You know the year is drawing to a close when recording artists open the Christmas recording floodgates. The challenge for these artists is to create something timeless (giving honor to the traditional Christmas music we all sing) and yet original (substantial thought-provoking songs that properly convey the meaning of the holiday).

One group that has successfully walked this timeless/original tightrope is Big Daddy Weave, with the release of their firts Christmas project, Christ is Come, produced by the band's own Jeremy Redmon.

"Over the past couple of years we have recorded Christmas songs for various Christmas compilation projects," says Big Daddy Weave frontman, Mike Weaver. "Then fans at shows began asking about a full length record, so when Fervent Records approached us about making this one, it just seemed like the right time."

If you are a die-hard fan of the classic Christmas songs like "Joy to the World," "Angels We Have Heard On High," and "O Come All Ye Faithful," you'll enjoy the fresh post-modern treatments of these Christmas classics done by Big Daddy Weave. When we've all sung these songs a billion times, it's great to hear Mike Weaver's earnest passion and sincerity on these titles, like he's singing them for the first time. It renews our love for these traditional titles. Case in point - "Go Tell it on the Mountain;" a typical down-home romper-stomper gets an extreme makeover with a minor-key pseudo-Middle Eastern style, with tabla, tambourine, and strings.

Clearly, the most touching original song on Christ is Come is "I'll Be Brave This Christmas," which dramatizes a letter, written by a boy to his father who is serving overseas in the military, "I'll be brave this Christmas/while you're still far away/and I kneel beside by bed each night/praying Jesus keeps you safe." If you know anyone who has celebrated Christmas while loved ones are out of town or out of State serving in our armed forces, you know how bittersweet Christmas can be with that one empty chair at the dinner table. Kudos to Mike Weaver and his fellow Weaves for paying homage to our brave military, and the military families that sacrifice here at home!

Expanding your Christmas music collections just got a little simpler with the release of Christ is Come. In a time when many band's new releases sound like re-treads of older releases, Big Daddy Weave puts forth a fresh reverent album that will help keep Christmas 2009 fresh in our hearts.

Review date: 9/24/09, written by John Bowen (Salem Communications) for Jesusfreakhideout.com