Peter Hollens - A Hollens Family Christmas

55 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Buy A Hollens Family Christmas here (Peter's website)

Ever since I discovered the magical vocal talents of one Mr Peter Hollens, I've been eager for him to do a Christmas album. He's built a sizeable following of fans who find his vocal recreations of a hugely diverse catalogue of pop, Disney and theatrical songs utterly enchanting. It is not just his creativity, talent and drive (new music almost every week without a dip in quality?!) that people find appealing - it is that he has crafted success for himself (and others) with sheer determination, insightful vision of a changing musical marketplace and innovation in how he delivers that music. He brings this passion and ingenuity to this inaugural Christmas album - A Hollens Family Christmas. He (and the guests he brings along for this marvelous sleigh ride) encapsulate the sentiments of the season and remind the listener that family - who and whatever your family may be - are the heart of the most wonderful time of the year. In doing this Mr Hollens has delivered an album that invokes memories of Christmases gone by and provides a soundtrack for new memories we have all yet to make...

The magic begins with an instantly engaging interpretation of Little Drummer Boy (also featuring the talents of Mike Tompkins). For those not familiar with Peter Hollens, it is an excellent introduction to the type of music he produces. There is a heavy reliance on the sounds voices can make other than singing and, here on Little Drummer Boy, he conjures up a festive soundscape of blissful beats and angelic harmonies. His resonant tenor gives the song the grandiose dignity the lyrics deserve and blends beautifully with Mike's sincere delivery. It also serves to set the tone for the album and ushers in the more sombre O Come O Come Emmanuel. Through intricate Gregorgian style chants, the listener is transported to stunning cathedrals as Peter's stirring voice reverberates around the pews. What is really clever about the arrangement here is that is does actually sound like it was recorded in such a setting - the slight echoing of the voices and the perfect precision of the chimes coalesce with the awe inspiring words to make this something quite special indeed. Less secular but no less haunting and melancholy is the next track, December Song. Plaintive piano accompanies Peter as he shares a heartfelt vocal that is fueled by personal ruminations and reminiscing - it makes for a more nuanced performance that brings the listener into the song, as if you are sharing old memories over a festive drink by the roaring fire place. It is part of what makes the album so charming - the seemingly effortless ability to evoke vivid imagery and feelings in those who listen to it. This is particularly prevalent a skill on Believe, where Peter is joined by One Voice Childrens Choir. The lyrics are particularly poignant - about recapturing the faith in all aspects of life we often lose as we get older and cynicism seems to unwittingly take route. The message is clear: hold onto the little miracles we all see daily and keep Christmas in your heart all year round. This is enhanced by the stunning vocal arrangements of the aforementioned choir - angelic hosts on high buffering Peter's hopeful singing and giving the listener a heavenly treat that should last all year round.

Gentle yet brilliantly effective vocal bell chimes herald the arrival of Carol Of The Bells. There is something quite captivating about how the vocal intonations are able to make the listener feel like they are swirling in the sounds of actual ringing bells. I could sit and listen to it all day as it also has a hypnotic soothing effect that helps the troubles of daily life fade away as you find beauty in something quite spectacular. This continues with one of my favourite Christmas songs of all time, Grown Up Christmas List. Peter is joined by his honey toned wife, Eyvnne Hollens. They two were absolutely stunning on Tangled's I See The Light (see here - youtube) and this is a worthy successor. Evynne is gloriously emotive, giving her Grown Up Christmas List a sincerity that seems to stop time and make you pay attention - particularly during that subtle but soaring crescendo in the chorus. Peter is equally adept at sharing his feelings, making for a symbiotic duet. It elicits sorrow (in the fact that we still need this song after it being around for 25 years) and hope (for in a world where musical serendipity like this exists surely there still stands a chance for a better tomorrow) in equal, yearning measure. It leaves the listener in a reflective mood which is the perfect state of mind for Mary, Did You Know? A song about the unimaginable responsibility of bearing the Saviour of the world, Peter performs with a solemn gravitas and heartfelt empathy for her situation. Listening to such haunting tones seems to make the world stop, just for a moment, and everything fade away but the luminous nature of the music. It gives the sense that the music traverses the passages of time to get its pondering message to the Virgin Mother.

As the final three songs of the album draw near, Peter is joined by Jackie Evancho (whose own festive album, featuring a Peter Hollens track, is reviewed here) on the John Lennon standard, Happy Xmas (War Is Over). Set to an abundant luxuriant set of a cappella backing vocals (that somehow feel like they have created the sound from skating across ice, giving this even more of a seasonal appeal!), Peter and Jackie's voices weave together handsomely, singing a message of buoyant prospect that is all too hard to resist. The juxtaposition of the giddy soprano next to the steady tenor is a remarkable sound to hear and adds to the triumphant aura the track exudes. What Child Is This? takes us back to the spellbinding style arrangements that were so aurally fascinating on O Come O Come Emmanuel. While there is a hymn-like quality to the song that is rightfully commanded by Peter's vocal, it is the subtly changing harmonies that make each progressive verse an intriguing chapter in an ongoing story. And the ongoing story of A Hollens Family Christmas comes to its conclusion with the Home Free guys joining in on Amazing Grace. With the harmonies sounding like actual organ chords delicately underscoring the melodic lead vocal, it is hard to find the words that would do the celestial nature of this song the justice it deserves. Needless to say it is a fine fine closing track to the album and encapsulates the journey this lovely festive opus has taken us on.

**Ghosts of Christmas past:**

• 31st October 2015 ~ RuPaul, Slay Belles
• 31st October 2013 - Susan Boyle ft The Overtones, Little Drummer Boy