Although music is the main deal here at Merry and Bright, longtime readers know that occasionally I'll branch out into other avenues about the holiday season. Tonight's post is one of those, heading down a new path, though still a seasonal little venture. Maybe you could call it a stop at a holiday shoppe while traveling the Christmas Music Highway. Maybe Der Bingle should stop metaphoring and get to it :-)
I was at an art show today with many local artists showing and selling their work (and, by the way, the show will lead to a major post in the near future, so stay tuned), and I met a talented young graphic artist named Stephanie Summers. What caught my eye at her table was a set of beautiful holiday cards. Although we as a family have moved to sending a family photo card out each year (this year featuring Kansas City Royal Wade Davis, in addition to us - Go Royals!), I still send out a few traditional Christmas cards to friends. I've bought cards from MoMA, Retro Christmas Card Company, and others, and Stephanie's cards really tickled my Christmas-card fancy.
Stephanie works in digital graphic arts, as well as found material for her unique, high-energy designs. The holiday card set incorporates petal shapes, loopy whorls, and a light, botanical/leafy background with a fabulous glittery gold "Happy Holidays" to greet the recipient. I could show you an image of the card, but it's Stephanie's original artwork, so I won't, as I don't want her work to be copied. I will, though, provide links so you can see for yourself.
Stephanie Summers' website
About Stephanie: link
Her fab art page: link
And, (ta dah!) her Etsy site for the holiday cards: link
I love supporting local musicians and artists, and I thought Stephanie's work was creative and lovely, and captured the spirit of a modern greeting while still retain a traditional theme. Check out Stephanie's work at the links above, and if you like what you see, place an order and support a new artist!
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Friday, December 4, 2015
Time to Share Some Drambuie Love!
Well readers, it's that time of the season where I share out a few vintage vinyl records for your holiday listening pleasure. First up this year is a great little record, "Drambuie Christmas Classics". This record has been shared out previously on other sites, but I found a copy in good shape, and I love Drambuie, so I got it and decided to rip and share.
This one of those product tie-in records that doesn't provide much information about the musicians. We have a producer, Paul Whitehead, and a trio of arrangers/conductors. We have Nashville as a recording location and we know where the lacquering was done (lacquering, not liquoring) and by whom. But no musicians. So, I've dubbed them The Drambuie Orchestra.
This is a tangy and sweet collection of a dozen Christmas standards. Nothing surprising in the selections, with "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" leading off and "Joy to the World" as the closer. The arrangements and performances are very well done, making this a very enjoyable listening experience. Good while you're trimming the tree. Better if you're supervising the tree-trimming while having a little scotch and (ahem) Drambuie. Perfect! in fact, I'd say :-)
As a bonus for the sophisticated listener, there are Drambuie recipes on the back of the album cover. Rusty Nail. Oh yeah. Frosty Nail. Sounds intriguing. Maybe I'll have one of those while watching "Frosty the Snowman". Eggnog. Easy as pie.
This is a fine record to kick off sharing season. Please enjoy "Drambuie Christmas Classics".
Update: I've re-ripped side 2 to (I hope) remove some vibration/skipping. New zip is at the below link.
download link
This one of those product tie-in records that doesn't provide much information about the musicians. We have a producer, Paul Whitehead, and a trio of arrangers/conductors. We have Nashville as a recording location and we know where the lacquering was done (lacquering, not liquoring) and by whom. But no musicians. So, I've dubbed them The Drambuie Orchestra.
This is a tangy and sweet collection of a dozen Christmas standards. Nothing surprising in the selections, with "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" leading off and "Joy to the World" as the closer. The arrangements and performances are very well done, making this a very enjoyable listening experience. Good while you're trimming the tree. Better if you're supervising the tree-trimming while having a little scotch and (ahem) Drambuie. Perfect! in fact, I'd say :-)
As a bonus for the sophisticated listener, there are Drambuie recipes on the back of the album cover. Rusty Nail. Oh yeah. Frosty Nail. Sounds intriguing. Maybe I'll have one of those while watching "Frosty the Snowman". Eggnog. Easy as pie.
This is a fine record to kick off sharing season. Please enjoy "Drambuie Christmas Classics".
