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Vince Gill's first holiday effort is split between secular favorites and Christian carols, but whether he's dreaming of a "White Christmas" or asking "What Child Is This," the performances and arrangements are consistently careful, quiet, and slow. Sometimes, this effect is nearly magical--on "I'll Be Home For Christmas," the hushed and hesitant piano and Gill's high tenor sound as yearning as a dream unfulfilled. But, excepting a couple of Chet Atkinslike instrumentals, the more common result is that what should sound peaceful and humble comes off merely solemn and emotionally detached. The closing "It Won't Be the Same This Year," however, makes up for these disappointments when the formerly restrained Gill cuts loose, for once, and cries sweetly in memory of a departed older brother. --David Cantwell