And, there is that voice.

    It’s a voice of soul and depth, of passion and tenderness, of gospel range and classical precision. It’s a voice that has drawn the attention of thousands in a myriad of venues – churches, coffeehouses, bars, musical theater stages and nightclubs. It’s a voice as comfortable and at home in the midst of Shubert’s "Ave Maria" as it is covering Springsteen, or interpreting U2 into the heights of gospel fervor.

    This marks the solo debut of Tony Perry, lead singer of alt-rock band Tony Perry 3. And it speaks volumes about where he’s been coming from all along. Perry’s known in local music circles as a passionate rock vocalist. Yet churchgoers know him for his moving directness with modern sacred music. And many a coffeehouse patron has witnessed his folkish transformation into a heart-heavy troubadour.

    And, of course, there are the songs. Perry’s years of crafting radio-ready songs haven’t escaped him this time around. And, with his knack for finding the heart of the matter in songs both common and obscure, he has assembled a definitive view of Christmas, not as a secular holiday, but as a joyful reminder of the path to salvation.

    The disc opens with the gentle lullabye "Away in a Manger," featuring Kevin Brennan’s near-classical harmonies. With a quick seque into the rocking "Only" the tone is established, the canvas is broadened. It’s clear that anything will go here, and anything does.

    From Only’s catchy declaration of commitment to the romping gospel of "We Don’t Talk About the Baby", Perry finds much material to mine in his quest to focus on the meaning of Christmas. A number of songs, from Dave Matthew’s delicate "Christmas Song" to Perry’s self-penned "Sweeter," link the birth of Christ with the crucifixion, boldly declaring the meaning of the birth to be integrally tied to the passion story.

    To Perry, it’s all about the Passion, and Christmas simply marks the beginning of the story. And it’s a story that can be told in many ways, in many styles. From the rag-influenced "Special Delivery" to the joyous acoustic rock "Because He Loves Me" to the fun-filled take on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," there’s something here to touch everyone, something to move everyone.

    "It was my hope from the beginning to explore much of where I come from musically, and have this story – the ultimate story – be the common thread," Perry said. "It’s a daunting task to write about Christmas, because there’s so much that’s already been said. The only thing left to do is to really focus on what it means to you personally, on the places where we find ourselves in the story."

    A fine example of that would be the CD’s "ghost track", the unlabeled "I’ll Follow You" which closes the disc. On it, Perry finds himself taking on the persona of one of the wise men who traveled to Israel to meet the young Jesus. But the song, with its raw, rhythmic guitar and stark vocal treatment, feels more like a personal statement of faith than a history lesson.

    "It is exciting to get some of these musical ideas out of your head," Perry said. "When I started the project, I had three very specific song ideas in mind. And as the process of pulling songs together and recording went on, several very different songs emerged. Those three ideas are still sitting on my piano!"