Joy (Steven Curtis Chapman album)

Joy (stylized JOY) is a holiday studio album by contemporary Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman. His fourth Christmas album, it has seen commercial charting success, and garnered generally positive reviews from music critics.

Joy
Studio album by Steven Curtis Chapman
Released	October 16, 2012 (2012-10-16)
Genre	Contemporary Christian music, Christmas music
Length	44:57
Label	Reunion
Producer	Steven Curtis Chapman, Brent Milligan
Steven Curtis Chapman chronology
Re:creation (2011) Joy (2012) Deep Roots (2013)

History

Released on October 16, 2012,[1] Joy is Chapman's first release with Reunion Records.[2] It is one of several Christmas albums that Chapman has done over the past few years.[3] The album was produced by Chapman and Brent Milligan.[2] The African Children's Choir performs on several tracks.[4][5]

The cover album cover is intended to convey a 1950s styling that characterizes a number of the songs.[5]

Music and lyrics

Seven of the album's 13 tracks are renderings of traditional Christmas carols such as "Joy to the World" and "We Three Kings"[6] as well as popular modern Christmas songs such as "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"[7] and "Do You Hear What I Hear?". Chapman employs a full range of orchestration and his "trademark acoustic/pop sound" on these songs,[6] and shows his versatility for a variety of musical arrangements on his own original compositions, including a piano ballad, slow jazz tune,[6] and 1950s-style rockabilly.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Christian Music Zine	4.25/5[6]
CM Addict	[8]
Cross Rhythms	[9]
Indie Vision Music	[4]
Jesus Freak Hideout	[10]
The Phantom Tollbooth	[5]
Worship Leader	[11]

Joy received generally positive reviews from music critics. Worship Leader rated the album four-and-a-half stars and called it another classic.[11] Brendan O'Regan of Cross Rhythms rated it eight out of ten, and stated that the songs had been given a "fresh and contemporary makeover".[9] At Jesus Freak Hideout, Jen Rose rated it three-and-a-half stars, and wrote that it was "bright and fun and certainly lives up to its name".[10] Jonathan Andre of Indie Vision Music, who rated the album three stars, said it was "one of [Chapman's] best",[4] and at The Phantom Tollbooth, Michael Dalton rated it four stars, and called it "one of the best releases of the season".[5] Joshua Andre of Christian Music Zine rated it 4.25 out of five, and wrote that it has "vulnerable, moving and pertinent songs".[6] At CM Addict, Grace Thorson rated it four stars, and said it was "full of joy" for the holiday season.[8]

Commercial performance

Joy was No. 185 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart for December 15, 2012,[12] and reached No. 7 on the Christian Albums chart.[13]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Joy to the World"	Lowell Mason, Isaac Watts	3:12
2.	"Christmas Time Again"	Caleb Chapman, Steven Curtis Chapman	3:13
3.	"Christmas in Kentucky"	S.C. Chapman	4:17
4.	"Do You Hear What I Hear?"	Noël Regney, Gloria Shayne Baker	4:10
5.	"Christmas Kiss"	S.C. Chapman	3:24
6.	"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"	Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne	2:27
7.	"Christmas Time Is Here"	Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson	2:28
8.	"What Child Is This?"	William Chatterton Dix	3:40
9.	"In the Bleak Midwinter"	Gustav Holst, Christina Rossetti	3:25
10.	"Christmas Card"	S.C. Chapman	3:55
11.	"We Three Kings"	John Henry Hopkins, Jr.	4:27
12.	"I Am Joseph (God Is with Us)"	S.C. Chapman	3:59
13.	"Happy New Year"	S.C. Chapman	2:20
Total length:			44:57

