When Christmas Comes

Known for her rafters-shaking worship ballads with Jesus Culture Band, Kim Walker-Smith expands her musical reach on her first solo holiday project. When Christmas Comes may surprise some of the worship leader’s fans with its playful, slightly smoky renditions of yuletide favorites like “Winter Wonderland” and “Let It Snow.” Dramatic, string-draped versions of “The First Noel” and “Carol of the Bells” are balanced with lighthearted fare like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Walker-Smith radiates both reverence and a sense of fun here, making the album an unusually satisfying Christmas offering.