Louder Than The Music

Hawk Nelson - Christmas

Artist:

Hawk Nelson

Title:

Christmas

Type:

Album

Released:

01 Nov 2011

LTTM Rating:

Your Rating:

Review

In 2006 Hawk Nelson delivered their three track Christmas EP Gloria and now this Canadian rock quartet have released a seven track Christmas EP, simply called Christmas. With an ever growing Christmas album market, what are we going to get here? Well, this is no normal Christmas album...  

You will never have heard Hark The Herald Angels Sing played or sung like this before. Think punk-rock from Blink 182, Green Day or Sum 41 and you will have a small indication of what you're letting yourself into. But actually in a strange way it has a sweet sentiment to it, maybe...
Read More In 2006 Hawk Nelson delivered their three track Christmas EP Gloria and now this Canadian rock quartet have released a seven track Christmas EP, simply called Christmas. With an ever growing Christmas album market, what are we going to get here? Well, this is no normal Christmas album...  

You will never have heard Hark The Herald Angels Sing played or sung like this before. Think punk-rock from Blink 182, Green Day or Sum 41 and you will have a small indication of what you're letting yourself into. But actually in a strange way it has a sweet sentiment to it, maybe it's the lyrics that still bring out the Christmas cheer, yet this version kind of works. I love the whole joyous racket of it. Country and Western-esq Up On the Housetop was something I didn't expect, with its banjo to add authentic power to the style of music. But I just didn't get it, from the great start I don't see how it fits the EP. Maybe I need a few more listens.

I love the harmonies in the acapella version of Joy To The World with beautiful vocals, yet the band make each verse so hard for themselves, in every verse they do a key change making the song higher and higher. Of course this is a great bit of comedy, with the last verse being so high that they are screaming out the words with the vocal heading towards breaking point. It's very funny and all a bit of fun.

After all the comedy and silliness, the album ends with a very beautiful version of the most recorded Christmas song ever, Silent Night. Lovely guitar playing, atmospheric string work and heartfelt vocals make this a really stunning way to end the EP. In a strange kind of way the album sums up Christmas. From the excitement of opening your presents, the joy of being together with loved ones, to the funny times and laughs on the day itself yet at the same time Christmas is all about Jesus and the story of the beautiful nativity. This albums seems to strangely have all of these emotions in the songs themselves. Great work.

Review by Jono Davies

LTTM Rating 3.5 Out of 5 Stars
Standout Tracks
I Saw Three Ships
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Silent Night

Get 'Christmas'

Track Listing

Hawk Nelson - Christmas

Review

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