I’m calling an audible here, using a loophole. I do what I want here – I’m in tight with the guy who runs the place. Today, we’re talking about an album that was not released in the golden era but in 2014. However, this is Christmas music and I feel like – if it moves me and I think you should know about it – I need to talk about any and all sounds of the season regardless of year of release. Secondly, this record is steeped in tradition and draws a lot of its glory from its acknowledgment of the past – it manages to sound like a vintage record. And that is basically the mission statement of This Vintage Life; though we are not in the past, we honour the past. Thirdly and most importantly, I love you guys too much to keep this record from you.
I am often looking for today’s artists who understand and acknowledge music history. The obvious examples would be Harry Connick, Jr. or Michael Bublé. As a lover of classic soul and R&B, I’m often prompted to look into new releases when I see the genre listed as “soul”. What is soul today, I’ll wonder. Or neo soul. I remember buying the Tony Rich Project album Words and being put off by all the programming. I am in awe of John Legend’s voice but I find his records underwhelming. And then there is the late Charles Bradley who released a quartet of records in the 2010s when he was in his 60s that had a sound pulled straight from the past. Every time, though, I’m a little bummed by these new artists who have the audacity to “sing it old school” while wrecking things by also adopting the sounds, instrumentation and production techniques of the 21st century and I console myself with the fact that I can always go back to Otis and Al Green. The cat we’re talking about today falls somewhere in between Tony Rich and Charles Bradley.
On one such search for a new soul sound, I discovered Charlotte’s Anthony Hamilton and his third album Ain’t Nobody Worryin’ (2005). I was intrigued by the awesome, retro-looking album cover and downloaded the song “Southern Stuff”. I filed Hamilton away in my brain and when I came across his Christmas record, I was curious. When I listened to it, I was astounded.
My problem with a lot of the new soul I have heard is the preponderance of the “slow jam“; sedate, ponderous, somnambulistic love music. And the musical backing of great singers like Legend leaves much to be desired to the ears of a retro type like myself. The music is computer or synthetically generated as opposed to organically created by acoustic instruments. Why a singer today can’t just make a record by standing in a room singing while the fellas play is beyond me. From the outset of Home for the Holidays, you see that this is not the case here.
Out of the gates are two of the most wonderful original Christmas songs to come down the pipe in many a Yuletide season. And how great it is that there is energy here. On the opener, “It’s Christmas”, bass drum quarter notes drive the bus and Anthony sings of the many things we love about Christmas. From this song, I get what I want to hear at Christmas and every day – bass, drums, guitar and great vocals with very little sweetening. Killer start.
But y’all know what’s better? The next tune. “Spend Christmas With You” is absolutely exhilarating. Bass line, those Christmas bells and a beat reminiscent of “You Can’t Hurry Love”. Wonderful chord changes lead to a fantastic chorus that is a joy to sing; “it’s Christmas time again, waitin’ ’round for ol’ St. Nick…” Two songs and ten minutes in and I’m in Christmas music heaven.
But this will sometimes happen with an album. It will be toploaded with a couple of energetic songs before the artist puts the brakes on and spends the rest of the record in chill mode. Does that happen here? Well, the third song is a cover of “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto”, so no! The covers on this record are well chosen and James Brown’s 1968 track is essayed by Hamilton verbatim and taken at a steady, grooving lope. My man uses horns and a Hammond B-3 on this song and I am so pleased.
The first “classic” Christmas song on the record is “Little Drummer Boy” but this ain’t your grandpapa’s “Little Drummer Boy”. The “Interlude” begins with a great Wurlitzer keyboard sound and when Anthony begins to sing, double tracking himself, it is straight-up shivers; “come — they told me –“. Breaking into the song proper is another sound altogether. More popping keys and robust percussion propel the tune through to the end. Fantastic vocals and vocal arranging.
I raved on the first two tracks on this record but there is an another original song here that is among the most spellbinding songs this writer and music fan has ever heard. Seldom will a song that is not sad almost bring me to tears. Sometimes it may be down to my affection for the artist and the knowledge of where he or she was at the time. Other times what is so moving is just the astounding beauty and poignancy I hear coming through. Such is the case with this album’s title track, “Home for the Holidays”. Such gentleness and shuffling brushes on the snare drum accompany a heartfelt vocal from Hamilton. So lovely to sing along; “I’ll be home for the holidays. I was thinking I’d stay away. Oh, no. Can’t wait to see your smilin’ face. Baby, I’m on my way…” Listen to how he hits “…holiDAYS. I was thinking I’d STAY aWAY…” Such bliss. Just a beautiful song. Absolutely beautiful. Very impressive guest vocals from one Gavin DeGraw, a blue-eyed soul singer from NYC I know zero about (One Tree Hill?). I wonder how Anthony and Gavin hooked up. Results are unreal.
