Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Last year a song was plucked from New Song's 'Sheltering Tree' to become a huge radio hit. Now that song has become the title track for this album and many pundits are predicting that "The Christmas Shoes" could become a huge mainstream hit ala "Butterfly Kisses". Not that "The Christmas Shoes" will be to everybodies' tastes. In the number, a harried holiday shopper encounters a boy who doesn't have enough money to buy a pair of shoes for his sick mother as a Christmas present. "I want her to look beautiful," the boy says, "if Mama meets Jesus tonight." Other songs on the CD are lush arrangements of "The First Noel", "O Holy Night" and a funky rendition of "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree", all sung with the kind of classy harmonies and wheezingly expressive leads which have made New Song an American CCM institution. So, if you like sentimentality laid on with a trowel, this collection may be for you.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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