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Editorial Reviews
Matthew West returns with his first-ever Christmas album, The Heart of Christmas. Even though this is Matthew's first Christmas album, several of these songs have already received significant airplay at Christian radio, including "One Last Christmas," "Give This Christmas Away," and "Christmas Makes Me Cry." Includes the new single "Heart of Christmas" and several other new songs, and traditional Christmas favorites such as "Silent Night," "Away In A Manger" and "Jingle Bells." This fall, Matthew's music will be featured prominently in an upcoming GMC film, which was inspired by the song "One Last Christmas" and the true story behind it.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
Christmas is my favorite holiday... hands down! I love everything about it: the lights, the snow, the music, the food, the family, the congestion at the mall... everything! Because I love Christmas so much.. I have an obsessive amount of Christmas music, meaning a lot of repeats. It has come to the point where I have about 9 versions of Oh Holy Nights and 11 Silent Nights. While I enjoy all these versions, I need some new varieties.
When Amazon suggested this album to me, I was excited to see that there were some new songs. I listened to the preview and decided to buy it on the spot. After listening to it once over, I fell in love. This may just be my favorite Christmas album of the season.
1) Come On, Christmas - (5/5) What a great way to start off the album!! It is basically about can't waiting for Christmas to get here, which whether we are a kid from 1 to 92, we can all relate to.
2) Jingle Bells - (4.5/5) This is an oldie, but goodie! He does a great job making the classic 'Jingle Bells' upbeat and fun to listen to. It has a very jazz/swingy feel to it that makes me want to go play in the snow
3) The Heart of Christmas - (5/5) I love this song because it reminds you what Christmas is all about. Forgetting about the stress the season can cause, and remember it is the spirit (or the heart) of what Christmas is all about. Cherishing the ones you love, the magic the season can bring, and about celebrating the birth of Jesus.
4) Leaving Heaven - (4/5) What a great original duet with Vince Gill. It's about Jesus leaving heaven to be born as the son of god, being able to save us, so we can see heaven... It is a very spiritual song, but it has a simple aspect to it that makes me love listening to it over and over again.
5) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - (4/5) Classic verison of this song. But he does a great job with it!
6) One Last Christmas - (5/5) This song makes me smile-cry everytime I hear it. This is also another original Christmas song. In life we all loose loved ones year round, and it's always the first holiday that they aren't with us that is the hardest. This song is about having one last Christmas with their child that isn't supposed to live to the end of the year.
7) Silent Night (Interlude) - (4/5) Piano interlude of Silent Night
8) Give This Christmas Away - (4/5) I love Amy Grant!! This is another original Christmas song. A song about giving a Christmas to those who are less fortunate. That being said, there is something about a Christmas song with the childerns choir singing in the back ground.
9) O, Holy Night - (3.5/5) This isn't my favorite version of this song, it does hold it's own. That being said it is a pretty standard recording.
10) Christmas Makes Me Cry - (5/5) A beautiful duet with American Idol alum, Mandisa. Another original Christmas song, about different things in the season that can make us cry. Whether it's a memory, being away from home for the holidays, soldiers seperated from their families, or tears of joy. Absolutely beautiful!!
11) O Come, All Ye Faithful - (4.5/5) A classic church Christmas carol. This is the way that this song should be sung!! Upbeat, with a full choir behind him, swing trumpets, the whole sha-bang! Truly a celebration style song!
12) Day After Christmas - (5/5) A great ending to a Christmas album. Even though Christmas is over, we take down the decorations, and the seasons change, we should still remember why we are still here. We should still remember the joy that Christmas brings us and the "light of the world is still here".
Overall, great Christmas album!!!! I would recommend this album to everyone who is looking to broaden their collection. All of his songs brings out the spirit of the season and reminds us the true meaning of Christmas!
Enjoy!
When Amazon suggested this album to me, I was excited to see that there were some new songs. I listened to the preview and decided to buy it on the spot. After listening to it once over, I fell in love. This may just be my favorite Christmas album of the season.
1) Come On, Christmas - (5/5) What a great way to start off the album!! It is basically about can't waiting for Christmas to get here, which whether we are a kid from 1 to 92, we can all relate to.
