Joy to the World
Label: Integrity Music
Release Date: October 9th 2012 (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Joy to the World
- Little Drummer Boy (feat. KJ-52)
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- Shout For Joy
- Our God
- Miraculum (Instrumental)
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel
- Do You Hear What I Hear?
- O Holy Night (Another Hallelujah)
- Silent Night
Initial thoughts: One of the most unique and prolific guitar players ever- maybe even second to ex-Delirious? guitarist Stu. G, Lincoln Brewster’s Christmas album that was unveiled to us in 2012 stands out in all the best ways possible. Heavily guitar-driven, this joyous and passionate project has something for guitar lovers, and people who want to just seek something out of the norm.
Reason to listen: Because of the guitar playing. Because of the instrumental ‘Miraculum’ alone. Because it’s one of CCM’s most enthusiastic guitarists around at the moment. Because this album has passion and poignancy not really felt for a lot of CCM Christmas releases. Actually…just listen to the album. No reason necessary. Just check it out, and we’ll all go from there.
Reason to buy: yeah…this album I’d actually buy it. For ‘Miraculum’ and the intense guitar playing in all the other songs. No seriously, purchase this album as quick as possible. Or stream it 100 times on Spotify. You’ll thank me later!
Reason to skip: Should this even be a question? No skipping allowed. Lincoln’s music is just too good!
No. of carols: 7
No. of originals: 3- ‘Our God’ (Chris Tomlin cover), ‘Shout For Joy’ (Paul Baloche cover), ‘Miraculum’- instrumental medley of Christmas carols
No of guest artists: 1- CHH rapper KJ-52 on ‘Little Drummer Boy’
Does it have heart?: In tremendous abundance, it does. You’re singing about Jesus, singing about the holiday season, about getting together with friends and family, about the enormity and gravity of what Christmas means for mankind. If you’re singing about that, with no heart, then maybe, just maybe, you shouldn’t really be doing it in the first place!
Does it have a Christmas-y atmosphere?: If the question is asking- does it sound like Michael Buble…then let me say this. No, no ‘Christmas’ atmosphere. But still very much enjoyable with all the electric guitars delivering a unique sound for hopefully a new generation.
Uniqueness?: Yes, very much so. With all the guitars present in this album, it doesn’t’ really feel like a Christmas album- more like a rock album with Christmas elements. And maybe that’s ok, compared to all the albums trying to sound like Michael Buble, nowadays.
Christmas message: In abundance. All of the songs are worshipful and carol-ly in their own right. There’s even a cover of Chris Tomlin’s ‘Our God’ and Paul Baloche’s ‘Shout For Joy’- and what can get more ‘Christmas-message’ than 2 worship songs in a ten track Christmas album track-listing?
Closing thoughts: With this album a great perfect mix of worship and Christmas songs, this release, even 8 years later, is just as emotive, poignant and heartfelt. A great mix of guitars and the rest of the instruments; Lincoln’s ability to utilise the guitar in such a way as to make Christmas music interesting and enjoyable to a generation that may have lost interest, is most certainly an art. And Lincoln, for me, has managed to master this art, through this album release.
3 songs to listen to: Miraculum, Our God, Shout for Joy
Overall rating: 5/5
Yes/no; why/why not?: Yes. Why? It’s worshipful, it’s Lincoln Brewster, it’s a guitar player that’s arguably one of the most underrated in modern music history. Anything else?