Joy to the World (Lincoln Brewster album)

Joy to the World: A Christmas Collection by Lincoln Brewster is the eighth studio album, and first ever Christmas release recorded by contemporary worship musician Lincoln Brewster.[1][2][3] The album was produced by Brewster along with Colby Wedgeworth, and it was released by Integrity Music. The album has seen commercial charting successes and positive critical attention.

Joy to the World
Studio album by Lincoln Brewster
Released	October 9, 2012
Genre	Christmas
Length	45:36
Label	Integrity
Producer	Lincoln Brewster, Colby Wedgeworth
Lincoln Brewster chronology
Real Life (2010) Joy to the World (2012) Oxygen (2014)

Background and release

The album was released on October 9, 2013 by Integrity Music, and it was produced by Lincoln Brewster and Colby Wedgeworth. This was the first Christmas album by Brewster.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Christian Music Zine	[4]
Cross Rhythms	[5]
Indie Vision Music	[6]
Jesus Freak Hideout	[7]
New Release Tuesday	[8] [9]
Worship Leader	[10]

Joy to the World: A Christmas Collection garnered universally positive critical reception from music critics. At Worship Leader, they rated the album three-and-a-half stars, and said all the classic hallmarks of a Lincoln Brewster album are on the album with the Christmas elements in tow.[10] Elliot Rose of Cross Rhythms rated the album a seven out of ten, and wrote that the album ended well.[5] At Jesus Freak Hideout, Bert Gangl rated the album three-and-a-half stars, and alluded to how the album has some setbacks yet it comes "loaded with more wheat than chaff."[7] Jonathan Andre of Indie Vision Music rated the album four stars, and proclaimed the album to be "certainly joyful".[6]

At New Release Tuesday, Mary Nikkel rated the album four stars, and wrote that "Although the album draws wholly on already established songs, it does so with a lack of pretension and an enthusiastic tone which sinks into each selection."[8] Kelly Sheads of New Release Tuesday rated the album four stars, and noted that the album makes a worthy contribution to Christmas projects.[9] At Christian Music Zine, Joshua Andre rated the album four-and-a-half stars, and proclaimed it to be a "sublime and near-flawless effort!"[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Joy to the World"	George Frederick Handel, Isaac Watts	3:23
2.	"Little Drummer Boy" (featuring KJ 52)	Katherine Kennicott Davis, Henry Onorati, Harry Simeone	2:54
3.	"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"	Felix Mendelssohn, Chris Tomlin, Charles Wesley	3:08
4.	"Shout for Joy"	Paul Baloche, Lincoln Brewster, Jason Ingram	4:33
5.	"Our God"	Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman, Jesse Reeves, Tomlin	5:28
6.	"Miraculum (Instrumental)"	Brewster	6:19
7.	"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"	John Mason Neale, Henry Sloane Coffin	4:28
8.	"Do You Hear What I Hear?"	Noël Regney, Gloria Shayne Baker	4:43
9.	"O Holy Night (Another Hallelujah)"	Adolphe Adam, Leonard Cohen, John Sullivan Dwight	6:11
10.	"Silent Night"	Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr	4:26
Total length:			45:36

Charts

Chart (2012)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[11]	132
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[12]	6

Personnel

• Lincoln Brewster – lead and backing vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming, bass, drums, arrangements
• Colby Wedgeworth – guitars, keyboards, programming, bass, drums, arrangements, backing vocals
• Steve Padilla – keyboards
• Roman Vysochin – keyboards
• Kip Johns – bass
• Mike Johns – drums
• Peter Burton – gang vocals
• Kelly Caldwell – gang vocals
• Tyler DeYoung – gang vocals
• Rachel Jackson – gang vocals
• Corbin Phillips – gang vocals
• Margie Ruiz – gang vocals
• Sarah Sherratt – gang vocals

Production

• Lincoln Brewster – producer, engineer
• Colby Wedgeworth – producer, engineer, mixing, mastering
• Michael Coleman – executive producer
• C. Ryan Dunham – executive producer
• Chico Gonzalez - A&R
• Tyler DeYoung – assistant engineer
• Mike Johns – assistant engineer
• Wilson Wedgeworth – assistant engineer
• Brandon Yip – assistant engineer
• Dave Taylor – production coordination
• Thom Hoyman – creative director
• Jeremy Cowart – photography
• Ben DeRienzo – art direction, design

References

1. "Real Life - Lincoln Brewster". Billboard. October 16, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
2. "Review: Real Life [Lincoln Brewster]". Theworshipcommunity.com. October 16, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
3. "Real Life by Lincoln Brewster | CD Reviews And Information". NewReleaseTuesday.com. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
4. Andre, Joshua (October 8, 2012). "Lincoln Brewster – Joy To The World (Review)". Christian Music Zine. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
5. Rose, Elliot (July 23, 2013). "Review: Joy To The World: A Christmas Collection - Lincoln Brewster". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
6. Andre, Jonathan (October 6, 2012). "Lincoln Brewster – Joy To The World | Reviews". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
7. Gangl, Bert (December 11, 2012). "Lincoln Brewster, "Joy To The World: A Christmas Collection" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
8. Nikkel, Mary (October 1, 2012). "Making a Joyful Noise". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
9. Sheads, Kelly (October 14, 2012). "Get in the Christmas Spirit!". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
10. Staff (November 26, 2012). "Christmas Releases". Worship Leader. Archived from the original on December 2, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
11. "Lincoln Brewster Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
12. "Lincoln Brewster Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2013.