Christmas
Many Christian artists have Christmas albums these days, but not many like this one. St. James said she had two mottoes on this 1997 release: pray before everything, and try everything not tried before on a Christmas album. Believe her. With a bold sense of adventure, producer Tedd T. lays in programmed tracks to provide moody and ethereal treatment that loosens age-old standards like "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," "One Small Child," and "O Holy Night." The method works best on the brilliant "Silent Night" and the rhythm-laced "O Come Emmanuel" but fails on the cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Happy Christmas," which was better left alone. The beautiful "A Cradle Prayer," with lyrics by St. James, ends with a tender and lifting spirit.--Michael Lyttle