“What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas” is another well-chosen cover, this one starting life as a 1973 recording by the Emotions. And now, help me understand this. I mean, listen to “Away in a Manger”. How can this cat be so boss, so aware of the blues and of organic earth music like this and then totally abandon that for his “regular” releases?! It makes me so sad. But this song brings joy. Acoustic guitar, harmonica, those backing vocals. Sublime. Such soul, such feeling. And another great guest appearance, this time by another white blues singer, ZZ Ward. Really deft choices were made regarding who would guest on this album. The same such feeling can be heard in a solid take on the classic “Please Come Home for Christmas”. Dig that bass line and the beauty organ solo. I mean, Hamilton can sing some soul, man, no doubt. Chaka Khan is then brought in to support Anthony on a version of “The Christmas Song” that is taken at a very slow pace. Great for fireside listening, though.
“Spirit of Love”, the final song and another original, is a remarkable song to hear from a “secular” artist. But here’s where the listener learns that Anthony Hamilton was raised right. “The Lion of Judah, we are saved by His birth. King of all Kings…when He returns, I wanna hear ‘job well done’ from the King of all Kings. And every knee will bow for You and every heart will beat for You…” This is Spirit-filled music of the church and Hamilton has gone to a certain place here and done something significant. It is an incredibly poignant finish to an excellent album.
It seems that Christmas allows today’s artists to go old school but do these artists not hear how good their Christmas albums are? Do they not hear the sound? Do they not feel the joy that must come from the analog recording experience, acoustic instruments, minimal production, programming and trickery? Do they not feel it? Is Lenny Kravitz the only one who gets it?
I must give love to one of this album’s producers, Kelvin Wooten. He previously co-wrote with Hamilton “Freedom” from the Django Unchained soundtrack but other than that I know zero about him. His work here places him high in my book as he co-wrote with Anthony this album’s best songs and he played many of the acoustic instruments himself. As I say I don’t know him but it is clear that he knows good music and he and Hamilton are a great team here.
After falling in love with this album, I was on board with Anthony Hamilton. I followed him on social media and bought his next albums, What I’m Feelin’ and Love is the New Black but he and I soon had a falling out. These two records lack the spark of the Christmas album and instead are closer to a synthetic drone. Interesting to note; I have gushed about Home for the Holidays and it’s old school sound and have mentioned the contributions of producer Wooten. Hamilton’s next album, the underwhelming and very slick What I’m Feelin’, has zero appearances from Wooten. One wonders if maybe it is Wooten who is more willing to go old school than it is Hamilton; after all, Wooten’s Instagram bio begins with “Analog Creator”. If the two hooked up again, would we get another soul-filled organic, natural uncut gem of a record? But enough of the negativity. Home for the Holidays has life. It has fun and is brimming with character. It harkens back to the past with great covers, it cannily updates older material and it achieves the rare feat of adding new blood to the Christmas canon. For a little something different from the Christmas music you already own – and for something decidedly less white bread – maybe check out this beauty from a fantastic soul singer from the Tarheel State.
Home for the Holidays (88883 72579-2 – 2014) – from RCA / Mister’s Music
Executive Produced by Anthony Hamilton, Kelvin Wooten & Eli Davis
“It’s Christmas”, “Spend Christmas With You”, “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto”, “Little Drummer Boy (Interlude)”, “Little Drummer Boy”, “Home for the Holidays”, “‘Tis the Season”, “What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas”, “Coming Home”, “Away in a Manger (Interlude)”, “Away in a Manger”, “Please Come Home for Christmas”, “The Christmas Song”, “Spirit of Love”
Anthony Hamilton, lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal arranging // And featuring Kelvin Wooten, bass, keyboards, drums, guitar, cigar box guitar, Wurlitzer, organ, orchestral arranging // Gavin DeGraw, vocals // ZZ Ward, harmonica, vocals // Chaka Khan, vocals
SoulRide 