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Release Date: October 27, 2008 Label: Word Entertainment Related Sites: · Official Site Grade: A-

The contemporary Christian trio from Elgin, Illinois -- Alyssa, Becca and Lauren Barlow, aka BarlowGirl -- get behind the microphones once more for a Christmas collection of holiday favorites both secular and spiritual, with a lot of tradition and perhaps one or two surprises.

The album, Home For Christmas, opens with an energetic rendition of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" that is tailor-made for sending your holiday party in an upbeat and festive direction.

The set takes a magical direction when the girls break into "Carol of the Bells," hands down my favorite Christmas carol to hear when being performed by people who know how -- and BarlowGirl knows how, integrating the song seamlessly into a haunting "Sing We Now of Christmas" which crescendos into a lovely arrangement of both tunes melded together for an elegant, ethereal and enchanting effect.

"I'll Be Home for Christmas" is about as traditional a performance as you can get of this holiday standard, with an opening piano intro that fooled this reviewer into thinking they were going to launch into Bing Crosby's "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)." It's easy enough to sing along to, but the real earbug chorus of this album -- much as I enjoyed "Carol of the Bells" -- has to be "Hallelujah (Light Has Come)." This one has an intriguing, almost gothic melody line to the verses that has an almost Evanescence-like quality in the nearly discordant harmonies.

Home For Christmas includes a jazzy piano take on "What Child is This?" and a soprano aria on "Panis Angelicus" that would bring a tear to the eye of Thomas Aquinas. "Angelic Proclamation" is a tightly-woven medley of "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" with "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Adeste Fidelis."

BarlowGirl continues to mix things up by rendering a rock/gospel treatment of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" that bleeds into a spiritual version of "Joyful, Joyful." From there we jump to an orchestral-backed version of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" delivered with gravitas and moving reverence -- a contemplative, somber piece perfect for a little silent Christmas introspection.

The group closes the album with the classic Judy Garland song, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," poignantly performed as the song should always be.

Bring BarlowGirl home for Christmas to your family, and enjoy these songs that encapsulate the spirit of the holidays.