51 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!
Buy A Pentatonix Christmas here (Amazon UK)
It cannot be said that amazing a cappella vocal group, Pentatonix, do not know how to keep Christmas well. For the fifth year in a row, they are releasing a sparkling collection of festive favourites for the world to feast on and enjoy. And A Pentatonix Christmas may be their most ingenious, innovative and audacious take on the season so far. They've not just re-made seasonal songs that we all know and love - they've examined the blueprints of these songs, reinvented the architecture and built them in dazzling new arrangements that leave you utterly in awe of their talent and creativity. A number of original compositions are sprinkled alongside the tunes we all know and love yet everything feels brand new - it is no wonder that the album rocketed to number three in the Billboard charts as soon as it was released. It will no doubt be the go-to album for this Christmas as well as many Christmases yet to come. Why? Listeners are experiencing a group who are going from strength to strength, and this is just icing on the already delicious cake.
The album opens with O Come All Ye Faithful - for the uninitiated it is an excellent introduction into the complex arrangements that Pentatonix deliver with each song they tackle. They sound here like a fully fledged orchestra accompanying a theatrical masterpiece. And the arrangement here means that theatrical masterpiece is The Lion King. They take the song to exhilarating new places as if Simba himself was heralding the arrival of the Christ child. The tribal influences on the song are a treat for the ears and will have you raising your hands to the sky in emphatic testimony. This euphoria continues through to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, a song that begins like a traditional carolers version of the tune. They keep this tight Dickensian style vocal harmony throughout but add the juxtaposition of a more contemporary hip hop infused beat to the music, creating an effusive ride that you don't want to end. And when the end does come it is a glorious, convivial singalong that makes you feel like a member of the group, if only for that very satisfying instant. White Christmas begins in the more traditional, slowed down tempo that we know and love - an a glimmer of old school Hollywood movie shimmies forth from the combined vocals. Then each verse is presented in a dazzling new wall of sound, making this a thrilling exploration of an old standard. It is worth pointing out here that all their vocals are buoyantly gleeful on these celebratory tunes and the enthusiasm for the most wonderful time of the year is all too infectious. This is even the case on the more melancholy I'll Be Home For Christmas. The song is essentially a promise that may or may not be kept and the lead vocals are fueled by an aching yearning to keep the promise at all costs. It is the essence of hope that makes this an optimistic plea that keeps you mesmerised from first note to last beat. The middle 8 is a particular triumph - as if a 40s radio traverses the confines of time and space to keep the eternal message of the song alive for a new generation.
It is mulled wine party time when the gang tackle Up On The House Top. The shuffling vocal percussion makes you want to grab the one you love and shimmy in gleeful adoration. The "up on the house top/up on the house top" repetitions bring an aura of r'n'b radio that is more prominent in the reindeer naming middle 8. Destiny's Child would be super proud - the fusion of a cappella r'n'b with radiant pop is a concoction that demands to be played loud and proud throughout December. The Christmas Singalong is an equally enticing jam that emphasises the super smooth lead vocal. It is a masterclass in how to craft a song that will endure for many seasons to come and make it sound as lush and textured as any song magicked up through studio trickery. In fact this is so radio ready that were they to get a slot on the X Factor finale here in the UK this song would be a real contender for the coveted Christmas number one slot. The la la la moments are pure ear worm as addictive as Grandma's potent egg nog. Be prepared to have this stuck in your head until way into March...Coventry Carol presents a more sombre, reverent Pentatonix who just want to bring a sense of wonder and awe to the miraculous story of which they exquisitely sing. Their tempered approach to the hymnal yields an arrangement no less intricate than what has come before, but really allows the enormity of the words they sing to shine like the brightest star in the firmament. There is more pathos and ruminations on the now modern day classic Hallelujah. The backing vocals gently buffet the doleful, expressive lead like guardian angels providing emotional support just when it is most needed. The religious lyrics fit well with the seasonal nature of this album - and the "maybe there's a God above" is sung with such heartfelt pondering that it feels like the world stops just for a second to take in the majesty of it all.
Once you have recovered from that almost spiritual experience, you can appreciate the sadder part of the Yuletide days on Coldest Winter. It is a devastating denouement of how sorrow can feel so much more heightened when the world is all apace with joviality and celebration. The song is a slow burn from Boys II Men style ballad through to dramatic Kate Bush style anthem, yet never feels disjointed or non-cohesive. Instead it flows with a confidence, with the bubbling emotions spilling forth throughout the precision perfect arrangement and mesmerising singing. The mood lightens as the album draws to a close. Good To Be Bad is a mischievous and playful romp that gives witty insight into the old myth that you have to be good all year long to enjoy Christmas time. Never has breaking the rules of Santa Claus sounded so alluring and exciting. It is that sense of mayhem that leads you into the final song - an N*Sync cover no less. Yup, Pentatonix have chosen to end the album with the grossly underrated Merry Christmas Happy Holidays. How this song hasn't been on millions of advertisements and played at every mall from sea to shining sea is beyond me. It is a fine message to end the album and will perhaps right this gross pop injustice by bringing a whole new appreciative audience to this easy going, happy inducing singalong. The final gospel infused chorus takes us full circle, with it feeling like a lost scene from a never released Lion King Christmas straight to DVD extravaganza. Just brilliant. Enjoy A Pentatonix Christmas - it makes a fine addition to your Christmas soundtrack.
**Ghosts of Christmas past**
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