2) Jingle Bells - (4.5/5) This is an oldie, but goodie! He does a great job making the classic 'Jingle Bells' upbeat and fun to listen to. It has a very jazz/swingy feel to it that makes me want to go play in the snow
3) The Heart of Christmas - (5/5) I love this song because it reminds you what Christmas is all about. Forgetting about the stress the season can cause, and remember it is the spirit (or the heart) of what Christmas is all about. Cherishing the ones you love, the magic the season can bring, and about celebrating the birth of Jesus.
4) Leaving Heaven - (4/5) What a great original duet with Vince Gill. It's about Jesus leaving heaven to be born as the son of god, being able to save us, so we can see heaven... It is a very spiritual song, but it has a simple aspect to it that makes me love listening to it over and over again.
5) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - (4/5) Classic verison of this song. But he does a great job with it!
6) One Last Christmas - (5/5) This song makes me smile-cry everytime I hear it. This is also another original Christmas song. In life we all loose loved ones year round, and it's always the first holiday that they aren't with us that is the hardest. This song is about having one last Christmas with their child that isn't supposed to live to the end of the year.
7) Silent Night (Interlude) - (4/5) Piano interlude of Silent Night
8) Give This Christmas Away - (4/5) I love Amy Grant!! This is another original Christmas song. A song about giving a Christmas to those who are less fortunate. That being said, there is something about a Christmas song with the childerns choir singing in the back ground.
9) O, Holy Night - (3.5/5) This isn't my favorite version of this song, it does hold it's own. That being said it is a pretty standard recording.
10) Christmas Makes Me Cry - (5/5) A beautiful duet with American Idol alum, Mandisa. Another original Christmas song, about different things in the season that can make us cry. Whether it's a memory, being away from home for the holidays, soldiers seperated from their families, or tears of joy. Absolutely beautiful!!
11) O Come, All Ye Faithful - (4.5/5) A classic church Christmas carol. This is the way that this song should be sung!! Upbeat, with a full choir behind him, swing trumpets, the whole sha-bang! Truly a celebration style song!
12) Day After Christmas - (5/5) A great ending to a Christmas album. Even though Christmas is over, we take down the decorations, and the seasons change, we should still remember why we are still here. We should still remember the joy that Christmas brings us and the "light of the world is still here".
Overall, great Christmas album!!!! I would recommend this album to everyone who is looking to broaden their collection. All of his songs brings out the spirit of the season and reminds us the true meaning of Christmas!
Enjoy!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Since I buy at least one Christmas CD a year, I've got plenty of them, so I really look for those with original songs. Matthew West fits that bill nicely with his new release since the disc is over half new material.
In fact, the disc starts with "Come on, Christmas," probably my favorite of several outstanding new tracks on the disc. This one is all about how he can't wait for Christmas to come. The upbeat music will get stuck in your head in no time.
There are a trio of duets on the disc, including "Give This Christmas Away," the duet he did with Amy Grant for last year's Christmas VeggieTales release. My favorite of the duets is the one with Amy's husband Vince Gill, as they sing about Christmas from Jesus' point of view. "Leaving Heaven" is a guitar picking, upbeat number that really makes you feel special.
The final duet is "Christmas Makes Me Cry" and features Mandisa. It's not quite as sad as it sounds, although the two do spend plenty of time talking about the sad things that the holidays can remind us of. Still, the chorus turns them into "Tears of thankfulness/Tears of hope."
The real tearjerker is "One Last Christmas." Admittedly, it's bittersweet as it tells the story of a town who came together to celebrate Christmas is September for a terminally ill boy. However, I'm not that big a fan, and, at the risk of being called heartless (again), I'll be skipping this track.
The title track is a slower number that encourages us to slow down and enjoy time with friends and family this Christmas.
And the disc closes with "Day After Christmas." Again, Matthew has captured me as he sings about being ready for summer as soon as Christmas is over. But he also reminds us that Jesus' birth means something for the rest of the year.
So, what about the classic Christmas songs? They are a mix of traditional and unique. "Silent Night" is a quiet instrumental track. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "O, Holy Night" are filled with piano and strings and feel very familiar. But then there's "Jingle Bells" that takes the song in a toe tapping, jazzy direction and mixes in touches of "Deck the Halls." I'm not normally a fan of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" because it is too slow and repetitive. That's not the case here as Matthew gives it fresh life with an upbeat Gospel rendition with more hints of jazz. It's way too much fun.
