Wednesday, 2 November 2022

DCApella - Home For The Holidays


53 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!

Buys-stream Home for the Holidays here (external link)

Who doesn't love a Rockin' Holiday with Disney's DCapella?! It has been three years since the vocally blessed sextet released their last festive collection (though there have been splendiferous one-off offerings since then, such as their winterlicious medley from The Nightmare Before Christmas) and they are ready to spread the cheer with their latest collection, Home For The Holidays. Kalen, Antonio, Joe, Morgan, Orlando and RJ work in such gloriously tautly textured symmetry that each song requires multiple listens to appreciate the complexity of their sumptuous arrangements. Across six songs, they bring new insight, dazzling voice led acrobatics and a sense of fun as giddy as any candy cane. 

The EP opens with Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - and right from the start the group show they are infusing the traditional with something exhilarating and new. They give the harmonies some great pace and phrasing, whilst cantering away with the titular refrain so you feel every moment of excitement at the impending event they so mellifluously describe. Home for Christmas feels like a whole pop production ready to take the charts by storm. A gorgeous lead vocal guides the hopeful, romantic lyrics against a peppy beat and shoulder shimmying rhythms. This is exactly the style of song that would race up the British charts in the run up to the big day (Santa's birthday)!

I'm always thrilled when an act covers one of my all-time fave holiday songs (We Need A Little Christmas from Mame) but when they bring Kermit the Frog along for the ride it just gives it a little sparkle. Sassy ad-libs and a key change bring smiles for miles as the bop-bop backing makes you glad from head to (mistle)toe. Puppy for Hannukah brings a surprisingly hip-hop style groove whilst retaining Jewish musical influences into the song - it makes for most compelling listening and you are soon rap-singing along to the rapid pace story unfolding before your very ears. Fantastic version of this Daveed Digs classic - "Oh it's a sweater - did somebody knit this? It's really great"! Brilliant...

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is given a complete vocal remix, infusing the much-loved song with a new energy thanks to its off-kilter beat and an arrangement that blends a new refrain of "wonderful time" into the fabric of the song as seamlessly as honey into hot chocolate. It comes to an all-too-soon end with There's No Christmas Without You, a lush r&b flavoured ballad that wraps round you like a hug from an old friend who surprises you at your Christmas party. It *feels* more a cappella than their other selections on this opus; that's not to say their voices have crafted the score previously but there's a sparsity that lets the emotion of the vocals shine. A lovely ending. 

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