New music for the holiday season (Pt 5) - Hiss Golden Messenger

Number five of my "12 Faves of Christmas" takes a turn down the alternative music road...

Hiss Golden Messenger – the indie-folk alt-county confab from North Carolina & headed up by leader, songwriter, and vocalist M.C. Taylor – has just released an amazingly gentle and reflective collection of songs that bring a special poignancy to this time of year.

O Come All Ye Faithful features three new songs written by Taylor, some traditional classics, and new renditions of “Shine a Light” by Spiritualized, “As Long As I Can See the Light” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and “Hanukkah Dance from Woody Guthrie, all arranged and delivered to us in the distinctive Hiss Golden Messenger style. The record features the band’s usual assortment of players plus guest appearances from Aoife O’Donovan, Nathaniel Rateliff, Erin Rae, and Buddy Miller.

Conceptualized and written during the chaotic fall months of 2020, O Come All Ye Faithful is a meditation on grace, loss, hope, and community. Hiss Golden Messenger talked recently about the inspiration for the album and said “…big, brash holiday music – the type that we hear in big-box stores in the middle of December – has never resonated with me… I wanted to make a seasonal record that felt more in step with the way that I, and so many others, experience this time of year – quiet, contemplative, searching, and bittersweet.” He added that his “intention was to make a seasonal record with a special vibe.”

He’s accomplished that & more with this latest outing – Definitely a record that should become a part of your holiday playlist this December!

Here are a couple of examples of the music found within: