Bebo Norman Christmas: From the Realms of Glory BEC Recordings Christmas 10-02-2007

SCORE 86%

Bebo Norman says he waited to find “just the right songs” before finally committing to a Christmas album. This thoughtfulness comes across through the 13 tracks of From the Realms of Glory, beginning with the first atmospheric strains of “Come and Worship,” a re-write of the hymn “Angels From the Realms of Glory.” The song builds dramatically to a celebratory call to worship that leads organically into Norman’s fresh, rootsy take on “Joy to the World.”

Norman, along with producer and friend Jason Ingram, looks at the contrasting sides of Christmas on the project, and these first tracks, including the delicate “Born To Die,” nicely encapsulate the holiday’s sense of wonder. The piano-driven ballad “What Child Is This” is performed with stately movements, while Gabe Scott’s hammered dulcimer is quietly lovely on instrumental “Angels Interlude.”

Norman tackles more of an old school classic with “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” a song which has never been a favorite of mine, but I gotta say it: Bebo serves up a unique mix of earthy and ethereal on this track, his vocals particularly expressive. The warm, prayerful “Christmas Time Is Here” is another standout, the nuanced strings adding to the track’s already significant depth.

Another must-mention is Norman’s lovingly arranged rendition of Cat Steven’s “The Rebel Jesus.” This meaty song cuts right through our extemporaneous holiday activities to the heart of the season: