release date: Oct. 30, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Ewan Pearson
label: Strange Feeling Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Joy" - 2. "Hard Candy Christmas" - 3. "Like a Snowman" - 4. "Maybe This Christmas" - 8. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - 9. "Tinsel and Lights" - 10. "River" - 11. "Taking Down the Tree" (feat. Green Gartside)
4th studio album by Tracey Thorn is a collection of Christmas songs written by various contemporary and classic artists including Joni Mitchell, Ron Sexsmith, Randy Newman, Jack White, Sufjan Stevens and Green Gartside (the latter also featuring on vocals on two tracks), as well as three by Thorn herself. The songs are not 'the usual' familiar canonical hymns but selected songs adapted for a quiet and uniform chamber pop sound. The first track "Joy" by Thorn feature husband Ben Watt and their three children on choir. Watt also contribute on guitar and piano on several tracks, and also producer Ewan Pearson handles synths on the majority of the tracks. Other musicians are Steve Pearce on bass and Leo Taylor on drums.
The album is a delicate, warm and fine alternative Christmas album.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]
