When this CD was released 20 years ago, I was excited to hear a Christmas album from my favorite gospel group. However, it is too brief (10 tracks in 35 minutes) and too inconsistent for me to recommend. The tight harmonies are fantastic, as always, but more care should have been used when selecting the material. The group released a second Christmas CD in 1999, but I've never heard it because I'm afraid it will be disappointing like this one. [update: I've now heard subsequent Take 6 Christmas releases and have been pleased with both.]
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #100 (Jan 4, 1992)
Peak on Billboard R&B albums chart: #84
Tracks: My favorite tracks are the two simple, traditional Christmas carols sung with nontraditional, a capella harmonies: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and O Come All Ye Faithful. There's also a good take on the gospel classic, Amen. I appreciate that the group chose to include Sweet Little Jesus Boy because you rarely get to hear that song. Avoid The Little Drummer Boy and 'Twas The Nite.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Once I purchased this CD, I took it to the middle school where I worked at the time and played it as 12-year-old students entered the room. I'd like to think that I expanded their musical tastes, but they probably just thought I was a crazy old man listening to weird music. Of course, those same students were digging on Color Me Badd and C+C Music Factory around then, so what did they know?
Previously revisited for the blog:
The Standard (2008)
Brothers (1996)
So Much 2 Say (1990)
Blog post #450
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