Mary Chapin Carpenter

A veteran such as Mary Chapin Carpenter could've easily phoned in a Christmas album of standards. But there's no ho-ho-hoing on this one. Whereas some artists use the holidays as an opportunity to get a bit silly, Chapin Carpenter takes a very serious approach in creating an album that isn't your standard Christmas affair.

For one, she attempts to tackle the season with her own tunes. "Thanksgiving Song," "Christmas Carol," and "The Longest Night of the Year," all stand out as heartfelt ruminations on a time that is clearly special to her; the latter, an electric guitar-lined song about the winter solstice. While classic Christian themes appear—most notably on the opener "Once In Royal David's City"—Chapin Carpenter embodies what a lot of people like about this time of year, and that isn't necessarily tied to religion per se. Window shopping through big city displays during the country-ish ballad "Christmas Time In The City," and the cozy sounding love song "Hot Buttered Rum," stand out as tunes that convey the sentiments of the season, yet in a secular, off the beaten path way.

This might not be the album to put on while decorating the tree, but when it's all over, and you're basking in the glow of a fire, Come Darkness, Come Light could be that soundtrack you're looking for.

—Michael D. Ayers
12.17.08

"The same old stories, same old songs/We dust them off when Christmas comes," Mary Chapin Carpenter sings in "Christmas Carol," a song she wrote for her first holiday album, Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas, and while the line resonates in context, it also stands out because it sums up what Carpenter has chosen not to do with this disc. While Christmas albums tend to be dominated by cheerful but rote interpretations of holiday favorites, especially from artists with a history on the country charts, Carpenter wrote or co-wrote six new songs for Come Darkness, Come Light, and though there are three traditional numbers on the album, the usual suspects such as "White Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" are conspicuous in their absence. Come Darkness, Come Light instead focuses on the more thoughtful and spiritual side of the season -- "Bells Are Ringing" ponders symbols of faith in a chaotic world, "Christmas Carol" records the thoughts of a casual believer who is more concerned with Peace on Earth than the trappings of the Yuletide season, and "Christmas Time in the City" tells a fable of a street musician struggling to make a few bucks during the shopping season. Come Darkness, Come Light is the rare Christmas album that's made with thinking adults in mind, and Carpenter and co-producer John Jennings weren't afraid to make a record that's as thoughtful in its music as its lyrics; the arrangements are spare and tasteful, conveying the beauty of the melodies without cluttering them with gingerbread, and Carpenter's vocals are heartfelt without sounding histrionic, reflecting the inward contemplation that's a clear part of this music. Come Darkness, Come Light is a brave and beautiful collection of songs that dares to run counter to what most folks expect from a Christmas album, and it asks some questions worth pondering about the meaning behind the annual celebration while mirroring the simple joys of a snowy night. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide