Page CXVI is releasing their upcoming record "Advent to Christmas" December 3rd, 2013. It is the first of three albums in their Church Calendar Series. We would love for you to have a pre-release of the record to listen to and tell your audience about before it drops on December 3rd! Last March, the band gave away over 250,000 albums and now they are excited to share their newest work!
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Creative Christmas| Posted November 12, 2014
As Page CXVI, Latifah Phillips and her band of hymn-revivers have made it their personal mission to breathe new life into the hymns. And just because this indie band isn't concerned about making commercial music, it doesn't mean that their treatment of timeless classics isn't accessible.
This band provides music that's at once meditative--and able to be atmospheric background music--and participatory, providing easy melodies (and in some cases, well-tread melodies from known musical commodities) for those wanting to engage.
The Advent to Christmas EP is the first in the band's Calendar Project series, and it presents a spiritual continuum that takes listeners through the anticipation of the Savior coming to His birth and the subsequent celebration--just how the liturgical calendar has spelled out for years.
Rather than beginning with a longing feeling, "Awake My Soul, Awake My Tongue" begins on a bright note, with a driving, positive declaration that almost serves as a rallying cry for the entire advent season. With plenty of horns, piano--and, did I hear a xylophone?--the song is a prayer to be awake and aware of the significance of Jesus' birth, and to be willing to share about it.
"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" gets into that moody, seeking vibe. Rhythmically complex drums provide the backdrop to the rendition of this well-known advent hymn, which is performed at a faster clip than is typically done. Haunting oohs and soft high harmonies, along with ambient electric guitar swells and violins lead into a powerful, cinematic "bridge." With this song it almost feels like we're all seeking Jesus in the midst of our busyness, eventually getting to the point of desperation where, in the stillness of nighttime, when we really have time to think, our need becomes a yearning.
The announcement of Jesus' coming, and the hope that it brings is the basis for Page CXVI's treatment of "Comfort, Comfort Now My People." Electric pianos, simple electric guitar licks and smooth vocals take on the character of the angel Gabriel, presenting the good news of Jesus' birth and what it means--even though the world still waited (and waits yet again). It's a peaceful proclamation of the promise of Christ's coming--and in our case, His return.
The second half of the EP treads into somewhat familiar territory. "O Come O Come Emmanuel" is presented with familiar rhythms and lyrics, but has some melodic twists that differentiate it from the 3,000 other treatments of the song you've heard. With cascading pianos, tambourine and prominent upright bass, it definitely offers something different with the song, exposing lyrics that oftentimes get lost in their familiarity. The same holds true with "O Come All Ye Faithful."
Melodies largely stay the same with "Angels We Have Heard on High," taking a normally "up" song and making it chill out a little bit. The "glooooooooria" refrain serves as an echoing response to the verses that were just sung. It's a refreshingly delicate take on a typically big song.
"Silent Night" brings simple piano and the whispery smooth voice of Phillips, like what you'd expect to hear around the fireplace at her house on Christmas Eve. Layered violin, bass and a beautiful, worshipful ending provide a hushed sense of awe that comes with the arrival of Christmas.
Closing Thoughts: Advent to Christmas--and the entire Calendar series--presents Page CXVI at their best. They present unknown hymns in such a way that you're like, "Why haven't I heard this before? It's so good?". And they take the familiar and add enough of a twist on them melodically, musically and energetically that it's akin to refinishing an old chair or removing linoleum to reveal beautiful original hardwood floors. Page CXVI knows how to unearth the gold in hymns, and to get us to focus on the unparalleled theologically rich songwriting therein. If you're looking for more than just Bing Crosby and tired retreads of the same songs, give Advent to Christmas an intentional listen.
Song to Download Now:
"Comfort, Comfort Now My People" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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