Monday, 15 November 2021

Tyler Shaw - A Tyler Shaw Christmas


6 WEEKS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Buy-stream A Tyler Shaw Christmas here

Tyler Shaw is on a creative roll. His self-titled third album barely dropped less than 4 months ago and there is still time to blast his summery jams like Sex on the Beach and Be Like You; however, if you are in favour of more wintry fare you could do far worse than get yourself an invite to his new seasonal set, A Tyler Shaw Christmas. Across 9 tracks, Tyler takes you on a journey through the holiday highs and lows, both secular and reverent. It collects a number of his one off singles from Christmases gone by and adds a few new numbers - it all still feels very cohesive, anchored by his expressive voice. Like any good Christmas party, he's invited friends and family along on a number of tracks. It makes this a warm, engaging affair that will be a delightful addition to your holiday playlist...
  • Christmas In Your Eyes (featuring Everly Shaw) ~ children are what make Christmas magic. When you grow older, you get more jaded and worn down by the rigours of life. This song sees Tyler looking to recreate the sparkle of Yuletide by seeking to see the wonder through the eyes of his daughter. It is beautifully emotive, Irish-music infused ballad - the type that Westlife would regularly take to the top of the charts in my native UK. Tyler deserves no less success. 
  • Maybe This Christmas ~ Tyler's 2020 single felt very relevant during a global lockdown, but the lyrics of hope and optimism transcend any life event we are living through to shine a light on the potential for kindness and good in the human race. It has a lilting guitar accompaniment with shimmering flourishes that lift his understated vocal to ensure his wish is as emphatic as if he were belting it to the rafters. The symbiosis between voice and instrument is perfectly pitched.
  • O Holy Night (featuring The Tenors) ~ I fell hard for the Tenors thanks to their 2017 album, Christmas Together (see review here). Its a joy to have Tyler singing with them on my favourite Christmas hymn. Their voices add a solemn majesty to the song, while Tyler infuses it with a sense of awe and wonder that is all but tangible. The blending of their vocals during the soaring crescendo moments are a joy to listen to, while that finale moment is truly magnificent. Glorious.
  • Santa Claus Is Coming To Town ~ Tyler gets to kick up his heels on this vibrant, textured take on the old classic. Romping piano parties alongside crunchy as boots on snow guitar riffs, while the percussion is as peppy as any sleigh ride. His effusive vocal (multi-layered in places to craft a convivial, sing-along atmosphere) adds a sense of giddy glee to the proceedings. It is a pass-around-the-egg-nog and welcome the revellers type of track, guaranteed to get your toes a-tapping.
  • December ~ a Tyler original is always a gift you want to unwrap and savour. This perky, clap-hands rhythm adds (literally) the whistles and bells to give the song a festive feel. The lyrics are all about the possibilities that the holidays bring, particularly how, if you are willing to let the spirit in, it can lift your spirits. That sing-along chorus (D-d-december!) is the icing on this already delicious cake - a musical morsel that Canadian radio stations are gonna want to devour.
  • Silent Night ~ Tyler's 2018 radio smash still sounds as fresh and delightful as ever. It was always a different take on the timeless classic. Finger click a cappella opens up the first verse but then a swaggering groove kicks in yet never in a disrespectful way. Indeed, the layered voices that join in towards the middle of the song show this is just a more contemporary way to sing the praises so inherent in this song. The key-change and ad-libs take this to seventh heaven and beyond.
  • Christmas Time ~ I'm always thrilled whenever anyone shines a light on Bryan Adams' 1985 song Christmas Time. Tyler pays tribute to his fellow Canadian artist and takes some liberties by adding in a shuffle beat alongside that sumptuous piano accompaniment. The fact that he sounds in his element covering the song is a sentiment that is contagious. You can't help but sing out that addictive chorus with him. As satisfying as whipped cream melting into hot chocolate. 
  • It's Christmas ~ Tyler's love for the most wonderful time of the year really shines through on each song on the album (making it indeed feel like a very Tyler Shaw Christmas). On this sparkling song, he lays his feelings about the holidays bare for all to see and it feels joyful and triumphant. Ba-ba-ba and chimes just add to the festive feel of this jubilant number - perhaps the film was right. Maybe love, actually, is all around us and that's why songs like this exist.
  • Auld Lang Syne ~ taking us right up to new years eve is this reflective acoustic guitar-vocal duet of the well-worn anthem. It is the nuances in Tyler's voice that makes this stand out - you can sense the yearning for a better tomorrow in his honest, raw vocal; surely something we all deserve after the past couple of years. It makes for a poignant finale to the opus but one that leaves you feeling like you've just been hugged by a friend you haven't seen for years. 
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