It’s Day 3 of the Christmas Music Countdown and boy, have I
got a treat for you today: The Roches’ “We Three Kings,” which features an
eclectic selection of 22 Christmas standards plus 2 original compositions. A
number of the cuts are a cappella, others feature novelty arrangements such as
the broadly-Brooklyn version of Winter Wonderland and a Latin-influenced cover
of Deck the Halls.
Other cuts feature simple but beautiful accompaniment in a variety of styles. Particular favorites are the
beautiful Good King Wenceslas, the title track, and a rousing version of Jingle
Bells that cries out for a sleigh and a hot toddy in 1900’s NYC. This is not
particularly polished singing, but the voices are pleasant, the pitch is always
bang-on, and they have a lot of style. Different,
fun and often moving.
I had forgotten all about this recording! That midwest twang and nasal quality was so wrong and yet so alluring! I loved the harmonies! It reminded me of singing with my brother and sister - not that we had a twang or nasal quality, mind you.
ReplyDeleteTony - totally agree! They always remind me of singing with my relatives (although most of mine have more trained voices). It's just good fun, and the arrangements are fabulous.
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ReplyDeleteThe recommendations are much-appreciated. The right music keeps me focused on the meaning of Christmas rather than the fussy little nothings that seem to eat into our time.
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