60 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!
Buy Chris Young's It Must Be Christmas here (Amazon UK)
It is the annual return of MyFestivePop - and a 60 day countdown to the big day! And could there be a more appropriate way to return than with a review of an album called It Must Be Christmas?! I think emphatically not... Now, UK folk, like me, may not be as aware of country singer Chris Young as our US chums across the Atlantic. He won a singing competition called Nashville Star and since then has gone from strength to strength with five successful albums, sold out tours and plenty of charity work, raising money for St Judes and Little Kids Rock. And while country has never been as successful in the mainstream charts here, that isn't to say there isn't a following in the UK who would certainly appreciate his songs. It Must Be Christmas is his first festive collection and brings together standards alongside two originals. He has chosen arrangements that make his voice a flawless duet with the instruments, both bringing out the message of each individual song and adding to the warmth of the season. It is beautifully done and evokes memories of Christmas past as well as providing the soundtrack for memories yet to be made.
The album opens with The Christmas Song - a sound choice to get any seasonal offering going. What is instantly noticeable is the organic nature of the instruments, a theme that continues across the album. No studio wizardry or reliance on fads or trends for Mr Young. He concentrates on sumptuous piano chords, lulling guitar and a shuffling percussion. All of these conjure up images of crackling fireplaces on a cold winter night with the elegant tree glimmering with lights in the corner of the room. I love a song that has this evocative feel to it, and Chris' vocals are equally sublime. His voice is radiant and heartfelt, performing every word with a reverence at being granted the opportunity to tackle such indelible standards. It means the song sets the tone for the album - and the listener isn't disappointed with what follows. Jingling sleigh bells and an electric guitar riff usher in Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). Even with the country-esque arrangement, Chris is able to keep shades of the Spector styled original thanks to the excellent backing vocalists and his ability to fuse genres without skipping a beat. It is a melancholy song at heart, but Chris still manages to find the joy in reliving the memories and turns it into a song that has marries the yearning with a shimmering of hope. If that isn't what Christmas is about, I don't know what is. Also of note - that effusive sax solo in the middle of the song and the extended outro where Chris really sings his passion. Both elevate the song and leave you tingling. Under The Weather is his first original song. It is set to a plucked guitar, pipes and percussion with Chris steering the melody like a captain at the rudder of his ship. He expertly tells the story of how Christmas can make the down moments feel much worse, but by being with the one(s) you love there is an opportunity to find the smaller moments of magic in those shared experiences of togetherness. There is an earnest sincerity to his nuanced delivery that really brings the narrative to life - and it stands up alongside the classic numbers it is surrounded by. Now that is the sign of someone who understands how to pen a future Christmas standard.
There's A New Kid In Town sees Chris join with country legend Alan Jackson on what is the most religious seasonal song on the album so far. It reminds me a little bit of Garth Brook's Unanswered Prayers, delivered with a poignant grace that holds you captivated from start to finish. Alan and Chris' voices blend well together, a lovely languorous mix of old school and nu-country. It really is a gift to behold. Holly Jolly Christmas takes us back to the giddy spirit that the festive season invokes - set to an almost bluegrass style accompaniment. It oozes a kick-up-your-heels-and-party atmosphere, with Chris at his most ebullient and merry. The little piano touches after the middle 8 are like delicious icicles dangling from the doorways on Christmas eve - just mellifluous magic. (Note - with all these songs you can totally imagine them being played in an intimate concert setting. If it isn't happening this year, then a tour titled Christmas with Chris Young must happen in 2017). If this was a vinyl release, Holly Jolly would have been the perfect end to side one, whilst Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas would be just a splendid opening for side two. It is hard not to be enchanted by the beauty of this song, and Chris adds his own touches with extended notes and swirling strings, dancing alongside the charming piano. He really makes you believe the words he is singing, that hope for a better tomorrow evident in every resonant word he delivers. In an album full of highlights, this is a stand out moment. Next up is The First Noel with his buddy Brad Paisley. It is the most hymn like of all the songs on the album, taking you to church with harmonies that are so angelic it will make you weep with happiness. They are both so symbiotic with the instrumental that everything coalesces with a precision that accentuates every single word in the mighty message they bring. The song goes from hushed opening to a rousing crescendo finish that gives you goosebumps all over.
The final trifecta of songs beguns with the melancholy musings of I'll Be Home For Christmas. Many people mistake this song for a sad one because the score leads them to believe this; however, it is actually a statement of intent that is filled with definite promise and certain hope (again, another resounding message that Christmas all over the world brings). Chris is a skilled raconteur, crooning his declaration with an assured confidence - yet he never lets you forget that he's blue from not being with you at that very moment. Throughout the album, Chris has demonstrated an expertise in imbuing songs with just the right amount of sentiment and feeling that make them feel intimate and personal. This continues with Silent Night - and he drafts in the very amazing BoyzIIMen to help him out. The fusion of country with those flawless r'n'b harmonies is an audacious move and it works brilliantly. Like angels on high, they bestow the song with a celestial humility that ensures the greatest story of them all remains as awe inspiring today as it was over 2000 years ago. Then, it comes to a far-too-soon end with the title track, and second self-penned number, It Must Be Christmas. There is a stately grandeur to the closing number that encapsulates not only the surge of emotions that Christmas brings but also an appropriate closing chapter to this excellent album. The lyrics shine a light on the recognisable aspects of the season and, swathed in a rousing instrumental, feel like an aural hug to send us on our way - or, most likely, to hit repeat and start the It Must Be Christmas album journey all over again. Bravo Mr Young - I salute your addition to the Christmas canon.
Ghosts of Christmas past:
No comments:
Post a Comment