1. I Feel The Christmas Spirit
2. It Really Is (A Wonderful Life)
3. O Holy Night
4. Your Holiday Song
5. I'll Be Home For Christmas
6. Mistletoe
7. Peace Child
8. The Wonder Song
9. In The Bleak Midwinter
10. Happy Joyous Hanukkah
11. Angels We Have Heard On High
12. There's Still My Joy
AMAZON
ARTIST SITE
Sometimes, as they used to say over at Christmas Reviews, you get a slam dunk.
The Indigo Girls, Emily Saliers and Amy Ray , burst onto the public consciousness back in 1989 with their MTV hit "Closer To Fine" (the song only reached #52 on the charts). After that, you didn't hear much from the Indigo Girls on the Pop charts. Instead, they went about making the music they wanted to and letting the chips fall where they may. Well, the chips have been pretty good to the Indigo Girls. They've recorded and performed to sold out crowds consistently for the last 20 years. Their audience is as loyal as anyone's. Their voices and craft every bit as strong as they were back in the day.
It's strange that they didn't get around to a Christmas album before now. They did perform "In The Bleak Midwinter" on an A&E Christmas special back in 1990 and, later, offered the track as a download on their web site. And Emily Saliers recorded a version of "River" for an Atlanta compilation in 2001. But only recently did the Christmas bug strike them in earnest (simultaneously, as they tell the story) and, oddly, it struck them both at the same time as a desire to do some Bluegrass. So they gathered up some of the finest Bluegrass musicians around and recorded the kind of Christmas album they wanted to make.
Bluegrass doesn't dominate the album at all, for those worried about such things. It frames and flavors it more than anything else. The album does open with a Bluegrass tune--the Isaacs' under recorded "I Feel The Christmas Spirit". But the album then moves comfortably into the Indigo Girls zone--that Folk/Pop sound that made "Closer To Fine" the aural experience it was. Originals like "Your Holiday Song" and "The Wonder Song" absolutely sparkle with seasonal joy. "Mistletoe", another original, offers a more peaceful and serene soundscape--romantic in its way and beautifully done, especially the backing harmonies.
The traditional tunes are expertly executed, as well. "Angels We Have Heard On High" is a popular favorite, showcasing the Indigo Girls exquisite harmonies. The duo bring all the necessary emotions to "I'll Be Home For Christmas"--striking the perfect balance between the hope and the longing, a balance few artists manage. But, oddly, I find "Happy Joyous Hanukkah" the most representative song on the disc; more than any other track, here, it wears its joy on its sleeve. It's clear, listening to the Hanukkah song, that the Indigo Girls had a lot of fun making this record. And, because they had fun, so did I.
"Holly Happy Days" by the Indigo Girls is one of the season's finest. It's a delight you'll listen to many times over without the need or desire for a shuffle feature.
2. It Really Is (A Wonderful Life)
3. O Holy Night
4. Your Holiday Song
5. I'll Be Home For Christmas
6. Mistletoe
7. Peace Child
8. The Wonder Song
9. In The Bleak Midwinter
10. Happy Joyous Hanukkah
11. Angels We Have Heard On High
12. There's Still My Joy
AMAZON
ARTIST SITE
Sometimes, as they used to say over at Christmas Reviews, you get a slam dunk.
The Indigo Girls, Emily Saliers and Amy Ray , burst onto the public consciousness back in 1989 with their MTV hit "Closer To Fine" (the song only reached #52 on the charts). After that, you didn't hear much from the Indigo Girls on the Pop charts. Instead, they went about making the music they wanted to and letting the chips fall where they may. Well, the chips have been pretty good to the Indigo Girls. They've recorded and performed to sold out crowds consistently for the last 20 years. Their audience is as loyal as anyone's. Their voices and craft every bit as strong as they were back in the day.
It's strange that they didn't get around to a Christmas album before now. They did perform "In The Bleak Midwinter" on an A&E Christmas special back in 1990 and, later, offered the track as a download on their web site. And Emily Saliers recorded a version of "River" for an Atlanta compilation in 2001. But only recently did the Christmas bug strike them in earnest (simultaneously, as they tell the story) and, oddly, it struck them both at the same time as a desire to do some Bluegrass. So they gathered up some of the finest Bluegrass musicians around and recorded the kind of Christmas album they wanted to make.
Bluegrass doesn't dominate the album at all, for those worried about such things. It frames and flavors it more than anything else. The album does open with a Bluegrass tune--the Isaacs' under recorded "I Feel The Christmas Spirit". But the album then moves comfortably into the Indigo Girls zone--that Folk/Pop sound that made "Closer To Fine" the aural experience it was. Originals like "Your Holiday Song" and "The Wonder Song" absolutely sparkle with seasonal joy. "Mistletoe", another original, offers a more peaceful and serene soundscape--romantic in its way and beautifully done, especially the backing harmonies.
The traditional tunes are expertly executed, as well. "Angels We Have Heard On High" is a popular favorite, showcasing the Indigo Girls exquisite harmonies. The duo bring all the necessary emotions to "I'll Be Home For Christmas"--striking the perfect balance between the hope and the longing, a balance few artists manage. But, oddly, I find "Happy Joyous Hanukkah" the most representative song on the disc; more than any other track, here, it wears its joy on its sleeve. It's clear, listening to the Hanukkah song, that the Indigo Girls had a lot of fun making this record. And, because they had fun, so did I.
"Holly Happy Days" by the Indigo Girls is one of the season's finest. It's a delight you'll listen to many times over without the need or desire for a shuffle feature.
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