Reviewed by Stephen Luff

Masterpiece Records are a small gospel label based in Rocky Mount in the US and this disc serves as a showcase for the artists they represent such as Debi Dixon, James Bellamy, Hope Askew and Lillian Melvin. The songs are a mixture of the traditional as "Silent Night", "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" which for me personally to stand out, they have to be quite special which unfortunately these are not - they are all too similar to other Christmas gospel collections. New songs are a mixture. In "Share Some Love" the opening lines "The temperature is dropping/To the mall we go shopping" do not do it for me. However "Sisters In The Lord" with a soulful vocal by Lillian Melvin does shine. But that's a high point in a festive pond of muddy water. Disappointing.

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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