Tuesday, 8 December 2020

The Modern Gentlemen - You Make It Feel Like Christmas


17 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Buy-stream You Make It Feel Like Christmas here (external link)

One of my favourite things about writing a blog all about Christmas music (other than I get to listen to lots and lots of Christmas music) is that it helps me discover acts that, in the fast paced world of music, I might have otherwise missed out on. I've always believed that songs that make up a holiday playlist know no genre, they exist across a multi-platform of styles and trends. Today, this has led me across the Atlantic to Los Angeles and the smooth crooner-stylings of The Modern Gentlemen. Landon, Todd, Brian and Brandon have been the contemporary Four Seasons for Frankie Valli before parlaying that into a career that sees them fly the flag for big band, jazz, theatre and pop. This is all done in a cohesive style as sophisticated as the guys attire - their new album, You Make It Feel Like Christmas, consolidates this into a solid set of festive favourites that will no doubt soundtrack your holiday memories for many years to come...
  • Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) ~ the album begins with one of the saddest songs of the season yet is delivered with such aching hope by the lads that you can't help but feel a little sprinkle of Yuletide magic will help this wish come true. If, like me, this song is your first audio introduction to the group you learn that expressive singing, lush textured harmonies and sumptuous scores are par for the course.
  • Let It Snow ~ it isn't just how the boys sing these songs, it is the arrangements they swathe themselves in that are as vivid as the lyrics themselves. Here, thanks to a finger-click rhythm and elegant piano, you are transported to the most ornate of settings where smooth vocals drip with the romance of the narrative. You can visualise the foursome all tuxed up and delighting an audience with such playful fare.
  • You Make It Feel Like Christmas ~ not the Gwen Stefani song of the same name, but an equally charming ode to the season that would melt the hardest of hearts. Brassy horns accentuate the delivery of the titular refrain, while the cooing backing vocals and sweet solos convey the excitement that so naturally comes at this time of year. A lovely, lilting mid-tempo treat that will make you feel merry and bright.
  • Happy Holidays ~ clearly winter is the best of, ahem, the four seasons, because the former Frankie Valli singers excel in falsetto with this vibrant, triumphant take on the classic song. It is a thrill how they make this sound like a Jersey Boys standard that has been uncovered from the vaults. They clearly love singing songs like this, their effervescent energy fizzing through every nuanced note.
  • I'll Be Home For Christmas ~ this song feels particularly poignant for the times we are living in, where families may be separated by a global pandemic. Stripping back the instrumental to just beautifully played piano and a gentle percussion highlights the sense of longing in that mesmerising vocal. When the lads join in at the key change, it feels like they come to give strength to the message and make this wish come true. 
  • A Christmas To Remember ~ my mum always taught me that Christmas is what you make it, rather than all the trimmings and trappings. That is exactly what this song is all about - just celebrating with the ones you love and focusing on glad tidings that the season can bring. Performed with a sassy verve, it is hard not to hand clap & sing along. Kick up your heels and let the good times roll. It is what The Modern Gentlemen would want.
  • The Christmas Song ~ this is where the lights of the stage dim, candles light the room and the performance feels a lot more personal and intimate. TMG savour every single word they sing, letting the music linger through the easy pace and smooth delivery - it casts a spell over the listener, making the worries of the world fade away (even if it is just for the length of the song).
  • Winter Wonderland ~ give all the Grammys to whoever plays that piano because the pianist is in such symbiotic partnership with the fellas that the notes played are just as much of the story as the words they sing. Here, like the lads, it is playful and frisky, as intricate and beautiful as the snowflakes that create the titular experience. Icy cool yet giving off a simmering glow that makes you glad from head to (mistle)toe.
  • White Christmas ~ you can actually imagine the boys on the glamourous sound stages of a 50s Hollywood movie musical; not just the effortless suave of their style but the evergreen nature of their voices. On this Bing Crosby favourite, they don't need to belt it out to the rafters; they know how to imbue each note with a power and tone that is just as emphatic and effective. As pretty as the most sparkling bauble on your tree. 
  • All I Want For Christmas ~ I've heard the best new Christmas song of the past 30 years a hundred different ways. The brilliance of the song is that artists will always find a way to make it feel fresh and new. Here, it is a slow burn ballad, with instruments gradually added to help build a sense of crescendo and passion that you feel you can reach out and touch. The majesty of the melody remains but it is saturated in sincere emotion and heartfelt longing.
  • Gift Of You ~ perhaps the boys got the wish of the previous song, because the album ends with a glittering acoustic jam all about the redemptive power of love. Descriptive lyrics feel like you are peeking into a letter between two lovers, as romantic as any Hallmark Christmas movie. It is a fine finale, a moment of reflection before you immerse yourself back into the hustle and bustle of the most wonderful time of the year. These guys sure do make it feel like its Christmas. Long may that feeling remain.
**Ghosts of Christmas past**
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