Christian music veteran John Schlitt’s first entry into holiday record-making is impressively eclectic. It might be expected that Schlitt—known for decades as the frontman for the hard-rocking Petra—would go for pomp and bombast on an album like this. Instead, he favors a more nuanced approach in his treatments of “O Holy Night,” “What Child Is This," and similar Yuletide favorites. That’s not to say Schlitt’s rock proclivities don’t show here—the electric guitar crunch and Bo Diddley–style beat of “Do You Hear What I Hear” and the Led Zeppelin–esque Middle Eastern accents of “Little Drummer Boy” are sure to please his Petra fans. Particularly tasty are his arena-sized rendition of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” and his simmering, Memphis soul–slanted take on “That Spirit of Christmas.” Whether he’s tackling a traditional number like “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” or serving up a modern pop track like “What Christmas Needs to Be,” Schlitt handles the tunes with respect while having fun. Clearly a labor of love, The Christmas Project is an unexpected treat that holds appeal beyond Christian pop/rock fandom.