Following The Key, Gill's hardest country album to date, the Christmas album Breath of Heaven turns so far in the other direction it hardly seems like the same man's work. Don't expect steel guitar and fiddles here: This is pure symphonic pop and a kind of ode to the cinematic string arrangements--not of Nashville, but of Nelson Riddle, or the classic seasonal recordings of Bing Crosby. The selection is tasteful if conservative, though Gill sings every chestnut expertly and even digs a bit deeper on the religious material. The only surprise is the Amy Grant-composed title cut, the album's one undeniably soulful moment. If you're looking for lush and easy-swinging holiday mood music, brimming with the sentiments of the season, you've found it. --Roy Francis Kasten