Update: I've re-ripped side 2 to (I hope) remove some vibration/skipping. New zip is at the below link.
download link
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Artist Interview: Greg Page
In an earlier post I reviewed Greg Page's Christmas album release, "Here Comes Christmas!", which is still one of my favorite new albums this year (and is vying for the top spot altogether). Greg rose to worldwide fame and adoration by the children of the world as a founding member of The Wiggles, and has now returned to the world of entertaining children (and adults!) after a few years off for a health-related hiatus. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Greg about the album, and his new work on "Butterscotch's Playground".
---------------------------------------------
Merry and Bright!: Hello Greg. Thank you for the opportunity for this interview. "Here Comes Christmas!" is really a wonderful album, and I'm pleased to be able to share some of your insights with my readers.
Greg Page: Thank you for your wonderful comments about the album, it was a real pleasure to be able to produce this album!
MB: It's great to see your new family entertainment projects after such a long and successful run as a founding member of The Wiggles. What led you to start this new phase of your career with a Christmas album?
GP: I’ve always wanted to do a Christmas album – I love the music that is associated with Christmas, probably because of the emotional attachment to the holiday period – good will to all, time spent with family, and children being excited about Santa Claus visiting them. To be able to re-launch my career with music for children with an album such as this seemed so natural, and something that I was passionate about. That’s really the origins of it!
MB: "Here Comes Christmas"! isn't your first foray into Christmas music. You've recorded many original and classic Christmas songs with The Wiggles. How did your approach to "Here Comes Christmas!" differ from your earlier Christmas recordings?
GP: Yes, I’ve recorded at least 3 Christmas CDs (that I can think of) with The Wiggles. The approach with this was really just to find as many great, classic songs and carols as I could think of, and put them into a musical context that would have meaning for children. At the same time, there were songs that I knew I had already recorded with The Wiggles, so I was mindful of not just “ripping off” those versions I had already sung on. And of course, I had to throw in some original songs as well, just for good measure! I’m really happy with how those ones have turned out – I think my favourite would have to be “Christmas Bells.”
MB: You've shown a very deft touch in adapting Christmas standards to make them very focused for an audience of youngsters without losing any of their traditional qualities. Tell us about your process of developing these song arrangements to making them so appealing to kids as well as grownups like me?
GP: For me, the sounds of Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Perry Como really drive home that Christmas feel. It is in the arrangements of the songs as much as the performance that you connect with the audience. With the arrangements that we did, I wanted to stay true to those original versions as much as possible so as to give children a real sense of musical tone colour. The instruments of the orchestra have such differing textures, and it is so valuable for a child to hear the difference between brass and woodwind, and stringed and percussion instruments. So in terms of making them “child friendly” the other half of connection comes about from the delivery of the vocal performance. This is something which I honed over many years with The Wiggles, and I hope that children all over the world will hear that connection still, with the songs on “Here Comes Christmas!”
MB: I love your update of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" with a menagerie of animals. Tell me, where in the world did 'axolatl' come from? Puppy dogs, cows-a mooing, piggies oinking, and axolatls! I love it, but where did you come up with that as one of the animals to be part of the song?
GP: One of my children had an axolotl a few years ago. It was such a unique pet! The kids loved it. So when I was thinking of what kinds of animals children might like to look at and learn about, I thought of axolotls!
MB: Do you have any plans for videos to accompany these songs? "Twelve Days...", "Rudolph..." and several others seem perfectly suited for music videos for kids. If so, how will they be released and made available to the public?
GP: There are no plans for any videos as yet. I would love for this album to go really well, and follow it up with a live concert DVD – maybe that’s a project for next year! In the meantime, I’ve got some other plans for Yellow Entertainment and some other children’s shows that will be in production under the Yellow Entertainment label.
MB: I really enjoyed all three of your original songs - "Here Comes Christmas!", "Christmas Bells", and "It's Christmas". Is it hard to write an original Christmas song that is refreshing and new, and not have it sound derivative of all the other Christmas songs we hear each season?
GP: Glad you liked them! Luckily I had some help with writing these songs. Alec Miller, my co-producer was also co-writer of these songs. When you are working with people as talented as Alec, it makes it a lot easier to come up with fresh ideas that don’t hark too much to songs that have been written before. The other key thing to remember when writing is that your audience is children and their parents. Firstly, you have to engage the children, so in terms of content that limits things a little, and secondly you have make it accessible to the parents, so that’s where the fun begins in drawing upon all your musical styles so that parents can relate to the song musically too –even though the content may be for children, the music isn’t dumbed down.
