Winter Wonderland

Christmas is about the only time of year Christian music artists -- at least those who sing exclusively for believers -- can get away with recording secular music. For the most part, the content of their selections is innocuous -- standards, love songs, a few songs about , , and -- but it's curious how comfortably the material cohabitates with more sacred, solemn fare about 's first advent. Such is the case with 's , the foursome's second seasonal album since 1999's gold-selling . Like that album, the project is basically split right down the middle between carols and American classics, but, once again, everything is performed and produced so majestically, so gloriously, it's easy for one to forget about the subject matter and revel in the sweeping arrangements, the lush orchestrations, and the absorbing holiday ambience created by the ladies and their producer -- in this case, the always reliable . If played continuously, it's almost as if both albums came from the same sessions -- a testament to the timeless, classic feel of the seasonal fare included here. When guided by the right vocal coach, can also turn in some truly breathtaking four-part harmonies, as in the all a cappella and the sprawling, Macy's-friendly Deep down, though, are a Christian pop group at heart and, reasonably, the quartet covers Christmas stuff once recorded by CCM colleagues and , two acts the singers have toured with during holiday seasons past. No matter the provenance of the tunes, is Christmas music of the highest order, whether you need a soundtrack for reflection, last-minute shopping, or both. ~ Andree Farias