When I first heard of Smitty's Christmastime, his second to date, I thought "Yes, he's finally going to do a Christmas album right." What was my problem with his 1989 Christmas? CCM radio listeners know and love "No Eye Has Seen" (an Amy Grant duet), the boychoir solo "All is Well" (reportedly Smitty's favorite of his own music) and the dominant pop cut "Gloria." Several questions haunt any listener with an ear for music (intense Smitty fans: please take no offense—the truth hurts): Why does the choir have as much volume as Michael on so many tracks? Why pound the Latin phrase "Lux Venit" when it means nothing to anyone? And, above all, why sing through your nose? An enjoyable listening experience this surely isn't. Still, the Smith instrumental work is unmatched, especially the stirring originals "Memoirs" and "First Snowfall." So on with Christmastime. Does he do it right this time around? In many ways, yes. Gone is the constant drone of a church choir, replaced by a slicker, well-produced Hollywood Cathedral Church Choir, the same one on Bryan Duncan's forever classic album Christmas is Jesus. On Christmastime, many new, passionate piano instrumentals brighten the overall feel of the record, from the tender "Hope of Israel" to the more power-injected "O Christmas Tree," a duet with Phil Keaggy providing guitar. The sweet sound of Smitty's eight year-old daughter Anna duals with the musical backdrop of enchanting choir and strings in the "Manger Medley." This and "Sing We Now of Christmas (Medley)" both impressed me with their obvious sincerity and beautiful instrumentation....
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