Amazon.com: Jewel has concocted an intriguing and at times beautifully inspired holiday album, playing it straight with a big orchestra and backing voices for the first half of the record with standards such as "Joy to the World," "Winter Wonderland," "Silent Night," as well as a lovely rendition of "Ave Maria." Things finally get sparkling in the last half where Jewel does a low-key, kid version of "Rudolph" and sings her own compositions. Her moving "Face of Love" and "Hands" are certain to become holiday standards, capable of being sung in a country, pop, gospel, or R&B vein and deserving of an audience as wide as the nation itself. The record's centerpiece, however, seems to be a six-minute-plus medley that mixes "Go Tell It on the Mountain" with the recent hit "From a Distance" and her own "Life Uncommon." Nonetheless, her stunning adaptation of "Gloria" inspired, in part, by Bach's B-Minor Mass, two tracks later is as powerful and lovely a Christmas vocal performance as you will find anywhere. Produced by the legendary Arif Mardin, Joy is destined to become a holiday classic. --Martin Keller
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Fantastic Christmas CD!
I'm a certified Christmas-music junkie, so I only allow myself to purchase two new CD's each year. So, naturally, I'm very selective. This CD turned out to be everything I could have hoped and more. ... Read More
Rating: - Greatest Christmas Album ever!!!
I'm actually not a Jewel fan. I don't really enjoy her style of music. I like Christmas music and I was worried I would regret purchasing this album. I did not want to hear her yodeling "O Holy Night". ... Read More
Rating: - My New Favorite Holiday CD
Yes, this one even pushed the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack out of number 1. It's a wonderful collection. My favorite Christmas song is "O Holy Night" and I have a very hard time finding good versions ... Read More
Rating: - Joy A Holiday Collection by Jewel
One of my favorites in my Christmas music collection. I listen to it every day during the season. Her song "Face of Love" I added to my Christian CD and listen to it year around. Her voice is like an angel singing. ... Read More
Rating: - Pretty flat I hate to say.
Jewel's Christmas album is just an ok cd. It's too bad because I love Jewel, she is a gifted singer/songwriter. Joy only has a few great tracks, she does a Christmas version of Hands, probably the best on the album ... Read More
- Fantastic Christmas CD!
- Pretty flat I hate to say.