Peace on Earth, Casting Crowns (Beach Street/Sony BMG)

Yet another new Christmas album from a contemporary Christian rock group. The Casting Crowns are well-established in their genre, and this 2008 disc features a few originals among the classic carols, including a re-casting of their previous song "While You Were Sleeping," which their press materials say was originally written for the holiday and was de-seasonalized for its first recording on their Lifesong album. They cover Amy Grant's "God Is With Us," bring back "Away in a Manger" from 2005's Wow Christmas, and they do a massive rearrangement on "I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day" that casts the song in a new light. They don't really rock out here, with the snappiest tunes being midtempo at best, and the overall impression of the disc is that it emphasizes the religious aspect most, which is no surprise. That means it's a little less fun-loving than we like here at Mistletunes.