2024 has seen a flurry of releases of fresh Yuletide music by artists from across the state. Today, Local Spins presents its takes on these tunes, along with links to listen along.
Spreading Holiday Music Cheer: Releases by Michigan artists.
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’Tis the season, and not just for Mariah Carey and Mannheim Steamroller.
Reviewer Ross Boissoneau
And not when a handful of new holiday treats have arrived, just like Santa dropping through the chimney.
Unlike those plates of cookies or marshmallows bobbing in hot chocolate, these treats by Michigan-bred artists are all calorie-free.
Check out our takes on these holiday releases below, and listen to the music as a soundtrack for your merry celebrations.
MaRynn Taylor, “Christmas Is (EP)” – The emerging country belle — originally from Rockford and now based in Nashville — just played a homecoming show in Grand Rapids and will open for Kelsea Ballerini at Van Andel Arena in January. Her new Christmas EP includes familiar fare such as “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and “O Christmas Tree.” Which is all well and good, though the honky-tonk treatment of “Joy To The World” with country-rock guitar front and center just feels off. On the other hand, “Here We Come A-Caroling” is dressed up for a contemporary country holiday, Taylor’s twang set off by synthy bells and some lovely acoustic guitars, with additional original lyrics and some borrowed from “Auld Lang Syne.” Overall though, it’s the originals that stand out, with the opening “Snow Globe” celebrating “Living in our little snow globe … While the fire glows, It’s a cozy Christmas world of our own.”
Jakey Thomas, “Quarter Life Christmas” – On his new holiday original, Thomas provides a view of the holidays from the perspective of someone in their mid-20s looking back to an earlier time. At nine or ten, you’re thrilled with the magic of the holidays, but as a young adult at a quarter life, things are different: “You can hear the bells so far away, But it feels just like any other day. The spirit ain’t upon you like it was when you were nine,” he sings. The Gaylord native and longtime Harbor Springs resident now resides in Marquette, where winter typically come a little earlier than in West Michigan. So maybe it’s easier to get that Christmas spirit – whether you’re ten or 20 or beyond.
Full Cord, “Christmas Cheer” – Grand Haven’s award-winning bluegrass band establishes its Western swing bona fides with this track, originally written by bandleader Brian Oberlin on Christmas day in 2011. It was first released on his solo Christmas album in 2012, and here he’s revived it with his bandmates. You know all those rich sumptuous holiday ballads, with chestnuts roasting while waiting for a white Christmas? This isn’t that. It’s full of zesty playing, with lyrics extolling the virtues of spending time together during the holidays in lieu of rocketing up and down the aisles searching for the perfect gift.
Nicholas James & the Bandwagon, “Happy Xmas” – A new version of John Lennon’s beloved holiday/protest classic? Why not? Nicholas James Thomasma and his bandmates revisit the song with the leader and Alex Austin trading the vocals, with Thomasma and Greg Baxter on (mostly acoustic) guitars and Dan Hildebrandt on acoustic bass. It’s Austin’s chiming mandolin which makes it feel fresh as new-fallen snow. Revisiting the sounds and sentiment of the past with hope for the future: Let’s hope it’s a good one.
Light Speed Engine, “We All Look Like Kids Today at Christmas” – Bandleader Jordan Stricklen describes this holiday-themed original as “a Trans-Siberian Orchestra meets Wyld Stallyns (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) extravaganza.” That sounds – interesting. And it is. Stricklen says he called on some memories of living in Hollywood in his early 20’s and not being able to go home for Christmas in writing it, bemoaning the fact “The California winter leaves a chill in my soul … We all look like kids today.” The big beats and guitars do indeed remind one of the over-the-top TSO, while the vocal choruses set against the cascading keyboards belie the sentiment behind the song.
SkyeLea Martin, “This is My (Christmas) Love Song” – A member of the Traverse City trio Trillium Groove, Martin’s first solo single is a holiday original. She finds the sentiment in the holiday as she sings, “This is my love song, And I wrote it on my bedroom floor on Christmas Eve.” Wisely not overdone, as it would be easy to oversell the song, but her vocals are lilting and enjoyable, with a tasty quote from “Jingle Bells” on electric guitar bringing it to a close.
Jeremy Porter, “Colorado Christmas” – The frontman for the Detroit-based roots rock band Jeremy Porter & The Tucos revisits the Nitty Gritty Dirt band’s “Colorado Christmas,” written by the late Steve Goodman. The tune is another take on the differences between the holidays in the Golden State and elsewhere, in this case a snowy Christmas in the Colorado snow – “The closest thing to Heaven on this planet anywhere.” With mandolin, banjo and pedal steel, it doesn’t venture far from standard country-rock.
Justin Collins and Coley Kennedy, “The Most of Christmastime” – A 180 from Martin’s recording, this is a twangy, really reverby recording, similar in tone to some of Kennedy’s previous work. The downtempo vibe isn’t really relieved by lyrics like “We’re all together now, There’s no forever now, Let’s make the most of Christmastime.” Not exactly uplifting, it sounds like it could come from the basement of the local watering hole where someone is drowning their sorrows.
Alex Austin, “New Year’s Day” – To finish off the holiday season, Alex Austin, frontman for West Michigan’s Deerfield Run, unfurls a poignant, piano-propelled ballad full of year-end reflections, regrets and hopefulness. – John Sinkevics
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