Vince Gill - Breath Of Heaven: A Christmas Collection [1998]
Vince Gill released his first Christmas album LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH just five years before this 1998 release. For most country artists, putting out a second holiday set so soon after the first one would seem pointless. Gill’s angelic tenor, however, is tailor-made for Christmas music and this eleven-track album is seemingly heaven sent.
Breadth Of Heaven uses the same formula as its predecessor: a couple of hymns like “O Holy Night” and “O Come All Ye Faithful,” a couple of new efforts like “A Cradle In Bethlehem” and the title track, with the rest made up of modern standards, including “It’s The Most Wonderful Time” and “Winter Wonderland.” (more…)
Ever since Songs From The Wood there has been something about the music of Jethro Tull that has more often than not felt akin to the moods and sentimentality of the winter holidays. In fact I have always wondered why a Jethro Tull Christmas Album hadn’t happened before now, although in retrospect I am thankful it didn’t. While I have always enjoyed Ian Anderson’s singing, even through some of the rougher moments of recent years, it has been reemerging again of late into the voice of old over the past couple years and with this release it can be safely stated that he has regained that voice back in full throttle and then some. And while the singing has never been better it’s equally matched by the skill of the musicians and 
The third album in this series is mostly a winner and well worth adding to your Christmas collection (as well as the first two volumes). As with any compilation that attempts to cover multiple genres, it is bound to be a hit or miss affair for most, but I think the producers of this series have done a pretty good job of it so far. Like the first volume, this record has very few clunkers and is overall worthy of five stars (I gave Volume 2 only four stars on account of it having a higher number of unworthy tracks).