A New Voice of Christmas
Posted November 15, 2016
By MaryNikkel_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Peter Hollens has amassed an impressive YouTube following of nearly 1.5 million subscribers based primarily on one key factor: his voice. The acapella artist has created unique, captivating arrangements of songs in areas ranging from movie soundtrack to traditional folk to pop, usually utilizing nothing more than his own voice layered in complex harmonies. Those pure vocal tones have most recently been applied to Christmas classics with A Hollens Family Christmas.
With A Hollens Family Christmas, Peter offers a significant dose of his classic acapella sound on tracks like previously heard "Mary Did You Know" and the haunting "What Child Is This." Although the precisely layered vocal harmonies will delight and intrigue acapella buffs, the arrangements also shy away from becoming so technical that the average music listener can't connect to them. "Carol of the Bells," a song that traditionally lends itself well to the acapella format, displays that balance beautifully. The vocally full "O Come O Come Emmanuel" may even have you forgetting the rich sonic swells are built by the human voice alone.
Peter Hollens does not restrain himself however to the expected and safe. Highlight track "December Song" comes in two versions on this album, one acapella, one with piano and strings filling in the musical backdrop instead of multiple vocal parts. The version featuring instruments actually allows Hollens' voice to shine in a way the other tracks do not, showcasing a purity and clarity of tone. "My Grown Up Christmas List" is another moment where his voice gets some accompaniment. Peter's wife Evynne, an accomplished acapella singer in her own right, lends her voice to the song originally popularized by Amy Grant.
The Bottom Line: Peter Hollens has created in one package an acapella album that will appeal even to those who are unfamiliar with that musical tradition and a Christmas album that feels both classic and decidedly current. With A Hollens Family Christmas, Hollens takes his place alongside Pentatonix as part of a new generation of vocally-driven holiday classics.
Song to Download Now:
"Carol of the Bells" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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