’Tis the season for “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night,” “Santa Baby” — the list goes on. Love it or hate it, Christmas music is everywhere. It’s in the stores, on the radio and it was even blasting out of the little television screen at the gas pump when I was filling up my car the other day.
I have mixed feelings about this genre. For starters, I want to scream when I walk in a store that is blaring “Rudolph” as soon as the Halloween costumes are packed away. There should be a rule — no Christmas music until Dec. 1. Also, I’ll take traditional Christmas carols over modern holiday songs. For instance, any songs about Santa I can do without. (I’ve heard Springsteen’s version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” a hundred times this season, and I am convinced that even “The Boss” can’t save this one.) Yet, every December, when it’s time to put up the Christmas tree, I dust off favorites like, “We Three Kings,” by the Roches and “The McGarrigle Christmas Hour.”
I also have some local favorites that I go back to, especially Tracy Grammer and Dave Carter’s “American Noel,” which features four Carter originals. I also enjoy Erin McKeown’s anti-holiday album — the one that has a title that we can’t print here.
If you are looking for a new title to add to your holiday music collection, I suggest “Joy to the World,” the recently released Christmas album from the Nields and their friend, singer-songwriter Ben Demerath. In addition to Demerath, the Nields, sisters Katryna and Nerissa, have brought in some additional friends to help out, including Dave Chalfant and Anand Nyack.
The majority of the material here is traditional carols, which is perfect, because the harmonies of these three voices lend themselves perfectly to classics like “Silent Night” and “Away in A Manger.” They also include some material that is not as familiar, including a great take on the old spiritual tune, “Children Go Where I Sent Thee.”
The Nields will celebrate the release of “Joy to the World” with a show at the Parlor Room in Northampton on Saturday at 2 p.m. Lyrics sheets will be provided for those who want to sing along. “Joy to the World” can be purchased at this show and is available on ITunes, Amazon, bulletproofartists.com and Turn it Up! in Northampton
Tickets are $15 for adults; children under age 16 are $7.50. Tickets are available at:
www.signaturesoundspresents.com
The Parlor Room is at 32 Masonic St., Northampton.
Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem
Wintersong in Brattleboro
Last year, the string band Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem released an album called “Wintersong,” which is a celebration of the Christmas season, but is in no way a conventional Christmas album. The way the band describes it is, “With this album, we went for songs that dig up the power, the beauty and the hopeful yearning at the roots of this holiday. They are full of fierce poetry and wild joy; this album is our ode to light and dark, and to the balance of both at the turning of the year.” The result is a work of great beauty, meaning and variety. Standouts are covers of Chrissie Hynde’s “2000 Miles” and the cajun romp, “Bonne Annee.”
Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem will celebrate “Wintersong” with a show at the Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vt., Friday night at 8. Tickets are $18 and available at: stonechurchvt.com
The Sweetback Sisters’
Country Christmas
Sing-a-long Spectacular
The Sweetback Sisters’ Country Christmas Sing-a-long Spectacular has become an annual tradition here in the Pioneer Valley. Now in its ninth year, the Sisters — Emily Miller and Zara Bode — will bring this popular show to both the Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vt., and The Academy of Music in Northampton. The Sisters and their incredible band will add a touch of their classic country sound to some of your holiday favorites. You can count on them wearing their finest matching Christmas dresses as they lead the crowd though a festive sing-a-long. And, go prepared to sing, as that’s what makes this such fun. No need to worry, lyric sheets are provided.
The Brattleboro show will be on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18-$20 and available at: stonechurchvt.com.
The Stone Church is at 210 Main St., Brattleboro, Vt.
The Academy of Music show is on Friday, Dec. 22. There will be a 3 p.m show geared toward kids and families and a 7 p.m show for everyone. Tickets for the 3 p.m. show are $10; they’re $18 to $20 for the evening show. Tickets can be purchased at: signaturesoundspresents.com
The Academy of Music is at 210 Main St., Northampton.
Flo Ho Ho at Florence VFW
There will be plenty of holiday cheer when “Flo Ho Ho:Aloha” takes over the Florence VFW on Saturday at 7 p.m. This holiday bash, full of fun and music, is hosted by Johnny Memphis of the Johnny Memphis Band. This is Memphis’ fourth year hosting this event, and he decided that this year he would transform the Florence VFW into a Pioneer Valley Polynesia with ukuleles, surf guitar and tinsel leis. Memphis said a vacation in Hawaii is what sparked the idea for this Hawaiian theme. He also put together an excellent lineup of bands that include Ukulele Scramble, featuring Robin Hoffman and Richard Perlmutter, Jerks on the Loose, which covers the music of the Roches, Pete Weiss and the Weisstronauts, a psychedelic surf band out of Boston, and the raggae dub-ska band Beige, led by local musician Steve Westfield. Of course, the Johnny Memphis Band will be on hand to play, as well.
And, it wouldn’t be a Christmas party without Santa! So, put away that ugly Christmas sweater, get out your best Hawaiian shirt and celebrate the season aloha style.
Admission is $5 at the door, which opens at 6 p.m. The Florence VFW is at 18 Meadow St. in Florence. Bring a can of food for the Survival Center and get a free tinsel lei.
Sheryl Hunter is a music writer who lives in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national magazines. You can contact her at soundslocal@yahoo.com