Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Download not available
Todd Agnew is, almost certainly, a great guy and is clearly a very devout Christian, and the idea behind this album has a lot to recommend it: he's taken characters from the Biblical Christmas story and written songs from each of their various perspectives: one in the voice of the innkeeper who denied Mary and Joseph a room; one in the voice of Simeon, announcing Christ's birth to those around him; one in the voice of Joseph singing to the baby; and even an adaptation of the traditional "Magnificat" text, in which Mary responds joyfully to her Annunciation. The problem, though, is that all of this content rarely works well in the context of modern pop music, and Agnew's album is no exception to that general rule. There's an awkward fit between the exalted and transcendent sentiments being expressed by these characters and the mundane pop music in which those sentiments are set here. When Agnew tries to make the music match the words, he often overshoots -- as on his egregiously overblown arrangement of "Do You Hear What I Hear," a song that works best when sung in a tone of quiet wonder rather than in a chesty roar with a bombastic orchestral backing. And although his "Magnificat" is really quite pretty, it's hard not to compare it to the many vastly superior settings that text has had in the past. "Sleep Well" and "Bethlehem Dawn" are both very lovely and well conceived. But unfortunately, they're the exception on this disappointing album.
© Rick Anderson /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133,33/month
Todd Agnew, Producer, MainArtist - Gloria Shayne, Composer - Noel Regney, Composer
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Joy Whitlock, FeaturedArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Vince Lichlyter, FeaturedArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Christy Nockels, FeaturedArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Shelley Jennings, FeaturedArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Mike Weaver, FeaturedArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Anthony Evans, FeaturedArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Composer, Producer, MainArtist - Michael O'Brien, FeaturedArtist - Koala Music, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Music Inc, MusicPublisher - Sovereign Citizens, MusicPublisher
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Todd Agnew, Producer, MainArtist - Gloria Shayne, Composer - Bob Kauflin, Composer - Noel Regney, Composer
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Album review
Todd Agnew is, almost certainly, a great guy and is clearly a very devout Christian, and the idea behind this album has a lot to recommend it: he's taken characters from the Biblical Christmas story and written songs from each of their various perspectives: one in the voice of the innkeeper who denied Mary and Joseph a room; one in the voice of Simeon, announcing Christ's birth to those around him; one in the voice of Joseph singing to the baby; and even an adaptation of the traditional "Magnificat" text, in which Mary responds joyfully to her Annunciation. The problem, though, is that all of this content rarely works well in the context of modern pop music, and Agnew's album is no exception to that general rule. There's an awkward fit between the exalted and transcendent sentiments being expressed by these characters and the mundane pop music in which those sentiments are set here. When Agnew tries to make the music match the words, he often overshoots -- as on his egregiously overblown arrangement of "Do You Hear What I Hear," a song that works best when sung in a tone of quiet wonder rather than in a chesty roar with a bombastic orchestral backing. And although his "Magnificat" is really quite pretty, it's hard not to compare it to the many vastly superior settings that text has had in the past. "Sleep Well" and "Bethlehem Dawn" are both very lovely and well conceived. But unfortunately, they're the exception on this disappointing album.
© Rick Anderson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:12
- Main artists: Todd Agnew
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Ardent Records LLC
- Genre: Humour/Spoken Word
(C) 2006 Ardent Records LLC (P) 2006 Ardent Records LLC
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.