Because the new tracks outnumber the old standards, this one will take a couple years to begin to truly feel like Christmas to me. But come mid-December, it will be wonderful to pull out this disc and celebrate the season with something a little different.
In fact, the disc starts with "Come on, Christmas," probably my favorite of several outstanding new tracks on the disc. This one is all about how he can't wait for Christmas to come. The upbeat music will get stuck in your head in no time.
There are a trio of duets on the disc, including "Give This Christmas Away," the duet he did with Amy Grant for last year's Christmas VeggieTales release. My favorite of the duets is the one with Amy's husband Vince Gill, as they sing about Christmas from Jesus' point of view. "Leaving Heaven" is a guitar picking, upbeat number that really makes you feel special.
The final duet is "Christmas Makes Me Cry" and features Mandisa. It's not quite as sad as it sounds, although the two do spend plenty of time talking about the sad things that the holidays can remind us of. Still, the chorus turns them into "Tears of thankfulness/Tears of hope."
The real tearjerker is "One Last Christmas." Admittedly, it's bittersweet as it tells the story of a town who came together to celebrate Christmas is September for a terminally ill boy. However, I'm not that big a fan, and, at the risk of being called heartless (again), I'll be skipping this track.
The title track is a slower number that encourages us to slow down and enjoy time with friends and family this Christmas.
And the disc closes with "Day After Christmas." Again, Matthew has captured me as he sings about being ready for summer as soon as Christmas is over. But he also reminds us that Jesus' birth means something for the rest of the year.
So, what about the classic Christmas songs? They are a mix of traditional and unique. "Silent Night" is a quiet instrumental track. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "O, Holy Night" are filled with piano and strings and feel very familiar. But then there's "Jingle Bells" that takes the song in a toe tapping, jazzy direction and mixes in touches of "Deck the Halls." I'm not normally a fan of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" because it is too slow and repetitive. That's not the case here as Matthew gives it fresh life with an upbeat Gospel rendition with more hints of jazz. It's way too much fun.
Because the new tracks outnumber the old standards, this one will take a couple years to begin to truly feel like Christmas to me. But come mid-December, it will be wonderful to pull out this disc and celebrate the season with something a little different.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love Christmas music. This new CD is loaded with new songs not just a bunch of remakes. I highly recommend this album. You will not be disappointed.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Mathew does it again!
Mr. West who brings story songs and thought provoking lyrics to us in such songs as "Strong enough" and "You are" and "Give this Christmas Away" as a way to get the word out on... Read more
Published 2 months ago by shell
Music I can enjoy
This a very touching album and pleasing to the ear. I had not heard of Matthew West until I heard hin interviewed on a Moody Radio Station. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Suz
great buy
enjoyed the album for the holidays. it was received quickly and in the condition described. would do business again with seller
Published 4 months ago by Steven C. Silva
Merry Christmas!
Matthew West's The Heart of Christmas is awesome! It is even better once you have seen the movie of the same name! What a heartwarming and heartbreaking story!
Published 4 months ago by LamofGod
Christmas 365 days a year! woot!
I received this CD as a gift and love the music! "Give this Christmas Away" is a positive duet with Amy Grant. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Lillianne
LOTS OF ORIGINAL STUFF
I too tripped over this CD as a suggestion from amazon.com. As owner of over 700 christmas songs, this was a pleasant surprise. The other reviews are very detailed and spot on. Read more
Published 5 months ago by valkane
Amazing!
This CD is absolutely amazing! I love it, if you like Matthew West you will love this CD. It is Matthew West style. I highly suggest it.
Published 5 months ago by Rachel
Fresh renditions of classic and original Christmas songs
Matthew West does an outstanding job with both the original and classic songs on this album! The upbeat songs have me toe-tapping and head-bopping while I'm at my desk at work or... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Benjamin C
Great voice
I have enjoyed this artist's rendition of Christmas songs. I am new to him and look forward to continuing recordings from him.
Published 5 months ago by Larry Fryer
Good
Very good, loved the song choices as always great job Matt. Really enjoyed it a lot it was great and the heart of Christmas was by far the best
Published 6 months ago by hp_fanatic
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