Mercy’s Well

December: Hymns Where the Story Began
Independent label

For “December: Hymns Where the Story Began,” Mercy’s Well returns to the minimalist structure that worked so well for their 2006 hymns CD: three voices, three instruments.

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” begins ordinarily enough, but the melody takes a fresh path on the second verse. The theme of rejoicing continues with a medley combining “Good Christian Men Rejoice” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”

If you think four voices are required to produce interesting harmonies, listen to the final chord. The piano plays “What Child Is This” to introduce “Who Is He in Yonder Stall.” The modulation to a minor key for the third verse is a strategic move to set up the triumphant final verse.

“Go Tell It on the Mountain” takes a Henry Butler-styled turn with pianist Tim Akers’ rollicking blues rhythm. “The Birthday of the King” features flat-footed three-part harmony.

By the sixth track, the ears are longing for some variety in the accompaniment, and just in time “The Little Drummer Boy” adds a thematically appropriate percussion layer to the mix.

The medley “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”/“Joy To The World” takes an unexpected direction in the second section.

A thought-provoking lyric titled “Some Children See Him” describes the various ways children perceive the Christ child.

“Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” is set in typical three-quarter time, but several unexpected chord progressions add a fresh seasoning to this classic.

The CD finishes with two additional medleys: “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” with “The Hallelujah Chorus” and “Oh Holy Night” with Michael W. Smith’s “All Is Well.” The overall approach to “December” is classic, bordering on academic.

Mercy’s Well offers us compelling arrangements that are stripped to the bare essentials ­— no vocal acrobatics. Hopefully we’ll see additional chapters added to this CD series in coming years.
(By David Bruce Murray)