Personnel

• Steven Curtis Chapman – lead vocals, background vocals (1-4, 7-13), acoustic guitar (1-4, 8-12), mandolin (1, 3), percussion (1, 7), electric guitar and guitar solo (2, 5), banjo (3), glockenspiel (4, 10), guitars (6, 7), piano (13)
• Adam Lester – electric guitar (1, 2, 3, 10, 11), percussion (1), vibrato electric guitar (5), mandola (8), acoustic guitar (11, 12), baritone guitar (11)
• Brent Milligan – bass guitar (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12), Arco bass (1, 4), percussion (1, 3, 8, 10), upright bass (2, 5), vibraphone (2, 5), keyboards (4), cello (7, 8, 9, 12), baritone guitar (9), electric guitar (10), glockenspiel (10, 13)
• Blair Masters – piano (1, 3, 4, 5, 8-12), Hammond B3 organ, (1-4, 10, 11, 12), French horns (4), keyboards (9)
• Ben Shive – piano (6)
• Dan Needham – drums and percussion (1-5, 8, 10, 11, 12), cymbal swells (13)
• Danny Gottlieb – drums (6)
• Joe Causey – kalimba (1)
• Beth Gottlieb – percussion and jingle bells (6)
• John Mark Painter – horns (8)
• John Catchings – cello (1, 3, 4, 11)
• Kris Wilkinson – viola (1, 3, 4, 11)
• David Angell – violin (1, 3, 4, 11)
• David Davidson – violin (1, 3, 4, 11)
• The African Children's Choir 38 – choir (1, 3, 4, 8)
• Gang vocals (2) – Steven Curtis Chapman, Brent Milligan, Adam Lester, Blair Masters and Dan Needham
• Luke Brown – background vocals (3, 11)
• Jillian Edwards – background vocals (12)

Production

• Producers – Steven Curtis Chapman and Brent Milligan
• A&R – Terry Hemmings and Blaine Barcus
• Recorded by Andy Hunt at Sainte Claire (Lexington, Kentucky)
• Second engineers – Tim Price and Cailon Williams
• Tracks 6 and 13 recorded by Brent Milligan at Beech Creek Studio, assisted by Robert Gay and Marty Gay; track 7 recorded at Soundwerks (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Drums on track 3 recorded by Brent Milligan and Dan Needham at Dan's Place
• Strings recorded by Bobby Shin at Little Big Sound (Nashville, Tennessee)
• African Children's Choir recorded by Bobby Shin and Brent Milligan
• Mixed by F. Reid Shippen at Robot Lemon (Nashville, Tennessee), assisted by Eric Jahner (1, 3, 4, 8); Shane Wilson at Pentavarit (Nashville, TN), assisted by Evan Redwine (2, 5, 6, 10, 11); Sean Moffitt, assisted by Warren David (7, 9, 12, 13)
• Editing and tuning – Joe Causey
• Mastered by Dave McNair at Dave McNair Mastering
• Photography – Russ Harrington and Camille Blinn
• Wardrobe – Jonathan Powell
• Grooming – Robin Geary
• Art direction – Tim Parker and Beth Lee
• Design – Tim Parker
• A&R administration – Jenny Stika
• A&R production – Michelle Box

Charts

Chart (2012)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[14]	185
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[15]	7

References

1. "Joy". Amazon. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
2. Steve Leggett. "Review by Steve Leggett". Allmusic. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
3. "Steven Curtis Chapman Finds Joy in Christmas". CBN. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
4. Andre, Jonathan (October 13, 2012). "Steven Curtis Chapman – Joy | Reviews". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
5. Dalton, Michael (November 30, 2012). "Chapman, Steven Curtis - Joy". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
6. Andre, Joshua (October 15, 2013). "Steven Curtis Chapman – Joy (Review)". Christian Music Zine. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
7. "Joy – the new album from Steven Curtis Chapman". Christian Today. October 8, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
8. Thorson, Grace (October 16, 2012). "Review of Joy by Steven Curtis Chapman". CM Addict. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
9. O'Regan, Brendan (December 5, 2012). "Review: Joy - Steven Curtis Chapman". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
10. Rose, Jen (December 21, 2012). "Steven Curtis Chapman, "Joy" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
11. Staff (December 4, 2012). "Joy". Worship Leader. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
12. "Stephen Curtis Chapman – Billboard 200 Chart History". Billboard. 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
13. "Stephen Curtis Chapman – Chart History Christian Albums". Billboard. 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
14. "Steven Curtis Chapman Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
15. "Steven Curtis Chapman Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2013.