Search - Sandi Patty :: Yuletide Joy

Christmas Best Of - Sort Of

Mark Baker | Santa Clarita, CA United States | 10/31/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Over the last sixteen years, Sandi Patty is an artist I have come to associate with Christmas music, mainly because of her great CD THE GIFT GOES ON. Naturally, when I found out she had another Christmas CD coming out, I had to get it. It's wonderful. I just wish I had been a little more patient.



In a move I don't think I've seen before, she decided to release a best of from previous Christmas projects. However, instead of just doing a best of, she has chosen to rerecord the songs. This gives us the praise song "Worship the King" with a new intro of "A Christmas Carol," for example.



The advantage of this is that many of these songs are absolutely wonderful. "Bethlehem Morning" is one of my favorite Christmas songs because of the way it ties the birth of Christ through His triumphant second return. This new version doesn't disappoint.



No Sandi best of would be complete without a version of "O Holy Night." While my favorite is still the one from her first Christmas CD, this one is very good.



Also getting covered are "Home for the Holidays/I'll be Home for Christmas" and "Star of Bethlehem" from her second CD and "O Magnify the Lord" from her first, this time combined with "Angles We Have Heard on High."



Surprisingly, she chose not to rerecord "Merry Christmas with Love." This is the original recording from her first Christmas CD. It does sound a tad out of place, but it does still sound good. She follows it up with a new recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and she makes one change to the lyrics which I really like - she changes "if the fates allow" to "if the Lord allows." I've only ever heard Twila Paris do this, but I like it.



There are new songs on here as well. "Jingle Bells Ala Sandra" is a version you have never heard before, I guarantee it. Starting out pretty traditionally, she soon goes to a jazzy version, German opera, and then finally Mexican fiesta. It's fun, but doesn't hold up well to repeated listens.



I had not heard "Someday" before. It's a beautiful ballad imagining the lullaby that Mary might have sung to Jesus that first Christmas night. I especially like the way in incorporates a vision of His future ministry into the song.



Even though she has chosen to rerecord these songs, she has still stuck with the inspirational sound that made her popular in the first place. While a few songs do tend to end with the operatic high notes she's employing recently, it's not as annoying as on some of her recent CD's.



If you have missed out on some of Sandi's past Christmas CD's, this will be a great addition to your collection. Even if you already have all of her others, this CD won't disappoint. You'll just probably want to wait until after Christmas sales to buy it."

A rehash of earlier albums

NarrowGate | 11/15/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This was a disappointment. Many of the songs have been recorded on previous Sandi Patty albums, but "Yuletide Joy" is not publicized as such. Unfortunately none of the new arrangements better the original ones. "O Holy Night" from the 1995 "O Holy Night!" and 1992 Hallmark Presents albums is a much better arrangement (thanks to David Clydesdale). Ditto for "Worship the King", "O Magnify the Lord", and "Bethlehem Morning" which all appear on "The Gift Goes On" album to better effect. "Merry Christmas With Love" is the identical recording from "The Gift Goes On". "Home for the Holidays/I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Star of Bethlehem" are better recorded with a real orchestra on the "O Holy Night!" album.



What might be most disappointing is that synthesizers are substituted for a live orchestra (which Sandi has always used) and makes the production sound low-budget. Sandi still has a glorious voice as always, but the production and arrangements don't match up.



I had hoped for a unique and fresh album, considering all the resources and talent that surround her. Buy "The Gift Goes On" and "O Holy Night!" albums instead. Those will become perennial favorites."

What you've been looking for from Sandi Patty

jkguin | LA USA | 12/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sandi Patty swings into top form with her sixth holiday project, Yuletide Joy. And while this album doesn't strive for the timeless perfection of 1983's The Gift Goes On, resplendent vocals and lively arrangements nonetheless make Yuletide Joy one of Patty's finest. While The Gift Goes On is an experience in the wonder of the holiday season, this album is as an experience in its joys.



Several reviewers have already covered the preponderance of remakes here. They demonstrate how Patty's voice has matured from the tightly controlled, every-phoneme-perfect delivery early in her career into a powerhouse of expression and persona today. While comparisons are inevitable, taken on their own merits, these songs are strong efforts. Collectively, they reveal the genuine Sandi Patty.



The album has an intimate feel that stems both from both Patty's evolving vocal style and complimentary arrangements. In some of Patty's albums, producers tended to overload the orchestration at times, leaving the vocals sounding shoehorned. In an inspired move, Patty's long-time concert music director serves as Yuletide Joy's producer and arranger. Those years in concert halls obviously provided insight into what has contributed to Patty's staying power: the voice. His spirited, though minimal arrangements support the vocals rather than competing with them.



And the vocals do shine, especially on the new material. Patty cuts loose with the entire range of octaves and musical genres, often within the same song. Not many singers could craft a feeling of meditative worship as in "Worthy is the Lamb," transition to a spine-tingling "Hallelujah Chorus" and end the same song in blistering gospel-soul mode. The same is true for the unlikely "Jingle Bells," which spans the globe in its lighthearted smorgasbord of musical styles. "Jesus, What a Wonderful Child" ranks as one of Patty's most relaxed and joyful worship songs with a rollercoaster of an ending that's not to be missed.



Sandi Patty has never sounded more vital. Whether you've never heard of her before, or if you've been away a while, Yuletide Joy is a prime opportunity to discover-or rediscover-this legendary vocalist."