There are some great moments here, with beautiful arrangements and well-executed harmonies.

North Point Christmas: Let There Be Light
Artist: North Point Music
11 tracks, 50 minutes
North Point Music/EMI

North Point Church’s worship department sparkles on this Christmas CD. Classic hymns with modern pop/rock arrangements, and a couple of originals, combine for a beautiful soundtrack to the season.

Eddie Kirkland’s opener, “Hallelujah”, acts as an overture for the album, combining snippets of “Oh Holy Night” and the “Hallelujah Chorus” with original lyrics. It’s catchy, though I kept catching myself singing the original “Oh Holy Night” verses.

Clarissa Gibson’s modern take on “O Come Emmanuel” is a strong contender for favorite track. Combining the original verses with a modern pre-chorus and rearrangement of the original chorus, it is both beautiful and powerful.

Seth Condrey’s “O Holy Night” is another fun cut, featuring finger-picked acoustic guitar and great harmonies on the chorus. The handclaps on the second verse add a Needtobreathe vibe. It’s upbeat and joyful, matching the joy of the moment when our Savior was born.

Chris Cauley’s “Silent Night” should properly be considered the album closer. It’s also probably the closest thing to a “traditional” arrangement. This tender piano ballad arrangement is reverent and beautiful – a perfect closing moment.

Unfortunately, the album doesn’t stop there. I try not to be a Grinch about “secular” Christmas tunes, but there is definitely a proper time and place for them. While Amber Humphries (“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”) and Adam Kersh (“The Christmas Song”) sing their respective songs well, the last two tracks here just don’t seem to fit the over-all tone of the album, which up to this point had been a fully sacred Christmas album. If the album had been a mixed one, these tracks might have worked; as it is, they feel tacked on.

There are some great moments here, with beautiful arrangements and well-executed harmonies. This album, despite the last two tracks, will find a place in my Christmas rotation in future years.

Josh Marihugh

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