Friday, 22 November 2019

Ben Adams - All Wrapped Up


33 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Stream All Wrapped Up here

It has been a busy old year for Ben Adams - A1 reformed, released marvellous new music and toured the world; he was still involved in his jolly splendid musical Eugenius - a cult smash that deserves a tour revival any day now; and he's still had opportunity to work on solo material. He's already produced perhaps the most sparkling new festive song of the year - This Is Christmas (see review here), a duet with Morissette that is your favourite new All I Want For Christmas to be played endlessly for years to come. Quite honestly, that song is so fine that it would have been enough of a Christmas contribution to power Santa's sleigh this Christmas Eve. Ben's not one to rest on his laurels and thus has joined band mates Christian Ingebrigtsen and Mark Read in releasing a whole opus of holiday tunes. All Wrapped Up sees Ben take on the classics and breathe vibrant new life into them. Across the 9 tracks he makes this an intimate affair, driven by his obvious love for the most wonderful time of the year. It is the type of album which reminds you of times gone by whilst being the soundtrack to all those new experiences.

The album opens with Driving Home For Christmas - a beguiling duet with Sara Skjoldnes. This elegant performance really sets the standard for the album - using the magic of piano to enhance the personal interpretation of the lyrics. Sara and Ben both give tangibly hopeful solo vocals; it is when their voices blend together that you feel the weight of their melodic journey and the yearning to be together. It is exquisitely done. As is Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. By slowing down this usually-perky tune, Ben really lets himself savour the descriptive lyrics and paints a Christmas Card picture with his expressive voice. It also gives the impression he wants the wonder of the holidays to last as long as possible - and who doesn't want to keep a little bit of Christmas in their heart for as long as possible. On I'll Be Home For Christmas, Ben explores the more melancholy side of the season - and is aided, once again, by that shimmering piano. He balances the sadness inherent in the lyrics by imbuing his performance with a sense of hope. This is accentuated by the crescendo of percussion and strings - singing so it feels all the more possible and not just in his dreams.

Last Christmas is everywhere once again thanks to the movie of the same name. There are many interpretations out there but I never get tired of hearing some of my faves share their take on it. Ben makes this almost two songs and the results are lovely. The first part is an aching ballad as he reflects on the heartache; the second part a delectable wall of sound complete with backing vocals and a shuffling beat - as if he has shaken himself out of a reverie and determined to get on with life. After this, Ben deserves a little merriment and he brings this on a jazz-tinged take on Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. He's a finger clicking raconteur who conjures up images of smoky clubs and a Rat Pack filled line up. The playful instrumental and effervescent glee in his voice means the happiness that radiates from this track is entirely contagious. On I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day he keeps that aura of glad tidings but turns it into a rather sweet power ballad. None of the euphoria is lost in this translation, it just manifests in different ways - through the intricate keyboard and his yearning delivery. Plus its a message I can completely get on board with, naturally. Just wiz(z)ard.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas may just break your heart. Sung with such tenderness and fragility, you get the impression that Ben is using his own memories to make this a personal performance full of pathos. He lingers on the words, as if contemplating how they represent the indomitable power of the human spirit to find hope in anything. It is like he is at the piano in your front room singing directly to you - and that is just mesmerising. White Christmas (a song you'll recall A1 covered about 20 years ago) continues Ben's wish fulfilment. He and that piano are perfect partners, aligned so seamlessly. The duet between instrument and voice is so precise that the two sounds are as sumptuous as honey melting into hot chocolate. The pace peps up for the final song of the collection - Winter Wonderland has a buoyant cheer to it, with giddy strings that glitter alongside that whispering percussion. It is a fine way to close the album out - making you want to go back to the beginning and experience it again.

**Ghosts of Christmas Past**
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