This is definitely one of the best new Christmas albums this year.
Whitehorse shows how broad a range the duo has, tackling a bunch of
different styles on this holiday offering. Over the nine songs and 30
minutes, there are seven new originals, covering pop, ballad, orchestral
and choral, a little of their raw guitar sound, a potential catchy rock
hit in Merry Christmas, Baby, and lead vocals from both Melissa
McClelland and Luke Doucet. Throughout, lots of sharp, thoughtful lyrics
cover universal themes of hope rather than cliched story lines or
overblown sentiment.
I like how the duo has
approached the season as they do with regular albums, by writing about
topics and moods we all go through, rather than resorting to the usual
Christmas tropes. Ho Ho Ho is about getting ho-ho-home in all the usual
seasonal chaos: "With all the cancelled flights, I hope you even make it
here." Two Snowbirds, which features what might be McClelland's most
gorgeous vocal ever in the band, is about getting the heck out of Dodge
in the winter cold, and how the season's cheer can follow you somewhere
warm too.
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