Wednesday, November 09, 2011

ONE SILENT NIGHT-AN FFH CHRISTMAS

     FFH (Far From Home) is comprised of husband and wife duo Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler.  ONE SILENT NIGHT-AN FFH CHRISTMAS (2011, 62 Records) is a commendable holiday album with a fine mix of traditional Christmas songs and newer fare.  It begins with the playful, flirtatious 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' written by Frank Loesser in 1936: "I simply must go-But baby it's cold outside/The answer is no-But baby it's cold outside/This welcome has been-How lucky that you dropped in/So nice and warm-Look out the window, at the storm/My sister will be suspicious-Gosh, your lips look delicious/My brother will be there at the door-Waves upon a tropical shore/My maiden aunt's mind is vicious-Oh your lips are delicious/Well maybe just a little bit more-Never such a blizzard before."  'Jingle Bell Rock' is happy spirited and dates back to the 1950's: "What a bright time, it's the right time/To rock the night away/Jingle bell time is a swell time/To go ridin' in a one-horse sleigh/Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet/Jingle around the clock."  'One Silent Night' is a wonderful song with pretty instrumentation that marvels at the night Christ was born: "One silent night, one holy night/When all was calm/When all was bright/With no one to kneel and no one to sing/Heaven came down and changed everything/Let all the earth receive her King."  Bing Crosby took the sleepy, sentimental 'I'll be Home for Christmas' to the Top Ten in 1943: "I'll be home for Christmas/You can count on me/Please have snow and mistletoe/And presents under the tree/Christmas Eve will find me/Where the love light gleams/I'll be home for Christmas/If only in my dreams."
     'The Birthday of a King' is a majestic ballad that uses chimes and speaks of the hope Christ brought: "All of creation joins to sing/Throughout the nations anthems ring/Our humble hearts, the gifts we bring/To celebrate the birthday of our King" and "The faithful daughter, the wayward son/All find a place in Him tonight."  'O Come, O Come Emmanuel' was originally written in Latin in the 12th century and was translated into English in 1851.  It has a reverent feel to it and is beautifully orchestrated: "O come Thou Dayspring/Come and cheer/Thy people with Thine advent here/Disperse the gloomy clouds of night/And death's dark shadows put to flight/Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel/Shall come to Thee O Israel."  'Winter Wonderland' is given a nice, upbeat, contemporary treatment: "In the meadow we can build a snowman/Then pretend that he is Parson Brown/He'll say 'Are you married?'/We'll say 'No man, but you can do the job when you're in town."
     'Glorious Impossible' uses sleigh bells and is a well phrased, grateful song of praise: "He is mercy's incarnation/Marvel at this miracle/For the virgin gently holds the glorious impossible/Love has come to walk on water/Turn the water into wine/Touch the leper, bless the children/Love both human and divine/Praise the wisdom of the Father who has spoken through His Son/Speaking still He calls us to the glorious impossible."  'O Little Town of Bethlehem' was written by an Episcopal priest, Phillips Brooks, and a church organist, Lewis Redner, in 1868 after Brooks had visited Bethlehem three years prior: "How silently, how silently/The wondrous gift is given/So God imparts to human hearts/The blessings of His heaven/No ear may hear His coming/But in this world of sin/Where meek souls will receive Him still/Our dear Christ enters in."  The last track is 'Heaven and Nature Sing', a ballad with these Biblical lyrics: "In Him was life and that life was the Light of men/He came to His own but His own/Would not receive Him/Let earth receive her King/Let every heart prepare Him room" and "Now to those who receive and believe in the name of Jesus/Is given the right to become children born of God."
     Jeromy and Jennifer's voices complement each other very well on this project.  ONE SILENT NIGHT-AN FFH CHRISTMAS will be enjoyed by fans of groups such as Point of Grace, Avalon, 4Him, and Sugarland.  It is a peaceful, relaxing pop album to enjoy while you're sitting in front of the fire watching your children play around the Christmas tree with their new toys.  I'm rating it 85%.  For more info visit http://www.ffh.net/ or http://www.62records.com/.