Christmas at Our House--Various artists (Impact R3381; 1975)

And now, an excellent Impact Records Christmas LP form 1975, Christmas at Our House, featuring big-name gospel acts of that period--Dallas Holm, The Imperials, the Bill Gaither Trio, Doug Oldham, and more.  We even get narration by John T. Benson, III.  Everything's as contrived as can be, presentation-wise, but this is a Christmas LP, so it's expected.  Sound quality is great, save for the Benson Employee sing-along at the close.  I had to fix a lot of clicks--the previous owner obviously kept picking up the tonearm and losing hold of it, and we're not talking a modern, harmlessly skipping arm.  The performances are terrific, especially The Speer Family's wonderful rendition of the great Beautiful Star of Bethlehem and Doug Oldham's What Child Is This, which he sings with much feeling over an inspired arrangement.  That's never been my favorite carol, but this version hits home (pun accidental).  And I don't mean the carol is Doug's in any way--it was composed by the prolific P.D., who must be rich beyond imagination by now.  Actually, the LP credits it to "Dix," whoever that is.  The arranger?  Publisher?  I'm not aware of any "Dix" who composed either Greensleeves or the carol text in question.  Dix.  I just remember the space soldier who went crazy when captured by aliens on The Outer Limits.  Not him, I'm sure.

Lovely music, all beautifully recorded (save for the sing-a-long, and maybe that's just end-of-record wear).  I find the "Aw, shucks"/"Just poor folk" act from these sophisticated Southern music pros and hyper-savvy publishers a hoot.  I guess it's the contrast between the folksy introductions and the state-of-the-studio productions.  Killer musicianship on every track, and an ingenious excuse to promote the label's acts, and things only fall flat for me in on the Gaither Trio track, with the kids singing badly in aren't-they-cute fashion.  But every holiday LP is allowed its painful section, and this one passes quickly enough.  I expected a good LP, but this turned out to be way good.  I loved it.  I forgot all about the 101 Caroling Angels. The Caroling who?  101, you say?

I loved this so much, I won't question the "Benson" credit for Infant Holy.  And Martin Luther didn't really do the Away in a Manger text, but you knew that.  I kept the credit in place, anyway.



DOWNLOAD: Christmas at Our House



1.  Christmas Day, So Long Ago (Norville/Paragon)--The Downings
2.  Angels, We Have Heard on High (Old French carol)--Dallas Halm
3.  O Holy Night (Adam)--Rambos
4.  Infant Holy (Corina/Benson)--The Imperials
5.  Silent Night, Holy Night (Mohr-Gruber)--Lanny Wolfe Trio
6.  Away in a Manger (Luther)--Bill Gaither Trio
7.  Go Tell It on the Mountain (Trad.)--Henry and Hazel Slaughter
8.  Beautiful Star of Bethlehem (Pace-Boyce/Vaughn)--The Speer Family
9.  What Child Is This (Dix)--Doug Oldham
10.  Benson Employee's Sing-A-Long: Hark, the Herald Angels..., The First Noel..., Joy to the World, Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas


Christmas at Our House--Various.  (Impact R3381; 1975)


Lee