Wednesday, 11 November 2020

Luke McMaster - Christmas Present


44 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Buy-stream Christmas Present here (external link)

Turns out suave crooner, blue-eyed soul lover and all round good egg, Luke McMaster is no stranger to Christmas. Hot on the heels of 2019's delightful My Favourite Time Of Year (his second seasonal selection of songs) comes a brand new opus to feast on. Christmas Present is a lovingly curated collection of vintage r&b infused holiday playlist standards, delivered with Mr McMaster's usual style and panache. The thing that makes Luke such an accessible artist is that his voice seems effortlessly timeless. He can be singing in 2020 yet transport you to the opulent wintry sound stages of a 50s Hollywood movie musical. His elegant tones means he can go from conveying a sense of fun and whimsy to crafting an aura of awe and reverence without skipping a beat. Pop on your finest suit, straighten that tie and immerse yourself in the magic that is Luke's Christmas Present...

The album opens with the title track, Christmas Present, an original composition which sets the stage and tone for the album. A sumptuous score with chiming bells & jingling percussion is the perfect backdrop for Luke's neo-soul vocal. He sings of appreciating what you have with a sincerity and earnestness that is quite charming. It stands shoulder to shoulder with luminary classic, This Christmas, which naturally flows as the next song - vibrant horns and effusive drum beats make a score that is both merry and bright. There is a finger clicking glee baked into the music whilst Luke just sounds like he is having the time of his life. This contagious aura of happy continues on White Christmas. Luke has always had the ability to be a timeless raconteur and he excels on this playful version of the Bing Crosby classic. It reminds me of the bluesy version played in Love Actually - which can only be a good thing...

What Christmas Means To Me is an opportunity to kick up your heels and party. A genuinely effusive instrumental, aided by the guitar giving the music a frisson of excitement, sends Luke's vocal soaring to the heavens. He is so vivid a performer that you feel every ounce of seasonal cheer. Christmas Must Be Tonight is the album's second original song and is an absolute delight. Turning the greatest story ever told into such a Motown inspired romp is glorious to behold. With a delectable sax solo and a radiant performance from Mr McMaster, this is the most wondrous contemporary Christmas hymn you'll hear all the live long year. Let It Snow is slowed down, letting Luke and the listener savour every romantic moment. He conjures up images of cosy fires and ornate trees - whilst those lilting backing vocals are as intricate as the most magnificent snowflake. 

Is there a song built around such a vibe of anticipation as Santa Claus Is Coming To Town?! Luke brings his best E-street rock to the song, his voice sliding along the Hammond organ and revving you up for the most wonderful time of the year. It is enough to make you want a Christmas Vacation - and luckily, the theme to The Griswolds holiday is up next. It is a shimmering, mid-tempo groove with lush harmonies and a smooth, mellifluous performance from the main man himself. When he sings "let's all deck the halls and light the lights", his voice shines as bright as the stars above. Silver Bells is such an graceful r&b, piano driven take on the glittering standard that the world around you melts away and, if just for the time the song plays, your worries are eased away by the music. 

Us Brits love a Christmas single and Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime is one of our perennial favourites. The perky rhythm of the original is toned down for this jazzy take, but hand claps, a cappella bursts and cascading piano all make this a ravishing new version. So layered you are rewarded with each subsequent listen. Merry Christmas Baby sees Luke tap into his falsetto and ad-lib with a seemingly effortless finesse. Throw in a key change and a gradual acceleration means you are wrapped in the gratitude that just flows from every second of this nuanced vocal. The album ends with the Stevie Wonder classic, Someday At Christmas - a song that remains just as relevant and poignant all these years later. Some of the greats have sung this song yet Luke makes it feel like it was always meant for him. It is a fitting finale - a reflective moment of optimism before you experience the joyful and triumphant songs that came before it one more time. 

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