Sunday, 5 December 2021

Cliff Beach - Merry Christmas, Happy New Year


20 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Stream Merry Christmas, Happy New Year here (Spotify)

I'll confess that I'm ready to get into the spirit of Cliffmas, thanks to the funky festive sounds of Cliff Beach. My love of seasonal songs often introduces me to new artists and Cliff Beach is one to pay attention to. The Gospel According to Cliff Beach is rooted in gospel, blended with jazz-funk-fusion and anchored by his expressive voice. He brings a similar sound to his Merry Christmas, Happy New Year - a selection box of his favourite holiday songs and one sparkling new original for you to feast on. 

It all starts with a delicious rendition of soul classic, This Christmas. There is something wonderfully old school about the performance and it is a great introduction to Cliff's joyous vocal style. It is the nuances he gives to certain words whilst his band adds its own personality to the score that makes this feel fresh yet familiar. Frosty the Snowman is a riotous romp that is as playful as it is cheeky. This take breathes new life into the classic character & you can't help imagine him getting on down to those groove-fuelled licks. As so many Brits do at this time of year, it's then time to visit The Sound of Music for a version of My Favourite Things that the Von Trapps could never have dreamed up. The laid back groove alongside blasts of horn lets Cliff savour every single one of those precious moments he enjoys so much. It is wonderfully evocative and just as effective as banishing any of those pesky fears...

The Christmas Song continues that chilled out, relaxed atmosphere with an immersion in the old standard that demonstrates a genuine affection for the source material. There's no need for hurry through the tale as old as time. Merry Christmas Baby takes on a bluesy riff that  accentuates the emotion and satisfaction of the lyrics; meanwhile the tempo ups once again to continue the celebrations when Cliff Beach invite you to have a Soulful Christmas. The ensemble do the 50 year old James Brown song immense justice by letting it feel totally organic - a thrilling example of their symbiosis and partnership approach to making music magic. Zat You Santa Claus continues the fun factor - and quite honestly, this should be a 30 minute animated Netflix special in 2022...

There is barely time to catch your breath from the swinging homage to Saint Nick when you are thrust into an exhilarating rock-tinged Run Run Rudolph. Once again, horn is the MVP here making their urgent toots feel like a reindeer traffic jam just waiting to clear; also that guitar solo in the middle 8 is a giddy treat. You're A Mean One, Mr Grinch is far more a stable of US audiences than us Brits, but that doesn't mean we don't appreciate it - particularly when the vocal takes on such a descriptive quality that highlights what a natural melodic narrator we have here. The album ends with an original number - Merry Christmas, Happy New Year is all about making sure that special someone in your life knows what they mean to you. It's a shoulder shimmying end to the opus, making a repeat play essential.

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