The music of Anathallo is best captured in the live experience; an experience of explosive celebration. The name Anathallo comes from the Greek word which means to sprout again, grow green again, flourish again, renew. And that is just what the band's music does, it sprouts, flourishes and comes new with every turn.

Like the live performance the music is grandiose and theatrical with large, unsubtle shifts. The lyrics are intricate and intense, but are often overshadowed by sweeping and shifting melodies. In this way Anathallo's music occupies many levels of meaning and warrants many looks. On one level the lyrics speak of deep, mystical truths and on another level the performance is packed full of pure theatrical wonder. But just listening isn't enough, this music is made for life, it's made to be an experience.

Sufjan Stevens keeps it pretty traditional on his version of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" from his album Songs For Christmas, Volume 1. Stevens recorded three separate versions of the song across his five volumes of Christmas songs; the only one with lyrics being on the first volume. For all his quirky playfulness Stevens delivers a hauntingly earnest performance with this version of "O Come O Come Emmanuel." The quiet sparseness of the song smacks of sincere emotion and intense subject matter.

No one is certain of the origins of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" but it's believed that the traditional music comes from the 15th Century French processional for Fansiscan nuns, but also may contain elements of 8th Century Gegorian chants.

If your ideas of what the first Christmas night looked like come mostly from dimly lit plastic nativity scenes in people’s lawns and Christmas pageants preformed by local churches, then you no doubt envision ‘three wise men’ presenting gifts to the baby Jesus while he lays in a manger full of hay. While a stable crowded with cows, shepherds, three kings, Mary, Joseph and a ‘no crying he makes’ baby is a great picture for the front of a Christmas card, it's not the story found in the Bible. The three wise men, three kings or The Magi—whatever you want to call them—never showed up that night. The fact is, they found Mary and Jesus in a house, not a barn. Some scholars even say it may have been a couple of years before they found where Jesus was.

Two years of wandering and wondering.

Are you wandering and wondering?
How long have you been at it?
What is your wandering like? Is it aimless or are you following something, seeking something, searching for something?

I found you
Star of terrifying effigies
When the night falls
I carry myself to the fortress
Of your glorious cost
Oh, I may seek your fortress

As Matt pointed out, when you purchase Sufjan Steven’s box set, Songs for Christmas, you get a few additional goodies. One of the extras is a 23 panel Tom Eaton comic strip titled, It Was the Worst Christmas Ever. Under the title Eaton has drawn a malicious-looking fairy, who we learn is the Evil Sister Winter.

Our story begins as Evil Sister Winter is spotted flying over Santa’s Headquarters on wings of icicles. Her spell throws Santa’s chemical balance into disarray! He now wallows in self-pity and winter funk. Is Christmas ruined?!

It’s a quirky tale, appropriate for this collection of tunes. You can rest easy; Christmas is saved, though not by Sufjan who makes his appearance in the 7th panel. No, deliverance comes from an unexpected source, one that will not be revealed here.