|
21st
December, 2006
JOE
MONTAGUE
Album: A Gift
Artist: Paul Brandt
Label:
Brand-T Records, 2006
In
A Word: Wow!
 |
"The thing that jumps right out at you as you
listen to 'A Gift' is just how versatile
an artist Paul Brandt is. He is not only a country
music artist, he is so much more."
|
Paul Brandt’s
Christmas CD A Gift certainly didn’t start
out the way I was expecting. From the opening note, Canada’s
reigning king of country music is backed by a swinging big
band. To be honest with you (and I hate to admit this about
a Christmas song) but the opening track Let It Snow has
been sung and played the same way by numerous artists over
the years. I had lost interest in it until this album. The
horn section consisting of trumpeters Michael Herriott and
Henry Christian combine with trombonists Ian McDougall and
Neil Nicholson to blow some of the sweetest melodies you will
hear.
The truly best present to unwrap from this album however is
the title track which appropriately is named A Gift.
The song is an original tune from Brandt’s pen. Brandt’s
emotive vocals and sensitivity as an artist will cause you
to pause and whisper a prayer of gratitude.
Fear not country fans, there is enough pedal steel guitar,
dobro, fiddle and guitar work on this album to give you a
good fix. The tune Christmas Convoy featuring new
and fun lyrics by Brandt put to Chip Davis’ and Bill
Fries music will have you hollerin’ and wondering who
that funny-lookin’ guy with the shaggy white beard and
“eight anxious reindeer” is “stuck in the
snow drift.” Brandt’s rendition of this song is
as much fun as Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer,
but not as irreverent (at least towards grandmas).
Bob Murphy’s excellent Hammond organ work on Go
Tell It On The Mountain provides a good complement to
Brandt’s bluesy cover. Brandt combines with drummer/bandleader
Dave Pierce to provide us with some beautifully textured arrangements.
Throughout most of the song Brandt’s voice is gentle
and reverent, rising to a crescendo by the end of the tune
while Murphy’s grooves are thrust more into the forefront.
The horns are once again outstanding.
The thing that jumps right out at you as you listen to A
Gift is just how versatile an artist Paul Brandt is.
He is not only a country music artist, he is so much more.
Brandt is a crooner par excellence and that becomes more apparent
as you listen to him singing I’ll Be Home For Christmas.
Pianist Steve Rosen’s playing is simple yet beautiful.
Winter Wonderland is sung the way it was meant to
be with a festive, jolly and adventuresome attitude. Brandt’s
boyish country charm infuses every note of this old favorite.
The pace is quick and the band is at its swinging best.
Mary Did You Know never ceases to send shivers throughout
my body as you realise the magnitude of what lay ahead for
Mary and Joseph. Brandt’s prayerful vocal “When
you kiss the baby you’ve kissed the face of God”
ought to cause you to bow your head humbly before our Lord.
Every single word for this wonderful Mark Lowry/Buddy Greene
tune is sung sweetly, gently and with reverence.
I have listened to mostly outstanding Christmas albums this
year but if I had to vote for best Christmas album of the
year Paul Brandt’s A Gift would be my pick!
In fact, Christmas aside, this is simply one of the most outstanding
CDs that I have listened to this year.
~ www.paulbrandt.com
|
