Doug Ferony goes for a joyful, jazzy take on the holiday classic “Jingle Bells”. The horns have a great swinging style to them as they have a distinctly New York quality to them. Allowing a bit of playfulness into the mix adds to its incredible sense of pure happiness.
“The Christmas Song feat. Buddy Smith & Larry Minne” shows off Robert Slap’s spacious arrangements. Nearly dreamy the surreal take adds to the tenderness of the piece. Easily the highlight comes from the intimate setting of the track.
With “A Christmas Heart” SEAY crafts an ambient blissful vision of what Christmas can provide. Soulful vocals grace the entirety of the piece. Done with the utmost of care, the song has a cinematic scope to it.
Going full into the Christmas spirit is the indie rock take on “It’s Christmas Time Again” by the Forty Nineteens. An absolute blast the song has a timeless quality to it. Layer upon layer of sound mix together into a uniquely balanced whole.
Love reigns supreme on the bluesy soul of Studeo’s “Spend Christmas With You”. Keeping things to the essentials the song has a bouncing quality to it. Melodically rich everything simply works with the vocals resting right in the center of it all.
A restrained classic quality defines Doug Ferony’s “It’s Christmas”. Featuring an urbane coolness to the piece everything about it possesses such exquisite detail. By far the highlight comes with the incredible piano work that propels the whole track along.
Barley Station lets every key hit hard on the poetic “Heart The Christmas Call”. Everything has a warm inviting presence to it. The buildup in particular adds to the feeling of togetherness.
Stripping things down to the essentials is the acoustic led of Angeles’ “Coming To Our Town”. A singular electric guitar weaves its way through the proceedings. The song’s chorus sings of happiness, of appreciation for what the season truly means.
Virtually glowing SEAY’s “All Around The World Christmas” ties the whole of the world together in a fantastic way. Beginning with samples of Christmas from around the world, things delve deep into what the holiday really means. Always maintaining a mysticism aura to it lends it an immersive atmosphere.
Going for a twee pop is Katie Garibaldi’s summery “The Times I Love the Most (California Christmas)”. Helping to sort of turn upside down the idea of Christmas in snow this one focuses on how Christmas works out in the bright sun. Quite humorous, the whole of the piece stems from the sweet endearing lyricism.
DocRock1007’s electro influenced “Bells” has a great neon-hued glimmer to it. Never slowing down the chugging rhythm really brings things together. Not a moment is wasted as it all comes together into a singular stream of consciousness.
Margie Balter & Shea Welsh delve into the childlike sense of wonder that Christmas invokes with ‘Secret Santa feat. La Mer”. Rather serene the song feels drenched in a yellowy haze of nostalgia. With an unforgettable melody it serves as one of the highlights of the collection.
Things have a thoughtfulness to them on Ann M. Wolf’s faith-based ode of “Mary, Did You Know?”. Keeping things to the essentials the vocals and piano becomes one. Rather spacious they let it all expand out into the infinite.
Volume deserves to be blasted on the high-intensity volume of Clifford Curry & Ashley Townsend’s “Christmas Ain’t No Time For The Blues”. Full of a great power the song rushes forward into a glorious haze. Their vocals have a commanding presence, with a slight hint of optimism.
Great fanfare introduces Velinski’s “Christmas Is A Time For Everyone”. The regal stately presence reinforces the noble qualities that define what Christmas means, of giving and taking care of others. An absolute procession of sorts, the piece has a physicality to it almost.
Les Fradkin brings things to an epic close with the colossal riffs of “Ode To Joy”. Soaring up into the sky the guitar sounds positively triumphant. Rather intense the song simply washes over the listener.
Various Artists/Song Titles:
1. Doug Ferony – Jingle Bells 1:53
2. Robert Slap – The Christmas Song feat. Buddy Smith & Larry Minne 4:17
3. SEAY – A Christmas Heart 4:42
4. The Forty Nineteens – It’s Christmas Time Again 3:09
5. Studeo – Spend Christmas With You 3:24
6. Doug Ferony – It’s Christmas 2:44
7. Barley Station – Hear The Christmas Call 4:35
8. Angeles – Coming To Our Town 2:53
9. SEAY – All Around The World Christmas 3:53
10. Katie Garibaldi – The Times I Love the Most (California Christmas) 2:48
11. DocRock1007 – Bells 1:33
12. Margie Balter & Shea Welsh – Secret Santa feat. La Mer 3:03
13. Anne M. Wolf – Mary, Did You Know? 3:23
14. Clifford Curry & Ashley Townsend – Christmas Ain’t No Time For The Blues 2:42
15. Velinski – Christmas Is A Time For Everyone 3:29
16. Les Fradkin – Ode To Joy 2:58
Official WebSite: https://bongoboyrecords.com/holidaysvol3/
