Marshall has long wanted to do something with the old Christmas carols. As he points out, we sing them so much (and they are sung so much by our most popular recording artists) that we've lost the meaning. (Remember the Star Trek episode with the Yangs and the Kohms where Kirk reads the Declaration of Independence? He says, "Down the centuries, you have slurred the meaning of the words". It's kinda like that.) Do we ever stop to think about what the words to, say, "What Child Is This?" really mean, anymore? Not in broad terms, but actually listening to the words...admiring the poetry. If we're being honest then, no, we really don't. Familiarity breeds...indifference? So say you're a musician who admires these ancient carols, what they say and how they say it, and you want to share them with others. And yet you're aware of how they've been played almost into meaninglessness. Do you do a Christmas record, or is that just adding to the pile?
"It wasn’t until a friend of mine encouraged me to explore them through Young Oceans’ more 'Eastern' filter that it clicked for me," says Eric. "What if we abandoned the melody structure altogether? What if we mixed up and re-ordered the lyrics themselves? Was there a way to reverently re-present these sacred pieces of art?"
And I'm telling you, it works beautifully. "Silent Night" was an entirely new experience. I didn't just hear the words, I felt them. In my opinion, the approach of deconstructing and reconstructing the melodies and lyrics works better on some songs than others. But, when it works best, it's a literal revelation.
1. Silent Night 2. Go Tell it on the Mountain 3. O Little Town of Bethlehem 4. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear 5. Lo How a Rose er'r Blooming 6. Angels We Have Heard on High 7. Half Spent Was the Night 8. What Child is This |
Favorite tracks are "Silent Night", "Angels We Have Heard On High" and the instrumental "Half Spent Was The Night". I know a lot of mixtapers like to close with some version of "Silent Night". Gentlemen (and ladies), start your engines; Young Ocean's "Silent Night" is about as fresh a version as you'll ever present. "Songs of Christmas" by Young Oceans is available through Bandcamp and Amazon.