Those of you familiar with the Coats' pop harmonies (everyone?) will be delighted and impressed with these 12 (a cappella with occasional acoustic percussion) holiday tracks. Evidently, the group approached their new assignment with a desire to incorporate new stylistic elements into their arranging canon, embellishing their warm, compact blend with a library of accents, inflections and countermelodies. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" is as dynamic and original version as we've ever heard, with a vigorous walking bass underneath jazz phrasing and scat! A stately and resonant "Silent Night" conveys the grandeur of the occasion by the addition of non-diatonic chords to the standard progression. Each of the nine traditional carols and three Coats originals display the same inventive spirit of adventure, though still within the pop mainstream ­ just more interesting and better. Applause!

Listen to Angels We Have Heard on High in RealAudio.