MB: What are some of your personal favorite Christmas songs?
GP: I love so many Christmas songs – "The Little Drummer Boy" is one of my favourite songs – the story-telling aspect of this song has always appealed to me, together with the melody of the song. I also love some of the more traditional, simple songs such as “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells”!
MB: Does Australia have its own unique Christmas song canon, or are the classics you've included on "Here Comes Christmas!" what you would hear in your home country during the Christmas season?
GP: Australia has some of its own Christmas songs, but really we sing most of the same songs as other parts of the world. The “Australian” Christmas songs have not become big here – they may be known by some, but by and large, all the songs that are on “Here Comes Christmas” are indicative of what people would listen to in Australia.
MB: Before we wrap up, would you like to share a few words about "Butterscotch's Playground"?
GP: Butterscotch’s Playground is a new brand featuring puppets (a la Henson’s Muppets) that was originally created by Alec Miller and Vera Nakovic. They approached me to work with them to develop the concept into something that would include me in the show in some way. Together, we have written and shot 3 episodes that are available on DVD or for download via iTunes. The crux of the show is that the whole wide world is your playground to explore and learn about – no matter where you go in the world, it always presents an opportunity to learn something new! Butterscotch (a rabbit), Honey Bear (a bear), Frankie (a monkey) and Charles (a bluebird) live in a literal playground with swings, a slide and a teeter-totter. I am the caretaker of the playground, and together with the children we set-up wonderful adventures where the children and their cuddly friends can go and see things they may not have ever seen before. That’s where the whole wide world becomes your playground! Music is a key driver for this show too – lots of songs that give children the opportunity to interact and engage with movement.
MB: Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions Greg. I have to tell you, my 14 year old daughter Audrey (the youngest of 5 children) was really excited about your record - she even called you her idol! I wish you great success, and hope you continue to be such a positive influence and teacher to children everywhere for many years to come. Merry Christmas to you and your family Greg!
GP: Thank you so much! I’m glad that even though Audrey may have grown up a bit, she still remembers her years of watching The Wiggles! Being part of children’s lives all over the world has certainly been an honor and a privilege! Merry Christmas to everyone – Audrey too! J
-----------------------------------------------------
Yellow Entertainment - Buy "Here Comes Christmas!" purchase link
Greg Page on the Web
---------------------------------------------
Merry and Bright!: Hello Greg. Thank you for the opportunity for this interview. "Here Comes Christmas!" is really a wonderful album, and I'm pleased to be able to share some of your insights with my readers.
Greg Page: Thank you for your wonderful comments about the album, it was a real pleasure to be able to produce this album!
MB: It's great to see your new family entertainment projects after such a long and successful run as a founding member of The Wiggles. What led you to start this new phase of your career with a Christmas album?
GP: I’ve always wanted to do a Christmas album – I love the music that is associated with Christmas, probably because of the emotional attachment to the holiday period – good will to all, time spent with family, and children being excited about Santa Claus visiting them. To be able to re-launch my career with music for children with an album such as this seemed so natural, and something that I was passionate about. That’s really the origins of it!
MB: "Here Comes Christmas"! isn't your first foray into Christmas music. You've recorded many original and classic Christmas songs with The Wiggles. How did your approach to "Here Comes Christmas!" differ from your earlier Christmas recordings?
GP: Yes, I’ve recorded at least 3 Christmas CDs (that I can think of) with The Wiggles. The approach with this was really just to find as many great, classic songs and carols as I could think of, and put them into a musical context that would have meaning for children. At the same time, there were songs that I knew I had already recorded with The Wiggles, so I was mindful of not just “ripping off” those versions I had already sung on. And of course, I had to throw in some original songs as well, just for good measure! I’m really happy with how those ones have turned out – I think my favourite would have to be “Christmas Bells.”
MB: You've shown a very deft touch in adapting Christmas standards to make them very focused for an audience of youngsters without losing any of their traditional qualities. Tell us about your process of developing these song arrangements to making them so appealing to kids as well as grownups like me?
GP: For me, the sounds of Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Perry Como really drive home that Christmas feel. It is in the arrangements of the songs as much as the performance that you connect with the audience. With the arrangements that we did, I wanted to stay true to those original versions as much as possible so as to give children a real sense of musical tone colour. The instruments of the orchestra have such differing textures, and it is so valuable for a child to hear the difference between brass and woodwind, and stringed and percussion instruments. So in terms of making them “child friendly” the other half of connection comes about from the delivery of the vocal performance. This is something which I honed over many years with The Wiggles, and I hope that children all over the world will hear that connection still, with the songs on “Here Comes Christmas!”
MB: I love your update of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" with a menagerie of animals. Tell me, where in the world did 'axolatl' come from? Puppy dogs, cows-a mooing, piggies oinking, and axolatls! I love it, but where did you come up with that as one of the animals to be part of the song?
GP: One of my children had an axolotl a few years ago. It was such a unique pet! The kids loved it. So when I was thinking of what kinds of animals children might like to look at and learn about, I thought of axolotls!
MB: Do you have any plans for videos to accompany these songs? "Twelve Days...", "Rudolph..." and several others seem perfectly suited for music videos for kids. If so, how will they be released and made available to the public?
GP: There are no plans for any videos as yet. I would love for this album to go really well, and follow it up with a live concert DVD – maybe that’s a project for next year! In the meantime, I’ve got some other plans for Yellow Entertainment and some other children’s shows that will be in production under the Yellow Entertainment label.
MB: I really enjoyed all three of your original songs - "Here Comes Christmas!", "Christmas Bells", and "It's Christmas". Is it hard to write an original Christmas song that is refreshing and new, and not have it sound derivative of all the other Christmas songs we hear each season?
GP: Glad you liked them! Luckily I had some help with writing these songs. Alec Miller, my co-producer was also co-writer of these songs. When you are working with people as talented as Alec, it makes it a lot easier to come up with fresh ideas that don’t hark too much to songs that have been written before. The other key thing to remember when writing is that your audience is children and their parents. Firstly, you have to engage the children, so in terms of content that limits things a little, and secondly you have make it accessible to the parents, so that’s where the fun begins in drawing upon all your musical styles so that parents can relate to the song musically too –even though the content may be for children, the music isn’t dumbed down.
MB: What are some of your personal favorite Christmas songs?
GP: I love so many Christmas songs – "The Little Drummer Boy" is one of my favourite songs – the story-telling aspect of this song has always appealed to me, together with the melody of the song. I also love some of the more traditional, simple songs such as “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells”!
MB: Does Australia have its own unique Christmas song canon, or are the classics you've included on "Here Comes Christmas!" what you would hear in your home country during the Christmas season?
GP: Australia has some of its own Christmas songs, but really we sing most of the same songs as other parts of the world. The “Australian” Christmas songs have not become big here – they may be known by some, but by and large, all the songs that are on “Here Comes Christmas” are indicative of what people would listen to in Australia.
MB: Before we wrap up, would you like to share a few words about "Butterscotch's Playground"?
GP: Butterscotch’s Playground is a new brand featuring puppets (a la Henson’s Muppets) that was originally created by Alec Miller and Vera Nakovic. They approached me to work with them to develop the concept into something that would include me in the show in some way. Together, we have written and shot 3 episodes that are available on DVD or for download via iTunes. The crux of the show is that the whole wide world is your playground to explore and learn about – no matter where you go in the world, it always presents an opportunity to learn something new! Butterscotch (a rabbit), Honey Bear (a bear), Frankie (a monkey) and Charles (a bluebird) live in a literal playground with swings, a slide and a teeter-totter. I am the caretaker of the playground, and together with the children we set-up wonderful adventures where the children and their cuddly friends can go and see things they may not have ever seen before. That’s where the whole wide world becomes your playground! Music is a key driver for this show too – lots of songs that give children the opportunity to interact and engage with movement.
MB: Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions Greg. I have to tell you, my 14 year old daughter Audrey (the youngest of 5 children) was really excited about your record - she even called you her idol! I wish you great success, and hope you continue to be such a positive influence and teacher to children everywhere for many years to come. Merry Christmas to you and your family Greg!
GP: Thank you so much! I’m glad that even though Audrey may have grown up a bit, she still remembers her years of watching The Wiggles! Being part of children’s lives all over the world has certainly been an honor and a privilege! Merry Christmas to everyone – Audrey too! J
-----------------------------------------------------
Yellow Entertainment - Buy "Here Comes Christmas!" purchase link
Greg Page on the Web
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Elizabeth Chan: "Red & Green"
Elizabeth Chan is the hardest working Christmas Music Artist in the land. Is she the only "Christmas Music Artist", exclusively dedicated to the holiday genre, around? She might be. There are a lot of indie artists out in Noisetrade/Bandcamp land that may have only released Christmas records, but it's safe to say that Elizabeth Chan has attained heights as a Christmas recording artist that are unparalleled.
Christmas blog readers know Elizabeth's story by now - gave up a Conde Nast career to focus exclusively on Christmas music - writing and recording. She released the EP "Naughty and Nice" followed by albums "Everyday Holidays" in 2013 and "Christmas in the City" in 2014. Well, Elizabeth is back this year with "Red & Green", an album of 12 songs, some new, some remixes of earlier releases, and some revisited from earlier albums, making "Red & Green" sort of a 'greatest hits plus new material' CD for your holiday collection.
The song "Red & Green" is the first single release from the album. It continues the trend of blending catchy pop melodies and snappy beats, with lyrics that leave no doubt that this is a Christmas song. "Red & Green" has solid pop sensibilities that make for great, ear-catching airplay when it comes across your radio. It has musical depth in its arrangement, featuring Elizabeth's energetic vocals, super backup singers, and a fine helping of sleigh bells.
Also new is"What Sweeter Music", an adaption of the 17th century poem by Robert Herrick. Slower in tempo and driven by piano and cello, this lyrically modernized version is perhaps Elizabeth's best recording to date. It's a beautiful song, effusively blooming with the spirit of Christmas. The heart of the poem is retained:
Awake the Voice, Awake the String
Heart and ear and eye and everything
and Elizabeth's expanded lyrics and moving, subtle arrangement make this a personal favorite, as it respects the original work while making it accessible to a 21st century audience.
Another favorite of mine from the album is the orchestral remix of "A Christmas Song". Already a fave, the orchestral cut breathes new life into "A Christmas Song", a superbly successful composition that blends together snippets of verse from our favorite Christmas classics. In my opinion, there are two very challenging avenues of Christmas song writing. First, writing an homage to the Christmas canon and including lyrics and phrases from the best-known holiday songs without sounding repetitive and thrown together. Elizabeth has done that with "A Christmas Song" by channeling her songwriting skills but also by making the song personal. Her songs come from her heart first, before traveling through her brain and out of her songwriter's hands.
The second challenge is writing a song about Christmas in a city (insert your city here: ______) without sounding trite and cliche. As I noted in last year's review "Christmas in the City" succeeds here where so many other songs fail. It's a beautiful Christmas song about New York City, once again coming from Elizabeth's heart. It's inclusion on "Red & Green" will serve as a great way for new listeners to fully appreciate her talent.
Each year, Elizabeth takes new steps toward her goal of creating a classic Christmas song. Her presence on Christmas music radio (traditional and satellite) grows each season, and soon I think you'll hear her more and more as you tune in to your holiday music station of choice, especially the ones whose programmers will add new artists into the mix with the standards. "Red & Green" is a joyous album of Christmas music, excellent for new Chan fans, and a great addition for those of us who have followed her career from the beginning.
Elizabeth Chan website
Merry Bright Music website
"Red & Green" available at all the usual music retailers.
Christmas blog readers know Elizabeth's story by now - gave up a Conde Nast career to focus exclusively on Christmas music - writing and recording. She released the EP "Naughty and Nice" followed by albums "Everyday Holidays" in 2013 and "Christmas in the City" in 2014. Well, Elizabeth is back this year with "Red & Green", an album of 12 songs, some new, some remixes of earlier releases, and some revisited from earlier albums, making "Red & Green" sort of a 'greatest hits plus new material' CD for your holiday collection.
The song "Red & Green" is the first single release from the album. It continues the trend of blending catchy pop melodies and snappy beats, with lyrics that leave no doubt that this is a Christmas song. "Red & Green" has solid pop sensibilities that make for great, ear-catching airplay when it comes across your radio. It has musical depth in its arrangement, featuring Elizabeth's energetic vocals, super backup singers, and a fine helping of sleigh bells.
Also new is"What Sweeter Music", an adaption of the 17th century poem by Robert Herrick. Slower in tempo and driven by piano and cello, this lyrically modernized version is perhaps Elizabeth's best recording to date. It's a beautiful song, effusively blooming with the spirit of Christmas. The heart of the poem is retained:
Awake the Voice, Awake the String
Heart and ear and eye and everything
and Elizabeth's expanded lyrics and moving, subtle arrangement make this a personal favorite, as it respects the original work while making it accessible to a 21st century audience.
Another favorite of mine from the album is the orchestral remix of "A Christmas Song". Already a fave, the orchestral cut breathes new life into "A Christmas Song", a superbly successful composition that blends together snippets of verse from our favorite Christmas classics. In my opinion, there are two very challenging avenues of Christmas song writing. First, writing an homage to the Christmas canon and including lyrics and phrases from the best-known holiday songs without sounding repetitive and thrown together. Elizabeth has done that with "A Christmas Song" by channeling her songwriting skills but also by making the song personal. Her songs come from her heart first, before traveling through her brain and out of her songwriter's hands.
The second challenge is writing a song about Christmas in a city (insert your city here: ______) without sounding trite and cliche. As I noted in last year's review "Christmas in the City" succeeds here where so many other songs fail. It's a beautiful Christmas song about New York City, once again coming from Elizabeth's heart. It's inclusion on "Red & Green" will serve as a great way for new listeners to fully appreciate her talent.
Each year, Elizabeth takes new steps toward her goal of creating a classic Christmas song. Her presence on Christmas music radio (traditional and satellite) grows each season, and soon I think you'll hear her more and more as you tune in to your holiday music station of choice, especially the ones whose programmers will add new artists into the mix with the standards. "Red & Green" is a joyous album of Christmas music, excellent for new Chan fans, and a great addition for those of us who have followed her career from the beginning.
Elizabeth Chan website
Merry Bright Music website
"Red & Green" available at all the usual music retailers.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Kickstarter Fun: Fifty Ways to Off an Elf
Here's a quick little post about a fun project over at Kickstarter, but you'd better hurry. As of now (Nov 25) there are only five days to go to be a backer.
James Lincke together with Matt Lake (of "Night of the Krampus" fame) have teamed up once again to produce "Fifty Ways to Off an Elf". From the project description:
"THE PROBLEM: Elves have only two natural habitats--the North Pole and Tolkien's Middle Earth. Everywhere else they show up on the planet, they are an invasive species. And at this time of year, they are cropping up at an alarming rate. They appear in malls, at parties, at workplaces and in homes. They are literally everywhere. And they must be stamped out."
For the rest of the project details, you'll have to visit the site. It looks like a total blast. Just pretend that an elf pushed 'play' every time you hear "The Christmas Shoes" and you'll be in the proper spirit :-) James has some great rewards for backers, and as of this writing he is very close to funding. So check it out!
Click here: Fifty Ways to Off an Elf
Bwa ha ha
Friday, November 20, 2015
Astrocolor - "Lit Up - Music for Christmas"
Astrocolor's "Lit Up - Music for Christmas" has gotten a lot of coverage on the sites of the usual suspects in the Christmas Music Web (kind of like the Dark Web, but brighter and more twinkly), so I was going to give it a quick review and then keep moving on to the next record, but listening through it again to prep for writing this post, I decided I have to write a more complete review.
"Lit Up" is the debut album from Astrocolor, hailing from "the western edge of Canada" according to their website. "Lit Up" has 10 songs, foundations of the Christmas Music Canon, but as you've never heard them before. The treatment that "We Three Kings", "Sleigh Ride", "O Christmas Tree", and the other seven songs get is a unique and completely new listening experience. Self-described as "ambient, dubby, and jazzy", I would add layered, synth, funky, smooth, cosmic, and dreamy to the list of descriptors. These styles are expertly blended with perfectly executed instrumental and vocal performances.
The music is enigmatic. It is so familiar to us all, yet more than just re-arrangements to make a totally fresh and interesting listening experience. It's soothing and has a background-music vibe, yet always exists in the forefront. For some reason, one impression while listening was that it's like a cat - the music demands your attention, then turns away once you come to it. It's Schrodinger's Christmas Music - it is both background and foreground, it is both classic and original, it is and it isn't traditional.
Sometimes these experimental records fall flat, or veer off so far from the mainstream that they lose direction. Not with "Lit Up". It has that sound of a perfectly executed musical vision. Even the album's sub-title reflects the surreal nature of this record, "Music for Christmas". Not Christmas music, it's music for Christmas. Der Bingle likes it a lot. Check it out on Spotify, buy it on iTunes or Amazon, or order up a special green vinyl edition, to be released December 11th.
Astrocolor web-site
"Lit Up" is the debut album from Astrocolor, hailing from "the western edge of Canada" according to their website. "Lit Up" has 10 songs, foundations of the Christmas Music Canon, but as you've never heard them before. The treatment that "We Three Kings", "Sleigh Ride", "O Christmas Tree", and the other seven songs get is a unique and completely new listening experience. Self-described as "ambient, dubby, and jazzy", I would add layered, synth, funky, smooth, cosmic, and dreamy to the list of descriptors. These styles are expertly blended with perfectly executed instrumental and vocal performances.
The music is enigmatic. It is so familiar to us all, yet more than just re-arrangements to make a totally fresh and interesting listening experience. It's soothing and has a background-music vibe, yet always exists in the forefront. For some reason, one impression while listening was that it's like a cat - the music demands your attention, then turns away once you come to it. It's Schrodinger's Christmas Music - it is both background and foreground, it is both classic and original, it is and it isn't traditional.
Sometimes these experimental records fall flat, or veer off so far from the mainstream that they lose direction. Not with "Lit Up". It has that sound of a perfectly executed musical vision. Even the album's sub-title reflects the surreal nature of this record, "Music for Christmas". Not Christmas music, it's music for Christmas. Der Bingle likes it a lot. Check it out on Spotify, buy it on iTunes or Amazon, or order up a special green vinyl edition, to be released December 11th.
Astrocolor web-site
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Checking in with Elizabeth Chan
Our favorite New York City gal, the Queen of Christmas, Elizabeth Chan, is back again this Christmas season. Back? She never leaves! Elizabeth lives Christmas every day, from her 365 days of wearing red to her outlook on life. I got the chance to catch up with Elizabeth for the readers of Merry & Bright!
---------------------------------
Merry & Bright: Hello Elizabeth! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for Merry & Bright!
Elizabeth Chan: Of course! ☺ Always love hearing from you!
MB: You have a new single this year, “Red & Green”, and a new album by the same name. Tell us about “Red & Green”. How did this single and album come about?
EC: I have a very different way of approaching writing Christmas music. Partially because of my distinct perspective. My entire life is dedicated to writing and producing Christmas music – so that changes the lens in which you see things and also the way people see you.
Red and Green is an autobiographical account of my Christmas last year. My fans and friends call me the Queen of Christmas, and even though I’ve got this big title – I’m still a regular person! I still want Christmas to be awesome. No matter how much you look forward to an event, whether it’s a holiday, a birthday or even celebration – sometimes things don’t end up the way you planned. That song speaks to that perspective!
MB: You also have a new video release – a version of “Jingle Bells” inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”. The video looks like it was a blast to make, although a lot of hard work, too. Any stories to share about the making of the Swift-y song and video?
EC: I have a running FAQ list – two of the most common questions are: 1. Why don’t you do a Christmas cover and 2. Why don’t you write and perform non-Christmas music. Clearly these two requests are counter to my whole goal in writing an original new Christmas standard. As a joke for my colleagues and friends during my Christmas in July celebration – I performed Jingle Bells to “Shake it Off.” It was a huge hit, and I decided it would be fun to take the joke one step further for them. It’s really my artistic standpoint and answer to those questions. It’s all very much my art though – it definitely has an Elizabeth Chan style and sensibility to it.
MB: Each year seems to get better for Elizabeth Chan and her music. Any hints about what else we can expect, either this season or next?
EC: I’m not a household name yet – I still feel the humility and am humbled when famous people put out holiday records up against mine. I can say that I do have the most heart in all my songs. I belabor over their detail and craftsmanship. In that sense I have definitely heard how I’ve improved as a songwriter and producer, year over year. I’m already working on my next album – I think next year is going to be a really exciting record for me. I’m going to try some new things with my songs. Hopefully my fans will appreciate where I’m going with the music.
MB: Are there any plans to bring other artists into the Merry Bright Music label?
