Wednesday, 2 December 2020

Stevie Mackey - The Most Wonderful Time


23 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Buy-stream The Most Wonderful Time here (external link)

Deciding to spend his lockdown of 2020 to give something feel-good back to the world has resulted in Stevie Mackey gifting us with a full on, festive Christmas album. The vocal coach and singer has wrapped the project up with some of his pals to make The Most Wonderful Time a perennial treat that will keep on giving year after year. What you really get a sense of across 15 tracks is how much Stevie loves the holiday season - it is tangible in his vocal delivery, the sumptuous scores and the loving attention to detail. His voice has a classic, soulful crooner quality to it; the type of singer who doesn't tell you what to feel but encourages you to feel it with him. From the vintage flourishes on the gorgeous album cover art through to the soaring performances, this is like a hug from an old friend to lift your spirits when you need it the most...
  • Somewhere In My Memory (ft Wanya Morris & Shawn Stockman of BoyzIIMen) ~ the album opens with a charming music box of a song, taken from the Home Alone movies (the Bette Midler version on the Lost In New York soundtrack is a long time favourite of mine). Stevie is joined by vocal and Christmas royalty Wanya and Shawn of BoyzIIMen (their Christmas Interpretations album is a classic). It may only be 90 seconds but it is a vocal triumph of lush solos and shimmering harmonies, immersing the listener into a whimsical winter wonderland...
  • It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (ft J-Lo) ~ imagine having Dame Jennifer Lopez guest on your debut album?! A lush, live sounding arrangement swathes Stevie's voice in radiant majesty, while J-Lo arrives with a magnificent flourish bringing a sense of party to this joyous song. Individually they are splendid but when their voices combine it is a little slice of Christmas magic. That brass section adds a vibe that indicates the libations are flowing and the good times are a-rolling...
  • Let It Snow ~ it is just Stevie on Let It Snow and he makes this evergreen feel like the most intimate, romantic moment you can imagine. The strings cascade like tinsel wrapped around the most ornate tree; while that middle-8 comes straight from the vinyl crackle of the 1940s. He's soulful and insightful, adding personality and verve to the age-old song. The extended outro is so vivid you have to check your window to make sure Stevie didn't conjure up a blizzard...
  • Last Christmas ~ the Wham standard is a song of juxtapositions; it is a song about moving on yet having that weak-kneed moment when you know you will cave. A song about regaining some dignity yet also wanting to have the upper hand. Stevie delivers every single conflicting feeling with a shuffling percussive groove. There are moments where the music fades to let Stevie's emotions shine and it is a wonder to behold.
  • Sleigh Ride ~ true story: I think Debbie Gibson did the definitive up-tempo version of this on A Very Special Christmas 2 back in 1992. That doesn't mean I am not appreciative of other interpretations and this one is a doozy. Whereas Debbie incorporated the exhilaration of the wind in your hair feeling of the song, Stevie goes for a laid back appreciation where you are able to savour every moment of the blossoming romance of the lyrics. 
  • This Christmas ~ 2020 year has been a year, hasn't it? And because of that, this song feels more relevant than ever in the way that the lyrics convey a sense of hope that things will be ok. This wouldn't be possible without Stevie's expressive singing who brings the words to life by injecting them with his own glimmering aura of optimism. Play whenever you need a little boost or just want to experience Justin-Lee Schultz's superb instrumentation. 
  • Jesus, O What A Wonderful Child (ft Take 6) ~ Stevie and Take 6 take you to church on this a cappella carol. The textured vocals of Take 6 work in symbiotic partnership with Stevie's melodic sermon, making you want to raise your hands to the heavens and testify. Features the best run of key changes since Beyonce's Love On Top, sending the song to celestial new heights. Amen indeed!
  • Hung Up On You (ft JoJo) ~ when I was growing up, I used to love an r&b duet. Usually it was Babyface who would team up with the likes of Pebbles, Karyn White and Toni Braxton to explore facets of love that sounded so luxurious. This is a contemporary take on those sounds, two voices blending together like honey into hot chocolate, celebrating their love to make it as sparkling as the brightest bauble on the tree. 
  • Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel ~ in England, this is the type of song that would be sung in our stately cathedrals on Christmas eve; a voice cutting through the still of the night to remind you of the real meaning of the season. This is just as stark and mesmerising as those moments, with Stevie's vocal powered by the awe and majesty of the words he is gifted to sing. Just for a moment, the world around you stops and nothing else matters. Utterly serene.
  • California Dreamin' ~ turning the Mamas & Papas song into a festive treat has become one of my favourite moments on the album. His rock-infused vocal balances nicely against the layered call-and-response harmonies whilst piano chords insinuate themselves. There is a frisson of anticipation with that electrifying guitar solo and you are in a new winter world just beyond your imagination.
  • River ~ the previous song flows nicely into the more contemplative, accepting narrative of the Joni Mitchell heartbreaker. It is as if Stevie has learned to quiet the outer and inner voices to find clarity. The stripped back, acoustic nature of the instrumental lets his voice find personal meaning in the lyrics so it all coalesces to become intimate and lovely. His falsetto here is just enchanting, telling us just as much as those timeless words. 
  • Do You Hear What I Hear? (ft Cory Henry) ~ Cory takes us back to church with his riveting Hammond organ accompaniment. A gospel choir elevates the titular refrain. Stevie's powerful voice delivers impactful emphasis, bending each note to his will and sending it soaring to the skies above us all. It is a rich, resonant blessing that you need to listen to multiple times to appreciate the complexity and magnificence of it all.
  • Mary, Did You Know? (ft Sheléa) ~there is a haunting solemnity to this song that is just captivating. Turning it into a dramatic yet searching duet with Sheléa makes this song a journey - one of solo questions and duet answers. When they sing "the praises of the lamb" it is a genuinely tingling moment that lingers long after the exquisite music has faded away. 
  • Oh Holy Night ~ the band really has been sensational across this entire album and there is no let up as the opus approaches its finale. Stevie's take on my favourite ever classic is nigh on perfect. It is a simmering, slow burn of reverent respect, gradually layering in crescendo as if he is drawing strength from the mighty message he sings. The final moments of the song are some of the finest vocals you could ever wish to experience. Joyful AND triumphant.
  • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas ~ the album concludes by inviting you to Meet Me In St Louis via this lilting version of the Judy Garland song. Mr Mackey's appreciation of the most wonderful time of the year is illuminated in every sincere note he sings, making this a genuine wish that it would be nigh on cruel for Santa not to grant. Just lose yourself in a world class performance and then hit repeat to experience the whole album once more...
**Ghosts of Christmas Past**
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