Christmas Sessions

Personnel: Bart Millard (vocals); Barry Graul, Mike Scheuchzer (guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); London Session Orchestra (strings); Mike Haynes (trumpet); Barry Green (trombone); Jim Bryson (keyboards); Robby Shaffer (drums); Eric Darken (percussion).
Audio Mixer: F. Reid Shippen.
Recording information: Abbey Road, Studio One; Maximedia Farmer's Branch, TX; Oxford Sound, Nashville, TN.
Photographers: Luke Edmonson; David Edmonson.
On 2005's CHRISTMAS SESSIONS, the Texas-based Christian rock band MercyMe offers up a standout set of Yuletide tunes. While the songs here--which include "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" and "Silent Night"--will be quite familiar to most, the sextet's inventive, guitar-centric pop/rock arrangements make these holiday classics sound far from traditional. Those looking for an excellent collection of Christmas songs cast in a contemporary light will find it here.