Matt Dusk & Ryan Ahlwardt ~ Winter Wonderland

43 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

I love a bit of Matt Dusk, I do. I'm a big fan of his jazz meets pop approach to music (check out my reviews of his albums Good News & My Funny Valentine here and here). As luck and fine fortune would have it, I'm also quite the Ryan Ahlwardt fan, who was previously in amazing acapella group Straight No Chaser (it's just how I like my liquor, except - ya know - with a little crushed ice, maybe a sprig of mint, a sparkler never goes amiss and always followed by a shot of amaretto, but other than that yes, exactly the same :D) - I was quite smitten with their Tainted Love cover a few years back. Both have dabbled with delightful festive music before. Matt, of course, loosened his tie & poured some mulled wine on his exquisite Peace On Earth EP (see review here). Straight No Chaser wowed with Holiday Spirits & Christmas Cheers, all building on their brilliant 12 Days of Christmas viral phenomenon. So when news of a Matt-Ryan duet reached my ears, I was positively giddy with excitement. They've chosen one of my favourite festive songs, Winter Wonderland - and a right bobby dazzler of a version they've turned out. It's set to a sprightly paced instrumental that fizzes with dazzling accruments such as tweeting birds, jangling jingle bells & a shuffling high hat that seems to evoke memories of walking on crisp, unspoiled snow. Matt's voice is as magnificently engaging, warming, expressive & nuanced as ever. He brings a wide eyed wonder & optimism to the lyrics, as if seeing the titular winter wonderland for the very first time. His enthusiasm is infectious and makes for a rewarding experience for the listener. Ryan adds some genuinely playful vocals that play to his strengths as a premiere acapella singer - his riffing of "ba ba ba" gives the song added vibrancy that sparkles like the brightest light on your tree. The two key changes & slowed down, almost theatrical cabaret ending are stunning touches that send chills down your spine. It's an enchanting duet that encapsulates perfectly the dizzying joy of the season (with an equally charming lyric video to boot!)

(Note: it's not the first time I've written about Matt & Ryan duetting! In the aforementioned review of My Funny Valentine I wrote..."I Fall In Love Too Easily is the most gorgeous way to end the project – duetting with Ryan Ahlwardt ensures that the layered vocals and rhythmic finger clicks make the production sound like the classiest boy band song ever produced! Matt’s voice is tinged with wistful regret and the two vocals together are a musical alchemy whose chemistry can’t be denied. Perfect.")

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST:

12th November 2010 ~ Jason Donovan, When You Come Back To Me (Yuletide Sleigh Mix)