Blake - Have Yourself A Medley Little Blakemas

Read my musings on Blake's previous Christmas songs here and here (MyFizzyPop)
Read my review of their album Start Over here (MyFizzyPop)
Read my review of their album In Harmony here (MyFizzyPop)

**Pre-order the Christmas Classics album here**

I've long been a fan of the multi-talented and multi-faceted trio known as Blake. They've stayed true to their vision of providing operatic pop over the years they've been performing yet always managed to be creative and innovative in their execution, ensuring that each new album gifts the listener with something new. They've always been able to highlight the emotions in the songs, breaking your heart and then sending your spirits soaring as the occasion demands. They've worked tirelessly for charity, raising awareness and funds for many different causes meaning they genuinely are nice blokes that I admire. And lastly, they do look pretty darn tooting good in a suit, out of a suit or in a Christmas sweater. And that's just a pleasant added bonus :) It's those Christmas sweaters that have bought me here today. MyFestivePop doesn't actually return properly until after Hallowe'en but when I found out my Blake boys had popped a preview of their upcoming Christmas album online I knew I had to embrace the season 16 weeks early (at time of writing it is exactly 16 Fridays until the big day). They've used PledgeMusic to fund the recording of the Christmas album and now, having surpassed the goal, are in full promotional mode for it's impending release. They've dabbled with Christmas before (lovely interpretations of White Christmas and When A Child Is Born), both of which have been part of my regular festive playlists for a good 5 years now so it feels that a Christmas album is long overdue.

The medley (shown above) is as delicious a taster as a Starbucks Honeycombe Latte, as pleasing as finding Love, Actually on TV the night before Christmas. The lads are in fine fettle and clearly relishing the opportunity to sing the seasonal songs that they love. There's It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas which shows them infusing the song with a gleeful joy that's entirely too contagious. Then they are off to the more solemn O Holy Night, which has a piano so delicate and enticing that it's an actual work of art just listening to it cascade around the guys resonant, celestial voices. The chaps then kick up their heels for some frivolous fun with Frosty The Snowman, which has a finger clicking jazz vibe to it that transports you back to simpler times when melody and lyrics were king of the radio. Plus (I won't spoil who) there is some EXCELLENT knowing side eye - as if sharing an inside joke - in the first few moments of the song...

Walking In The Air wasn't something I expected to hear from Blake, mainly because I'm so familiar with it being sung falsetto. It works beautifully with their timbre and the backing harmonies are utterly exquisite - actually conjuring up images of frosty nights with sparkling stars, where your breath dances before you as if by magic. It's an all too brief interlude but an entirely compelling one (with some wonderful strings to boot. Question? Do people say "to boot" any more?) Then it's time to Meet Me In Saint Louis for a heartbreaking run through of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. The opening line is so earnest and heartfelt that you can feel the sincerity of the wish for a kinder, gentler Christmas for us all. Like an aural hug. And finally we have White Christmas theatrical majesty with a glorious take on Let It Snow that leaves you counting the very minutes until the album actually gets released. Just marvelous - I've ordered my copy and am seriously considering purchasing myself a little YouTube Christmas Card from the chaps too. Don't delay - bring some sparklejollytwinklejingly to your September by ordering now :)