Reviews

Some very enjoyable experimental ramblings that produce some excellent atmospherics.

Dance music with brains: this music is hypnotic and imaginative. Good stuff!

I need to get into the spirit of the season and so I'm playing Peace of Winter by Snowflake & ccMixter. The tag reads “holiday christmas holidays”. Well, that doesn't really tell us much about how this music sounds. And I'm sort of useless here because this first song, Peace, I don't know how to categorize it. I know it's pop. But is it soul pop? The female vocalists voice is smooth and lovely. The refrain is about peace on earth and I heard the song say something about how “God is not dead” and that's just the sort of thing you should hear from a holiday album. What's fascinate is that this album is a collaboration between lots of artists who have never met. It's beautiful. Okay, there, I said it. It's not exactly my personal cup of tea, but I have to confess, what a lovely job.

The second song Winter Sunlight wins me over from the first few beats. It's has a clever and vaguely familiar rhythm. This is the kind of music you wish you were hearing in a ski-lodge. This song is vaguely jazzy. It's this chirp of guitar that reminds me of jazz, and the cool subtle drums. “Spiritual findings come deep down inside?” I think that's the last line of the song and there is this transformative moment that happens with the singers voice, like she almost loses it for just a split second. It makes that song whole.

My Little Soldier is the third song on the album. Is it an anti-war song? It's way too cheery. Can't be. It's a little sexy. Light piano. Hmm.... she wants to make love to this little soldier between her silky sheets. Melikeee. She sound very pretty. That hint of sexiness I caught when the song opens becomes truly steamy when she complains that this lover boy is holding his M-16 when he should be holding her. That's fun. I just like things that are fun and that's fun. While I respected the first song of this album, I didn't think it would win me over but cleverness like that line melts me. So it's a love song. I wish it made more of a statement. Christmas bells. “Won't you trade in your machine gun?” That's as much as a statement about how bad the war is as we're going to get here. Toward the end of the song there's some kind of Star Trek operatic singing. That was cool. Sorry I can't describe it better but you too will think Star Trek.

The fourth song Sevivon is the first song on this album to stand out as a bit awesome. It is mysterious. Full. Beautiful violin. Is this Hebrew? What is that? Love this rhythm. German tuba music? Don't be afraid that was a brief moment and then we are back in this very contemporary musical array. Cool spoken word poem appears, with a dog barking in the night? Nice mix. Left, right. “It takes so much more to be surprised.” That's what this song is doing. It remains accesisible and yet it is reaching and stretching. This song is a journey. A pleasant wander through the unexpected. I'm not sure how it's a Christmas song but really, who cares?

Peace Around The World. Fifth song. Is this called Calypso? This is light a boppy. “Doesn't matter your color or your creed.” Yes, this is the statement song! “Time to stop the violence! I said peace around the world.” Nice. Nice holiday sentiment. I'm glad I showed up for this. “Love is the only thing that is worth fighting for.” Lots of nice notions about peace and brotherhood around the world. This is the kind of song that should be getting played on the Top 40 stations. Readers: post this song in your Facebook and social networking junk. It's nice. This is kind of a We Are The World thing, 2009 style. I'm putting this in my Facebook. I was going to put Sevivon in there but it is the Christmas season.

Sixth song Gloria is a strange little gem. Eery voices singing “Silent night holy night” but not the way you remember it. It's a weird revisioning. Refreshing. And another tag should also have been included here. Listening to this music that has so many influences reminds me of how little I really know about music. This song reminds me a bit of Kate Bush, the Gloria refrain. Very pleasant.

Silhouette of Tibbet is song seven. Tibetan drumming? Other native instruments. This song has a quick beat. Is it instrumental. It is thus far. Is there a didgeridoo? I think so. Then there is chanting. Is this Tibetan chanting? I'm guessing. I'd say this is the second best song on the album. If people are just going to download a few songs from this album this is a standout song for your collection of cool instrumental songs that paint pictures in your mind. Really like it.

Snow Solace starts out with Spanish guitar. That's joined by seagulls and a woman's breathing. A nice little solstice poem. Then it's kind of warm saxxy jazzy thing with bongos. I love the way the songs on this album are continually reinventing themselves.

Lully Lullay I'm won over completely. This is the work of an album. This is what our new generations of people who can't sit still long enough to listen to a whole album will miss. That we don't change the album, but the album changes us. This album changes my mood with Lully Lullay. I don't know what tiny little child is being referred to hear but I know I wasn't ready for this song when I started listening and now I am softened. Made ready because I have stayed on this gentle adventure.

The next song is Christmas Time. Techno-lite. A little hip hoppy? This might be the most seasonal song of all of the songs on this album but really it's kind of different. Who am I kidding? It's a totally different mood. Can I go with the direction this album wants to send me on. I won't know until I listen to next song. I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop.

Hmm X-mas Trees continues this hip-hoppy direction. I was all melted down by the time we got to Luly Lullay. I'm wearing headphones as I listen to this and the mix of this song being sent from one ear to the other is making me naucious. Hmm... likely the weakest song on the album. Yeah... I say leave the mistletoe off the album.

Next song is “It Came Upon A Boogie Night.” That makes you smile. Somewhere between a Christmas Lyrics and Edgar Allen Poe. There was something so spiritually fulfilling about Snow Solace and Lully Lullay. This is the third song in an ebb that strikes this album after those great songs.

Then there follows a cover of Amazing Grace in a soul vein. Soul or gospel, I'm not a big fan. I know that a lot of opinions needed to be accommodated to make an album like this. I'm beginning to wonder if this best decisions were always arrived. This one might have been saved for another album.

Peace on Earth is the last song on the album, and as though the producers realized that the album was crashing and burning, they broug.ht the album back to its very strong backbone. Is this a different version of the first song on the album? Oh yes. And to my ears a much stronger version. Realy like this. Nice move producer people. The four songs that precede this song should have been saved for some other album. “Blindly we just roll along with the broken song.” Well, this song puts this great little album back on the beam.

Peace On Earth to you folks too. A great job here. I'm putting Peace Around The World on my facebook and hopefully sending you more listeners. Thanks for a great album. Hmm... Peace On Earth might be the song I share... I can't tell yet. I'll be listening more. Probably share both. What a pleasure to pause in my busy day and enjoy this album.

Una de las cosas que más me gusta de Jamendo es puedes bajar música de todas partes del mundo, pero bajar algo tan bueno de un paisano da más gusto todavía. Enhorabuena y Feliz Navidad!

I really enjoyed listen to your voice as you sang, these thought provoking, really down to earth, heartfelt,wholesome, open heart, lyrics. And the listening to the accompaniment of the acoustic guitar, as well play against your manly raw-ish, vocals.