Over the Hills and Everywhere, Seabird (Credential)

This Christian rock band from the Cincinnati region pulled together this EP for Christmas 2010, and it's an unexpected pleasure. The song roster is seven classic carols of religious provenance, from "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Go Tell It On the Mountain" to "Joy to the World" and "Silent Night," which at first tipped me that this was nothing special. These guys, however, have re-arranged these songs to a fare-thee-well, reimagining the melodies in a more modern pop-rock idiom and taking a few liberties with the lyrics as well. Though I favor more subversive takes on the holiday, I'm quite taken with the results of this project, and you might just find these songs brightening up your holiday mix discs and shuffled playlists.