Christmas songs aren’t typically known for being innovative or experimental, but that wouldn’t stop the dynamic husband-wife duo of Margee Minier-Tubbs & Premik Russell Tubbs. Their latest single, “The Bells” arrives as a warm, slightly eccentric holiday single that trades standard Christmas pop for a jazz-forward production.
Clocking in at close to seven minutes long, this track feels more like a short suite than a radio carol and draws inspiration from an Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same name. Naturally, Poe’s work was darker and drearier, requiring some work on the lyrics and arrangement to give it a more festive feel.
The vocals are much closer to spoken-word poetry than song, and features Patrick Carmichael, together with Margee. Rather than a conventional Christmas narrative, this single leans into more evocative, poetic imagery that reads like a meditation on memory and ritual.
https://margeeminier-tubbs.bandcamp.com/track/the-bells-2
The instruments carry most of the emotional weight between lines with Premik framing the piece with the kind of multi-textured instrumentation he’s known for. Flutes and sax weave in and out, underpinned by shimmering piano and a rhythm section that favors color over rigid groove. The arrangement feels deliberate, textural, and designed to be experienced rather than skimmed.
The production on this single favors space and detail as the mix gives air to woodwinds and violin while keeping the percussion tactile. The vocalists are placed in a warm, close-up position, making it all the more rewarding to listen to the quiet, sparse verses bloom into fuller instrumental choruses.
The Bells is a tasteful, grown-up holiday piece that prioritizes atmosphere, musicianship, and poetry over instant pop gratification. If you enjoy holiday music with a jazz-fusion edge, coupled with literate lyrics and a willingness to let a song breathe, this single is sure to land well.