The Texas duo seems completely at ease singing of Christmas in their traditional folk-pop vein. They sound more than comfortable in their own skin, and they pick tunes that allow them to float about vocally with confident mastery. This has its positives and negatives. The jazzy guitar work is fresh on opener "O Holy Night," but once they settle into a groove in the latter part of the record, little sounds new or enticing. The folksy near-country sound appeals to the group's core fans with a heaping helping of Southern charm and the right intensity at the right moments. But unfortunately it too often comes across as, "Yep, no surprises here." Following the duo's acclaimed
Pages CD in 2007, it's a bit of a shame that their holiday record doesn't bear more of an impact. ~ Jared Johnson