EC: That’s a great question! The answer is yes ☺ Without giving away too much more – stay tuned to this …
MB: Beyond your music, your messages throughout the year on social media are always inspiring and at the heart of the Spirit of Christmas, and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and all ways that the season is celebrated - messages of peace, inclusion, and joy. You really do live Christmas every day, don’t you?
EC: You know, my career and life epitomizes this sense and spirit of believing in faith and miracles. Not that any job or career is a miracle – but this belief in my passion, and love for my dream and that it can come true is so core to what the holidays are about. It takes a village to bring my music out to the world – I am definitely the recipient of the gifts of my team that I’ve worked with throughout the years. How can I not show this sense of gratitude and thanks all year round?
MB: Thanks Elizabeth! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
EC: Merry Merry Everybody! :D I hope everyone checks out my new record and please let me know what you think!
----------------------------------
Elizabeth Chan - "Jingle Bells" ("Shake It Off" Parody) on YouTube: link
Elizabeth Chan website
"Red & Green" on Amazon
Also available on iTunes and other fine music retailers.
---------------------------------
Merry & Bright: Hello Elizabeth! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for Merry & Bright!
Elizabeth Chan: Of course! ☺ Always love hearing from you!
MB: You have a new single this year, “Red & Green”, and a new album by the same name. Tell us about “Red & Green”. How did this single and album come about?
EC: I have a very different way of approaching writing Christmas music. Partially because of my distinct perspective. My entire life is dedicated to writing and producing Christmas music – so that changes the lens in which you see things and also the way people see you.
Red and Green is an autobiographical account of my Christmas last year. My fans and friends call me the Queen of Christmas, and even though I’ve got this big title – I’m still a regular person! I still want Christmas to be awesome. No matter how much you look forward to an event, whether it’s a holiday, a birthday or even celebration – sometimes things don’t end up the way you planned. That song speaks to that perspective!
MB: You also have a new video release – a version of “Jingle Bells” inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”. The video looks like it was a blast to make, although a lot of hard work, too. Any stories to share about the making of the Swift-y song and video?
EC: I have a running FAQ list – two of the most common questions are: 1. Why don’t you do a Christmas cover and 2. Why don’t you write and perform non-Christmas music. Clearly these two requests are counter to my whole goal in writing an original new Christmas standard. As a joke for my colleagues and friends during my Christmas in July celebration – I performed Jingle Bells to “Shake it Off.” It was a huge hit, and I decided it would be fun to take the joke one step further for them. It’s really my artistic standpoint and answer to those questions. It’s all very much my art though – it definitely has an Elizabeth Chan style and sensibility to it.
MB: Each year seems to get better for Elizabeth Chan and her music. Any hints about what else we can expect, either this season or next?
EC: I’m not a household name yet – I still feel the humility and am humbled when famous people put out holiday records up against mine. I can say that I do have the most heart in all my songs. I belabor over their detail and craftsmanship. In that sense I have definitely heard how I’ve improved as a songwriter and producer, year over year. I’m already working on my next album – I think next year is going to be a really exciting record for me. I’m going to try some new things with my songs. Hopefully my fans will appreciate where I’m going with the music.
MB: Are there any plans to bring other artists into the Merry Bright Music label?
EC: That’s a great question! The answer is yes ☺ Without giving away too much more – stay tuned to this …
MB: Beyond your music, your messages throughout the year on social media are always inspiring and at the heart of the Spirit of Christmas, and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and all ways that the season is celebrated - messages of peace, inclusion, and joy. You really do live Christmas every day, don’t you?
EC: You know, my career and life epitomizes this sense and spirit of believing in faith and miracles. Not that any job or career is a miracle – but this belief in my passion, and love for my dream and that it can come true is so core to what the holidays are about. It takes a village to bring my music out to the world – I am definitely the recipient of the gifts of my team that I’ve worked with throughout the years. How can I not show this sense of gratitude and thanks all year round?
MB: Thanks Elizabeth! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
EC: Merry Merry Everybody! :D I hope everyone checks out my new record and please let me know what you think!
----------------------------------
Elizabeth Chan - "Jingle Bells" ("Shake It Off" Parody) on YouTube: link
Elizabeth Chan website
"Red & Green" on Amazon
Also available on iTunes and other fine music retailers.
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