This is one of the reasons I still sift through Soundcloud. Because, every once in a while, there's a gem like this--an original voice. I've never heard nor heard of John Hardy before (not this one, anyway). My guess is no one outside of England has. He's spent years working in other people's bands and doing odd jobs to pay the bills. Now he's going it solo. "It's taken me a long time to be able to write these songs. Trying to find my own voice," John says, "not to copy and be original is something not always rewarded in music, but it's something I strive to be." He's got a growing following in England's Folk music circles and just released an EP, "Our Mate John", earlier this year.
But who, outside of those who already know him, is ever going to hear this Christmas song? It's essentially a demo and, if it ever makes its way to a physical release, its likely to go through changes. That's why I feel the need to sift through all the muck (and mire) at Soundcloud. It's a rescue mission.
"Let's Call A Christmas Truce" plays well on multiple levels but, on the main one, it's a song about a soldier at war. Most of the Christmas war songs you hear play "big", by which I mean you never actually get the feeling you're looking at any one individual person. Think of one of the greatest war Christmas songs--"Christmas In The Trenches". It's genius; I wouldn't say otherwise. But, even though its a first person narrative, you never really feel you get to know Francis Tolliver. That's not a criticism. Tolliver's role in the song is to be a kind of everyman. But, once in a while, it's necessary to bring the camera in for a close-up on just one person. By being that close up on one soldier, he becomes an everyman by virtue of being real.
"Let's Call A Christmas Truce" has that kind of focus. Instead of a big war is going on and, oh yeah, here's a song about the soldiers in it, this one is here's a guy alone, away from home, depressed, lonely, not much hope for the future, a little bored even and, oh yeah, there's a war going on around him. See what I'm trying to say?
Great lyrics throughout. "The rich get rich, the saints get shot. God don't answer prayers a lot." "The Bible's not replying, so we pray upon these guns. This cigarette could be our last through Matthew, Mark & John. These boys aren't fit for killing, so survive another day. Let's call a Christmas truce today." And the music works it perfectly--bare and intimate with those twinkling sounds we immediately associate with happy Christmas music sounding so sad.
A beautiful song from John Hardy. I hope we hear more from him. "Let's Call A Christmas Truce" is a free download via Soundcloud.
But who, outside of those who already know him, is ever going to hear this Christmas song? It's essentially a demo and, if it ever makes its way to a physical release, its likely to go through changes. That's why I feel the need to sift through all the muck (and mire) at Soundcloud. It's a rescue mission.
"Let's Call A Christmas Truce" plays well on multiple levels but, on the main one, it's a song about a soldier at war. Most of the Christmas war songs you hear play "big", by which I mean you never actually get the feeling you're looking at any one individual person. Think of one of the greatest war Christmas songs--"Christmas In The Trenches". It's genius; I wouldn't say otherwise. But, even though its a first person narrative, you never really feel you get to know Francis Tolliver. That's not a criticism. Tolliver's role in the song is to be a kind of everyman. But, once in a while, it's necessary to bring the camera in for a close-up on just one person. By being that close up on one soldier, he becomes an everyman by virtue of being real.
"Let's Call A Christmas Truce" has that kind of focus. Instead of a big war is going on and, oh yeah, here's a song about the soldiers in it, this one is here's a guy alone, away from home, depressed, lonely, not much hope for the future, a little bored even and, oh yeah, there's a war going on around him. See what I'm trying to say?
Great lyrics throughout. "The rich get rich, the saints get shot. God don't answer prayers a lot." "The Bible's not replying, so we pray upon these guns. This cigarette could be our last through Matthew, Mark & John. These boys aren't fit for killing, so survive another day. Let's call a Christmas truce today." And the music works it perfectly--bare and intimate with those twinkling sounds we immediately associate with happy Christmas music sounding so sad.
A beautiful song from John Hardy. I hope we hear more from him. "Let's Call A Christmas Truce" is a free download via Soundcloud.
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