The Molly Burch Christmas Album

by Molly Burch

Overview

After debuting her pining, retro-styled indie pop on the Valentine's Day release Please Be Mine in 2017, Molly Burch presents a Christmas album for her third release. Though titled The Molly Burch Christmas Album, it offers a selection of well-known and rarely recorded Christmas, New Year, and cold-weather tunes for the season as well as two original songs. Relying mostly on guitars with the occasional keyboards or rhythm section for its palette, it was recorded by Jarvis Taveniere (Woods, Purple Mountains) and Will Paterson (Sleep Good). They and the Austin-based Burch add a fitting amount of guitar twang to "Snowqueen of Texas," a Mamas & the Papas deep cut that was devoid of any. Receiving the full country treatment is "Hard Candy Christmas" from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Alongside Christmas classics like "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (here, a singalong with kids), they comprise a warm and wistful selection suitable for holiday gatherings, if a little more eclectic than your average seasonal set. However, Burch shakes things up with her take on "Last Christmas" -- featuring actor/comedians John Early and Kate Berlant, who provide spoken and sung accompaniment -- and a wispy version of ABBA's "Happy New Year" that remains relatively loyal to the original. A standout in terms of rarity and suitability for Burch's smoky, longing delivery is the Stax selection "What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas?," originally by the Emotions. Other highlights include the singer's originals "New Year Love" and "Holiday Dreaming." The latter is a dreamy, bossa-inflected pop tune with trademark Burch lyrics like "I just want your love/And I want to be the one/That you're also dreaming of." The Molly Burch Christmas Album wraps up with a spare, piano-based "Auld Lang Syne" and a group-delivered final verse, inviting a sing-along to close a yearning but unusually playful collection from the torch-song stylist. ~ Marcy Donelson

Product Details

Release Date:	11/15/2019
Label:	CAPTURED TRACKS REC.
UPC:	0817949018900

Tracks

1. The Secret of Christmas
2. Hard Candy Christmas
3. Snowqueen of Texas
4. Holiday Dreaming
5. Last Christmas
6. I'll Be Home for Christmas
7. The Coldest Night of the Year
8. What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas?
9. New Year Love
10. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
11. Happy New Year
12. Auld Lang Syne

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Molly Burch   Primary Artist,Vocals,Children's Chorus
Luke Norton   Bass,Guitar,Keyboards,Vibraphone,Synthesizer,Sleigh Bells,Vocals (Background)
Sam Kossler   Pedal Steel
Julian Neel   Vocals
Kate Berlant   Vocals,Featured Artist
John Early   Vocals,Featured Artist
Elaine Barber   Harp
Will Patterson   Shaker,Tambourine,Sleigh Bells,Vocals (Background)
Jesse Woods   Vocals,Featured Artist
Thom Washburn   Drums,Percussion
Dailey Toliver   Cello,Drums,Guitar,Keyboards,Vibraphone,Sleigh Bells,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Alex Mechanik   Editing
Kate Berlant   Dialogue
Traditional   Composer
Hugh Martin   Composer
Benny Andersson   Composer
Carl Hampton   Composer
Kim Gannon   Composer
Carol Hall   Composer
John Early   Dialogue
Homer Banks   Composer
John Phillips   Composer
Bjoern Ulvaeus   Composer
James Van Heusen   Composer
Jarvis Taveniere   Engineer
Buck Ram   Composer
George Michael   Composer
Bruce Cockburn   Composer
Walter Kent   Composer
Ralph Blane   Composer
Sammy Cahn   Composer
Will Patterson   Mixing,Engineer
Josh Bonati   Mastering
Molly Burch   Composer
Patrick Fernandes   Design
Kelly Giarrocco   Cover Art