44 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!
Stream Lonely This Christmas here (soundcloud)
Rudolph and The Cranberries are four friends comprising of Nico, Minka, June and Vera. Together with Nico's guitar playing abilities they seamlessly blend their vocals to create timeless versions of your favourite Christmas songs. They've (rightly) built quite a name for themselves in their native Netherlands thanks to their festive performances over the past couple of years (many of which are available to stream on their soundcloud page). Luckily, they've decided to share some new music for Christmas 2015 so we get to fall in love with them all over again. Case in point is their heartbreaking cover of Lonely This Christmas (originally sung by Mud). There's an elegiac maturity and melancholy to their performance that is as classic and enduring as those grandiose 40s & 50s Hollywood movies (that this song would feel right at home being part of). The gentle strumming of guitar sets a scene that eases the listener into the song and transports them to their own memories of lost loves and missed opportunities. It shouldn't be underestimated how much this contributes to the success of the song - the instrument is as intricately woven into the performance as the vocals. And what exquisite vocals they are. An elegant lead brings the lyrics into vivid focus with an emotional delivery so tangible that you almost want to reach out and touch it. Those textured, blended accompanying vocals swathe themselves around the lead and guitar music as if weaving the pathos of the narrative together, like an aural hug. It's reminiscent of the style of The Andrews Sisters as if they had done a duet with Karen Carpenter - and the results are breathtaking. Of course there is an innate sadness to the song but you are so enchanted by the beauty of the arrangement that you are left wanting to hear more. So make sure you go to their soundcloud page, check out their other songs (I recommend A Perfect Christmas) and tell all your friends because music this magical needs to be shared.
**Ghosts of Christmas past**
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