The Oh Hello's Family Christmas Album

Happy Holidays from my little corner of the district! My Christmas plans do not involve jetsetting out west, but do involve Christmas Eve sleepovers and celebrating with wonderful friends who are in a similar boat. I feel extremely fortunate to be blessed with the best friends I could ever ask for in this city and it makes the sting of missing family a little less painful.

What are people listening to today? I've never been a big fan of Christmas music. My mother used to stream only one local radio station from the end of Thanksgiving to Christmas each yeah that supplied the family with countless renditions of Do You Hear What I Hear?, Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree and other timeless classics that make me cringe. I'm honestly of the opinion that one only needs two Christmas songs in their life: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Death Cab for Cutie and All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey.

I'm going to amend that opinion to include The Oh Hello's superb Christmas EP, The Oh Hello's Family Christmas Album. The Oh Hello's Through The Deep, Dark Valley, remains my most played album of the year, despite it being released in 2012. The Texas folk band has carried me through many trials and tribulations already this year and the holiday season without family will be another.

The four songs are folky takes on classics that sound so lovingly woven together. Less than thirty minutes and I can feel the Christmas spirit ooze out of my speakers. I want to see snow outside. I want to embrace all of those I love. I want to do something rash that can only be justified by it happening in the holiday season. The best albums are the ones that make you feel and for a Christmas album to evoke such feelings is truly a new sensation for me.

I can't pick a favorite. Mvmt I - Rejoice! Rejoice! starts the album off beautifully but the take on Silent Night in Mvmt III is chilling. Hearing the upbeat Joy to the World on Mvmt IV - Every Bell on Earth Will Ring just makes me smile and ponder my younger years.

Listen to The Oh Hello's Family Christmas Album today and tomorrow. Don't judge me if I stream it straight until the new year and count the days until the next holiday season.


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!