The Christmas to Remember (EMI Gospel)

There's a pleasantly warm, often mellow quality to this compilation from EMI Gospel, beginning with a slickly subdued funk version of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by LaShun Pace and a smooth R&B riff on "Little Drummer Boy" from Darwin Hobbs. Kierra Kiki Sheard and Marcus Cole (sounding like a younger Andrae Crouch) give a delightful rendition of "This Christmas" that uses traditional horns to carry the familiar hook. The album balances covers with originals, Myron Butler & Levi delivering progressive gospel ("Give Love on Christmas") while Antonio Neal soulfully finishes things off on the right note with "Steppin' (In the New Year)." Donald Lawrence's worshipful "Presence of the King" and Smokie Norful's spectacular performance of "O Holy Night" are the only previously released tracks. V3's lackluster R&B version of "O Come All Ye Faithful" is the weakest track on an album that is otherwise worthwhile and memorable, good for turning the lights down low and admiring the reflective Christmas atmosphere.

The Nativity Story: Sacred Songs (Word/New Line Records)

Considering that most all of these songs are previously released tracks dating as far back as 1991, it's inaccurate to say they were inspired by New Line's The Nativity Story, a movie (coming to theaters Dec. 1) that recounts the events that led Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Still, a case could be made that the collection was inspired by the film, featuring songs recorded by Christian and country artists that were inspired by the Nativity story. Excellent originals like "Mary Sweet Mary" (Plumb with Selah) and "Labor of Love" (Jill Phillips with Andrew Peterson) are story specific, stacking up to the similarly reflective classic "Breath of Heaven" (Amy Grant). But straightforward covers of "Silent Night" (Jo Dee Messina), "The First Noel" (Mark Schultz), and "Mary, Did You Know?" (an out-of-date rendition by Kenny Rogers & Wynonna) are no more Nativity focused than, say, WoW Christmas. Two new recordings—an orchestrated version of "For the Beauty of the Earth" (BarlowGirl) and the all-star recording "The Virgin's Lullaby"—help make this satisfactory collection worthwhile, but there's no shaking the feeling that it exists more as a marketing tie-in than a thoughtful holiday release.