When I Think of Christmas (MCA Nashville, 2024)

While it's not rare for a town to have a traditional Christmas concert, Nashville has venues and local talent just a few notches above the rest. Amy Grant and Vince Gill have been putting on "Christmas at the Ryman" for more than 100 shows to over a quarter-million people. It's a natural pairing in many ways -- the married couple have voices that surpass professional into supremely gifted and angelic. The duo are also closely associated with the contemporary Christian music world that overlaps with faith-based Christmas music. Grant alone has released several holiday records, but this is the first joint collection of the season for the couple.

You'll recognize the songs on several levels -- not only are they largely traditional Christmas carols, they're mostly re-released material. Probably the biggest crime by the ghosts of Christmas past was not using the beloved original "Tennessee Christmas" - the track on this set is a 2016 rerecording, perhaps for legal entanglements, business or personal (it was written with Grant's ex-husband, Gary Chapman). It's still a great song, and the newer arrangement has more pep to it.

Gill's tunes (the pair mostly trade off lead vocals rather than duet) are arranged very slow - one might find that more space to savor his voice. If it's your favorite Christmas song, though, such as "I'll Be Home For Christmas," you might simply feel like he's riding the brake. The approach works best on "Do You Hear What I Hear."

Of the two new tracks, "Til the Season Comes Round Again" stands out - it's lush and melodic, with more focus on its sentiment. "When I Think of Christmas" - despite a trio of writers including Grant - offers fairly generic lyrics ("There's a feeling I get when I think of Christmas...Wrapping lights on a tree / Hanging each memory / For a moment the world is at peace").

A far better listen is a return to Grant's "Breath of Heaven" or "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" with a voice that just soothes the soul. It brings to mind what Neil Sedaka once coined "ear delicious."

If you can't see them at the Ryman, this set might serve as a substitute. And you'd be hard pressed to find better singers. But buyer beware should you already own holiday records from either artist, you might get some duplicates for Christmas.