First Christmas
From the first family of gospel comes siblings BeBe and CeCe Winans'sFirst Christmas, recorded in 1993. Slightly dated by a heavy use of synthesizer and the squeaky-slick production prominent in popular gospel and R&B; of  the late '80s and early '90s,First Christmasis nevertheless right on time in its joyful celebration of the season.  Newly arranged versions of classics like Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," Handel's "Joy to the World," and "For Unto Us (A Child Is Born)" cozy in with originals "Give Me a Star," "I Love You," and "Just Because." "The First Noel," a well-loved public-domain traditional, begins with a beautifully understated string arrangement. The album's finest moment is S. Vincent's "Ooh Child"; aurally pleasing and emotionally moving, Mom and Pop Winans, both of whom sing like angels, take on lead vocal duty, backed and supported by their gifted children. It's all about family here, and the more the merrier.--Paige La Grone