CD Review- Mary Chapin Carpenter- Come Darkness, Come Light

Finally, a Christmas album worth listening to all year long. When Mary Chapin Carpenter set out to create Come Darkness, Come Light, she took a far different approach to recording a holiday album than most artists do. As she has been known to do, she has followed a road less traveled. Rather than simply lending her voice to time-worn and ear-worn Christmas standards, Mary Chapin wrote her own set of heartfelt songs and recorded some not-so-covered covers. Each song explore the many meanings and emotions that Christmas evokes in each of us.

Truly, this is an album that works as well in December as it does in June. These are not merely holiday songs, they are simply great Mary Chapin Carpenter songs, both warm and intimate. And while they artfully capture the spirit of the season, this is a rare Christmas album that doesn't feel like it needs to be kept on the shelf between New Year's and Thanksgiving.

Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs Of Christmas may well be the best Christmas album of the holiday season.

Mary Chapin Carpenter became a country sensation in the 1990s with her multi-million selling album, Come On, Come On. The album placed seven different tracks on the country charts. “Down At The Twist and Shout”, “I Feel Lucky,” and “Passionate Kisses” would all fly to the top end of the charts. She received the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance four years in a row (1992-1995).

During the last decade her songs have become more socially oriented- her style much more reserved and leaning more towards a contemporary folk style. The style extends over this Christmas release, the songs are mostly just acoustic guitar and piano. It gives the album a gentle, beautiful, simple and intimate feel to it. The songs go from modern day hymns like the title track to more upbeat tunes like “Hot Buttered Rum.” What Carpenter does best, a feat remarkably accomplished on every single track of the album, is creating personal and resonating lyrics that draw in the listener. They’re so meaningful and touching, that you can’t help but stop what you’re doing and listen carefully, worried that you might miss something important. (Something that recreating “Have A Holly Jolly Christmas” would have never done in a million years.) The lyrics driver this musical journey of Christmas.

If you’re going to buy a single holiday CD this year, make it this one- Mary Chapin Carpenter’s Come Darkness Come Light is essential listening this holiday season.