2. HAWK NELSON - The Chipmunk Song
3. ANBERLIN - (Christmas) Baby Please Come Home
4. IVORYLINE - O, Holy Night
5. CAPITAL LIGHTS - His Favorite Christmas Story
6. THE MUSEUM - What Child Is This
7. SENT BY RAVENS - Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
8. SEVENTH DAY SLUMBER - Away In A Manger
9. THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH - Jingle Bell Rock
10. DEMON HUNTER - The Wind
11. THE ALMOST - Little Drummer Boy
AMAZON
LABEL SITE
While contemporary Christian artists like Amy Grant and Chris Christian have long been bringing their special take to the holiday season, it was BEC's "Happy Christmas" in 1998 that made Christian Rock a staple of December listening. Boasting such soon to be annual favorites as Five Iron Frenzy's "You Gotta Get Up", "Happy Christmas" was something of an underground hit at first. But by the time "Happy Christmas, Volume 2" was released in 1999--featuring MXPX and Sixpence None The Richer--the "secret" was completely out and the Happy Christmas series was must-have material for the library of almost any collector of contemporary and alternative holiday music.
In recent years, the proliferation of Christian Rock Christmas music has led to numerous collections with titles other than "Happy Christmas"--often recycling material from those very volumes and, needless to say, still on the BEC/Tooth & Nail label.
One 2011 entry is "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" and it's packed with another fine selection of alternative rock to put under your tree. Tracks from Hawk Nelson, Sent By Ravens, Demon Hunter, and Ivoryline appeared on last season's "Happy Christmas, Volume 5", Anberlin's winning version of the Darlene Love classic previously appeared on "Happy Christmas, Volume 4", and we get Christmas songs from The Almost, August Burns Red, Capital Lights, and Thousand Foot Krutch that previously appeared on 2008's "X Christmas". Finally, we have traditional carols from Seventh Day Slumber and The Museum that were included on last year's "O Come All Ye Faithful". While there's nothing newly recorded here, it's still a great mix of Christian Rock's finest if you happened to have missed any of those previous releases. No doubt this release will make a great soundtrack for those attending the annual Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Christian Rock holiday tour.