Home for Christmas

Personnel: Martin Johnson (cello); David Downes (whistle, Uilleann pipe, grand piano, keyboards, percussion, programming); Anthony Byrne (bagpipe).
Audio Mixer: Andrew Roland.
Recording information: RTE Studio One, Dublin, Ireland; StudioTWO, Dublin, Ireland.
Illustrator: Randall Leddy.
Publisher: Johnny Lappin.
Arranger: David Downes.
Celtic Woman's fourth holiday collection, which features the talents of Chloë Agnew, Lisa Lambe, Máiréad Nesbitt, and for the first time since 2007, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, arrives just a year after 2011's German-exclusive Celtic Family Christmas. Offering up the usual mix of amiable holiday pop ("I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "Winter Wonderland") and triumphant, faith-based classics ("Joy to the World," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "We Three Kings"), Home for Christmas doesn't deviate at all from the formula, which after selling over six-million records worldwide, shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. ~ James Christopher Monger