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These two Christmas songs came out in mid-October, and I spotted them straight away. But it was one of those cases where the other Christmas sites were on it and so I thought I'd let them marinate for a while, come back around and remind you.
Martha's Trouble is the husband and wife team of Jen and Rob Slocum. Jen was from Canada, Rob from Nashville. Roughly 20 years ago, they met quite by chance in a Texas coffee shop where Jen booked bands. Rob was a musician whose latest music venture had just crashed and burned. They bonded over music, fell in love, got married. And, oh yeah, they started writing and singing together.
Now, maybe I just hang with a specific kind of people (Christmas music fanatics), but my recollection is that Martha's Trouble really first made their name with Christmas music. Timing is everything, of course, and the duo recorded their album "Christmas Lights" in 2002. At that same time, online Indie music was really becoming a thing. And it was also around that time that Christmas music fanatics started finding each other over the Internets. As I recall it, it really took a year or two for word of Martha's Trouble's brilliant Indie Alt Folk Christmas album to circulate completely through the Christmas music community (the 'Nets were slower then). But notes were being exchanged. "Dude, you have to hear this record; it's freaking gorgeous". It's now considered one of those "essential" albums Christmas music lovers have to own (even if only mp3s). And, dang, I just realized I could have put it on the Essentials page (where nothing has been done in ages).
Martha's Trouble did another Christmas album in 2008, "This Christmas". And I know that, in some circles, it was less enthusiastically received, which I chalk up to "the Mom factor". "The Mom factor" is that feeling you get when, for example, your Mom gets a Facebook page. Nothing changed about Facebook, really, but it just somehow seems less cool. Nonetheless, while there was less "you gotta hear this" chatter, it still sold extremely well. And, artistically, it was every bit as gorgeous. Just listen to what they do with an old warhorse like "Jingle Bells".
It's been 7 years since "This Christmas". Rob and Jen are still together (and they said it wouldn't last). Martha's Trouble gets their music on TV shows frequently, and it must be time for some new Christmas music. And, indeed, we have TWO new singles from the duo--both available free from Noisetrade. "White Christmas" features the more unique arrangement, but I just love Jen's voice on "River". There's no need to choose between them, though--just get 'em both. Free.
Martha's Trouble is the husband and wife team of Jen and Rob Slocum. Jen was from Canada, Rob from Nashville. Roughly 20 years ago, they met quite by chance in a Texas coffee shop where Jen booked bands. Rob was a musician whose latest music venture had just crashed and burned. They bonded over music, fell in love, got married. And, oh yeah, they started writing and singing together.
Now, maybe I just hang with a specific kind of people (Christmas music fanatics), but my recollection is that Martha's Trouble really first made their name with Christmas music. Timing is everything, of course, and the duo recorded their album "Christmas Lights" in 2002. At that same time, online Indie music was really becoming a thing. And it was also around that time that Christmas music fanatics started finding each other over the Internets. As I recall it, it really took a year or two for word of Martha's Trouble's brilliant Indie Alt Folk Christmas album to circulate completely through the Christmas music community (the 'Nets were slower then). But notes were being exchanged. "Dude, you have to hear this record; it's freaking gorgeous". It's now considered one of those "essential" albums Christmas music lovers have to own (even if only mp3s). And, dang, I just realized I could have put it on the Essentials page (where nothing has been done in ages).
Martha's Trouble did another Christmas album in 2008, "This Christmas". And I know that, in some circles, it was less enthusiastically received, which I chalk up to "the Mom factor". "The Mom factor" is that feeling you get when, for example, your Mom gets a Facebook page. Nothing changed about Facebook, really, but it just somehow seems less cool. Nonetheless, while there was less "you gotta hear this" chatter, it still sold extremely well. And, artistically, it was every bit as gorgeous. Just listen to what they do with an old warhorse like "Jingle Bells".
It's been 7 years since "This Christmas". Rob and Jen are still together (and they said it wouldn't last). Martha's Trouble gets their music on TV shows frequently, and it must be time for some new Christmas music. And, indeed, we have TWO new singles from the duo--both available free from Noisetrade. "White Christmas" features the more unique arrangement, but I just love Jen's voice on "River". There's no need to choose between them, though--just get 'em both. Free.
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