Friday, 19 December 2014
MAX - All I Want For Christmas Is You
6 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!
Buy MAX's All I Want For Christmas Is You here (iTunes)
Read why "Say Max" is one of my top 5 EPs of 2014
I've written about a number of cover versions of the perennial Mariah classic All I Want For Christmas Is You this year already (her album Merry Christmas celebrates it's 20th birthday this year too!) It comes as no surprise to me, however, that talented young lad Max Schneider (teaming up here with gifted guitarist Ryan Siegel) has thoroughly reinvented the song so that it feels like it was always part of his own music canon. I've always thought that Max has a young heart but an old soul - the type of soul that can channel elements of blues and jazz freestyle into his musical arrangements and vocal performance without it feeling forced or pretentious. He does so here with such elegant ease that every single note sung feels saturated in the passion and energy he pours into the song. The acoustic vibe with the off-kilter guitar chords serves to give the song a more melancholy aura than the relentlessly perky Mariah edition (which of course is utterly flawless), seeking out the pathos that exists in the words. It's not a downbeat version though - yes Max imbues the chorus and titular refrain with a fervent yearning but there's hope and optimism there in his voice too that taps into the spirit of Christmas where perhaps just once anything indeed can happen. There are moments when (for example) Ryan adds some harmonies to the track or Max gives a soaring falsetto that are just mesmerising to both watch and listen to, adding new layers to the song. He takes some audacious liberties with the melody and timing of the lyrics but they are always so vibrant and fueled by a guttural energy that they soon become intrinsic to this daring new version. It's totally Max who clearly lives and breathes music (which is why his EP is in my top 5 of the year) - I can never wait to see what the bloke does next because it's always innovative and compelling. Merry Christmas good sir!
Ghosts of Christmas past:
No comments:
Post a Comment