…………….: Celebrating Christmas
Genre…………….:
Source……………: CD
Year……………..: 2005
Ripper……………: EAC (Secure mode) / LAME 3.92 & Asus CD-S520
Codec…………….: LAME 3.96
Version…………..: MPEG 1 Layer III
Quality…………..: CBR 192, (avg. bitrate: 192kbps)
Channels………….: Stereo / 44100 hz

Included………….: NFO, M3U
Covers……………: Front

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
Tracklisting
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-

1. (00:00:45) Hillsong Australia - Angels We Have Heard On High /
2. (00:04:26) Hillsong Australia - Can You Hear
3. (00:03:14) Hillsong Australia - Christmas Time Again
4. (00:04:57) Hillsong Australia - Emmanuel
5. (00:03:38) Hillsong Australia - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
6. (00:04:32) Hillsong Australia - Hark the Herald Angels Sing
7. (00:04:07) Hillsong Australia - Joy to the World
8. (00:03:24) Hillsong Australia - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
9. (00:03:24) Hillsong Australia - O Little Town of Bethlehem
10. (00:04:16) Hillsong Australia - O Rejoice
11. (00:03:55) Hillsong Australia - Saviour Christ the King
12. (00:03:28) Hillsong Australia - What Child Is This