Wednesday, 24 November 2021

Wrabel - Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas To You (EP)



ONE MONTH UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE!!

Buy-stream Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas To You here (external link)

It has been two years since Wrabel declared that (it wouldn't be) Christmas Without You and, if you have a modicum of good taste, this will be the third year this song is on your holiday playlist. If not, or if you are just discovering the music of the gifted singer-songwriter, don't beat yourself up - he has a brand new EP of seasonal songs with his own wry take on the Yuletide period. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas To You features five songs which all examine a different facet of the how the merriment of December can impact people in different ways. It is captivating pop music that transcends the confines of the holiday music genre, all done very Wrabel style. Oh, and if you want to be a completist go check out his contribution to Tori Kelly's Christmas album from last year (see here)...
  • This Christmas ~ "last year was the hardest year of our lives" sings Wrabel on this sprightly gem. He's not wrong - the impact of Covid-19 has been felt in different ways across the globe and as we learn to live with it, we are all ready for something a little more chirpy. With a playful piano and pulsing percussion, Wrabel urges us to find our own way of having a more merry Christmas this year - and his enthusiasm is utterly infectious. It is a great opening track, setting the stage for the sumptuous affair to follow.
  • (It Wouldn't Be) Christmas Without You ~ set to a lovely finger click groove, this is an R'n'B influenced ballad all about missing the one you love at the most wonderful time of the year. There is a genuine sense of aching in Wrabel's passionate singing whilst sumptuous backing vocals and chiming keyboard add to a picture perfect winter wonderland scene. The chorus soars like the highest star in the heavens, while a key change gives all sorts of chills and brings the message home. Enchanting.
  • Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) ~ a haunting version of the Darlene Love standard has layered vocals and an echoing score that makes this not so much a song where Wrabel tells us how he feels but lets us feel it alongside him. There is a genuine longing in his vocal and that mesmerising instrumental is just captivating. It is a beautiful new take on an old favourite and demonstrates Wrabel's reverence for the source material. 
  • First Winter ~ the strumming acoustic guitar crafts a warm, engaging atmosphere for Wrabel to spin his tale of finding love as the holidays come around. As he lists all the ways that makes him experience the season with a new perspective, the listener gets enveloped in his charming tale. I particularly like the clever line "just like home, not alone" - who doesn't love a reference to the classic Macauley Culkin movie?
  • Sometimes Christmas Is Hard ~ it is not all jingle bells and sleigh rides; not everyone has glad tidings of good cheer. This gorgeous piano-vocal song is more a public service announcement for anyone whose melancholy is more pronounced at this time of year. A beautifully heartfelt and sincere melodic aural hug from the singer to help buoy your spirit and make you feel a little less alone. Play whenever you need it, share it far and wide and lose yourself in the comforting sounds. Blissful and essential.
at

No comments:

Post a Comment