- Oh Blue Christmas
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Oh Blue Christmas EP by A Fine Frenzy Released November 2009 Genre Holiday Length 21:49 Label Virgin Producer David Bianco, Alison Sudol A Fine Frenzy chronology Bomb in a Birdcage
(2009)Oh Blue Christmas
(2009)N/A Oh Blue Christmas is an EP by A Fine Frenzy, released through Virgin Records in November 2009 in the United States.[1] Released just two months following the band's previous studio album, Bomb in a Birdcage, the EP contains three cover versions of holiday classics as well as three original tracks.[2]
Contents
Songs
The EP contains three holiday classics, including "Blue Christmas", "Winter Wonderland", and "Christmas Time Is Here" (from the 1965 television special A Charlie Brown Christmas). Sudol said the following about "Redribbon Foxes", one of three original tracks created for the collection:
"... when I was writing it, I was in a cabin covered with snow and it was very quiet outside. This was all in my head, of course. Down a hill there's a little town, all lit up, carolers singing. It's a little bit sad, although it's very beautiful. There's a little fox creeping through the snow, a fox that's very hard to catch."[2]Sudol stated that "Winter White" was the "first genuinely heart-achy song" that she had ever written, and revealed that "Wish You Well" is about a family member.[2]
Reception
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [1] In his review for Allmusic, Andrew Leahey wrote that the cover songs are "perfectly pleasant", but insisted that Sudol's original songs were the highlight of the collection. Leahey complimented Sudol's "lilting, whimsical" performance, and mentioned that songs like "Redribbon Foxes" have a broader appeal.[1]
Track listing
- "Blue Christmas" (Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson) – 3:20
- "Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith) – 3:43
- "Redribbon Foxes" (Alison Sudol) – 5:01
- "Winter White" (Sudol) – 2:55
- "Wish You Well" (Sudol) – 3:53
- "Christmas Time Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson) – 2:57
Chart performance
Oh Blue Christmas managed to chart in the United States, peaking at number 87 on the Billboard 200, number 3 on the Top Holiday Albums chart, and number 28 on the Top Rock Albums chart.[3]
Chart (2010) Peak
positionU.S. Billboard 200 87 Top Holiday Albums 3 Top Rock Albums 28 Personnel
- Felix Bernard – composer
- David Bianco – engineer, mixing, producer
- C.J. Camerieri – backing vocals, cornet, French horn, handclapping, trumpet
- Omar Cowan – acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals, bass, electric bass, guitar, handclapping, mandolin
- Cole Gerst – design, illustrations
- Vince Guaraldi – composer
- Billy Hayes – composer
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Jay W. Johnson – composer
- Stephen LeBlanc – backing vocals, chimes, Hammond B3, handclapping, harmonium, piano, Wurlitzer
- Ryan Lerman – acoustic guitar, backing vocals, double bass, electric guitar, handclapping
- Lee Mendelson – composer
- Joshua Sarubin – A&R
- Jesse Siebenberg – backing vocals, drums, electric guitar, handclapping, percussion
- Richard B. Smith – composer
- Alison Sudol – composer, handclapping, piano, producer, vocals
References
- ^ a b c "Oh Blue Christmas". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1688750. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
- ^ a b c Laban, Linda (October 28, 2009). "A Fine Frenzy's Christmas EP Mixes Cheer and Heartache". Spinner. http://www.spinner.com/2009/10/28/a-fine-frenzys-christmas-ep-mixes-cheer-and-heartache/. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
- ^ "Oh Blue Christmas: Charts & Awards". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/oh-blue-christmas-r1688750/charts-awards. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
External links
Albums One Cell in the Sea · Bomb in a BirdcageEPs Demo - EP · Live Session (iTunes Exclusive) · Come On, Come Out · Oh Blue ChristmasSingles Categories:- 2009 EPs
- A Fine Frenzy albums
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