Due to the popularity of the original 2007 Bethlehem Skyline project, Centricity Music will release Bethlehem Skyline Vol. 2 September 28, 2010. The Christmas album will feature eight Centricity Music artists; Downhere, Jason Gray, Andrew Peterson, Me In Motion, Sixteen Cities, Lanae’ Hale, High Valley and Matt Papa, who perform original compositions and holiday classics on the CD.
The concept for Bethlehem Skyline began at a Centricity Music retreat, when the staff wanted all of the label’s artists to perform, “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” and that idea grew into a complete Christmas project. All of the artists enthusiastically embraced the album concept, including Jason Gray who also appeared on the first Bethlehem Skyline CD.
“The album actually had very humble beginnings,” Gray explains. “It was a project that we all got to work on and what is beautiful about it, is that it was a labor of love. I like the idea that it was not specifically born out of a marketing agenda.”
Downhere is the only other returning artist and they are joined by some of the newer acts on Centricity Music. Me In Motion give their rendition of Brenda Lee’s holiday hit, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” and Sixteen Cities performs a heartfelt version of “O Holy Night.” Humor has also found its way into Bethlehem Skyline Vol. 2 with Lanae’ Hale’s original song, “Starving Artist Christmas,” which became a fan favorite on last year’s Bethlehem Skyline Tour. And there’s some Country flavor thrown in with High Valley’s performance of “Away In A Manger” and a poignant original composition from Gray, “Love Has A Name.”
“I was trying to write a Christmas song and I was stressing, as it wasn’t working,” Gray admits. “I was interested in trying to bridge the gap between the secular and the sacred that we experience at Christmas time. Some people despise the secular aspect of Christmas and I totally get that and I feel it too. However, I think hidden in those things there is a longing for the gospel and a hope for Christmas.”
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01.
Give It Away - Me In Motion
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Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree - Me In Motion
Centricity's Christmas Present| Posted December 06, 2010
It's easy to become jaded as a reviewer when the third quarter of the year comes to an end and the inevitable Christmas projects start showing up in late September. These projects can be a mixed bag. Typically, they consist of artists putting their "unique" stamp on classic songs, rehashes of traditional carols and their personal contribution to the holiday cannon. Various artist compilations typically are either ho hum (vs. Ho! Ho! Ho!) or a hodge-podge admixture rivaling that recycled gift- the much maligned Yuletide fruitcake.
This reviewer can merrily report that Centricity’s second volume in its Bethlehem Skyline series is a brightly wrapped present packed with a collage of time-honored classics and original compositions that range from fun & lively to respectfully traditional. Original tracks that stand-out include: Lanae’ Hale’s satirical and light-hearted “Starving Artist Christmas” which is sung with tongue firmly planted in cheek, alá Relient K; Andrew Peterson’s interpretation of collaborator Ben Shive’s homage to “Auld Lang Syne” nee “Long Long Ago,” is sublime; and Matt Papa’s Chris Tomlin-esque superb “Hope Has Come” reminds why we are (supposed to be) celebrating.
On reinterpretation of the holiday classic: Downhere’s arrangement of “Silent Night” is as wonderful as new-fallen snow on pine trees; Me In Motion delivers a breezy, energetic “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree;” and Jason Gray pays his yuletide respects with “Do You Hear What I Hear” in his inimitable style. Other Centricity artists contributing to Bethlehem Skyline vol. 2 include Sixteen Cities and High Valley.
BUY THIS ONE| Posted November 24, 2010
Don't miss this one. Bethlehem Skyline vol. 1 was okay but this one is a winner. My favorite is Lanae' Hale's "Carol of the Bells." Her "Starving Artist Christmas," makes everyone laugh. I hope next year she will be coming out with her own Christmas CD. Centricity did a great job with this one.
Great Christmas Project| Posted November 23, 2010
Coming off the back of their popular Christmas release in 2007, the Centricity Music family returns again this Christmas season with Bethlehem Skyline: Volume 2. The newest installment in the Bethlehem Skyline series welcomes newly signed artists Lanae Hale and Me In Motion, along with Sixteen Cities, Matt Papa and Andrew Peterson as well as the return of Downhere and Jason Gray.
Bethlehem Skyline Volume 2 opens up with "Give It Away" by new artist Me In Motion. This song is a lot slower than what you from the band and encourages us to open up our arms and hearts to those who are lonely at Christmas time and take all our selfishness away. Me In Motion then puts the rock in the following song "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree". This song displays the crunchy pop/rock sound that we're used to from the guys from Me In Motion, and is not only the best version I've ever heard of this song but also the best Christmas song I've heard in a while. By the 2nd chorus you'll be dancing, especially when Seth sings with his usual passionate higher pitched voice.
Following these two songs is Downhere's version of "Christmas In Our Hearts" and "Silent Night". You may have already heard these two songs off the bands 2009 release, How Many Kings. It was a little bit distracting to have the very slow and soft "Silent Night" follow the energetic tunes from Me In Motion, and I think Downhere's vocalist sang a little too low to keep me interested. Then again I guess most versions of this classic carol are performed in the same fashion.
Jason Gray follows with an upbeat performance of "Do You Hear What I Hear", which is one of my favourite Christmas carols. Centricity makes a good choice to assign Jason to cover this song because his vocals fit the song perfectly. Jason then goes on to perform "Love Has A Name", a nice little acoustic ballad that is written by Jason. It adds a bit of original flavour to the album as a whole.
High Valley return to the Bethlehem Skyline series with their own unique version of "Away In A Manger" in a country/bluegrass style. This is the most interesting version of this song that I've ever heard, but it was nice to see that High Valley have performed a unique and original country version of the song. These guys definetley have potential and it was a shame that they only got to perform one song on this album.
Lanae Hale's performances add a bit of a female touch to an already male dominated project. Her rendition of "Carol Of The Bells" almost sounds haunting with her high pitched vocals, the "Merry, merry, merry, Merry Christmas!" lyric and the female backing vocalists.Lanae then brings us her own Christmas song "Starving Artist Christmas" which is a humorous song about clearing the assumption that all musicians have money. Lanae sings about how even though she has two jobs she still can't afford food or heating. The clever use of rhyme was the most enjoyable aspect of this song, along with the ding-dong's in the introduction.
Debut artists Sixteen Cities bring their own Christmas song "Morning Star" to the table, a song with simple lyrics in the chorus, "The Morning Star pierced through the dark, Hallelujah Christ is born, He's the greatest gift we could receive, Hallelujah Christ is born! This was the first song I've heard from the band and Josiah Warneking's vocals were soft and amazing on this song. Sixteen Cities then perform their own soft rendition of "O Holy Night".
Andrew Peterson's "Long, Long Ago" has a country feel to it and is a simple song stating reflecting on the fact that "Christ came to Bethlehem long,long ago". Here is another country/bluegrass artist I feel should have had another song on this project. Matt Papa closes the album with "Little Drummer Boy" and "Hope Has Come". "Little Drummer Boy" is a heavier version of the song and isn't the best I've heard, but still does the job nicely. Bethlehem Skyline Volume 2 ends on an epic song with "Hope Has Come", that leaves the listener with the message that "Hope has come, Let us adore him..... Now in flesh appearing".
Whatever mood your'e in at Christmas time, Bethlehem Skyline Volume 2 has a wide variety of songs and themes to suit your mood. This quality of this project far surpasses that of its predecessor. The highlights were Me In Motion's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree", High Valley's "Away In A Manger" and Lanae Hale's "Starving Artist Christmas, as well as Jason Gray's performances. My only concern was that some artists only got to perform one song, therefore only showing half of their full potential. However, this project is a reflection of the talent of Centricity artists and the quality of the Centricity Music label itself. Bethlehem Skyline Volume 2 is a great compilation of Christmas music gems and a must have for all fans of Centricity artists. This a great Christmas project!
I love the new Christmas music!| Posted November 23, 2010
But I didn't like any of the arrangements of traditional Christmas songs. They weren't written for today's style.
I like Down Here, Lanae' Hale, "Morningstar" by Sixteen Cities, Andrew Peterson, and "Hope has Come" by Matt Papa.
I really didn't like High Valley... but I don't like country music, so that makes sense.
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