I have been a huge fan of Pentatonix since watching them make their way to the top of the TV show, "The Sing-Off", which is a competition for a cappella groups. I was hooked from the beginning, and was astounded with the level of talent this group contained. Their ability to take any song, own it, and add flare is incredible. So when I heard they were coming out with a Christmas EP, I was beyond excited. I love Christmas music, and the fact that Pentatonix was going to put their own spin on classics made me estatic. I just downloaded the EP and have already listened to it once through, with more listens to come.
1. Angels We Have Heard On High
This song begins softly, with some great harmonies and Mitch Grassi singing beautifully as always. Then, however, the astounding Kevin Olusola comes in with his incredible beat-boxing skills, and Pentatonix's style comes through in full force. The chorus has to be my favorite part, with the key shift at the end bringing the song to a epic level. The group does an awesome job with the builds and slower sections, especially when Avi sings a verse, utilizing his low voice to create a relaxing and warming tone to the song. Pentatonix definitely made this song their own, but also kept pieces of that tune we all know to create a killer opening to this EP.
2. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
The hand clap intro immediately caught my attention on this song, as did the imitation of bells in the background. Pentatonix again made this song their own, but in a much softer manner. Also, I thought havin Avi sing the lead vocals on this song was a great choice, for his voice is a perfect fit for the type of vibe Pentatonix was trying to create. The song continues on with this beautiful, relaxing rendition, adding a incredibly neat wind-blowing sound to paint a picture of the scene of Jesus' birth, until about 1:40 into the song. At this point, the clapping drops out for a moment, only to return with a bass drum and much louder clapping sound to push the song into epic territory. This carries through the song to create a very epic rendition of this Christmas classic.
3. Carol Of The Bells
Intros seem to be a strong point for Pentatonix on this EP, with another solid beginning of interplaying harmonies and incredible beat-boxing. Mitch begins to sing the familiar lyrics, and the track unfolds into a instant classic with that Pentatonix twist. The tom sound created by Kevin is over the top, and made my jaw drop when I heard it. The chorus is awesome, to put it simply; especially the part where Scott comes in slower underneath Mitch's singing. The outro is also a great addition, bringing back down the energy of the song. Another absolutely fantastic track on this EP.
4. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On A Open Fire)
This rendition was done in such a heartwarming way. It generally did not contain any particularly astounding moments, but they were not necessary. Pentatonix is so gifted as musicians that they know exactly how to do each song they cover in a way that inputs their own style while keeping the integrity of the song. I will say that the highlight is when Kevin does a "trumpet" solo, which completely fits the piece and is so awesome. There are many versions of this song out there, but this one is definitely on the top of my list.
5. O Holy Night
This song is one of my favorite Christmas songs, so I was excited when I saw that it would be on the EP. I was blown away by the way that Pentatonix handled this song. They decided to take it slow and create a really moving version of this classic. Having Kirstie do the lead vocals on this song was a genius move, further emphasizing the beauty of this song contains. The lack of beat-boxing was a good idea as well,
6. This Christmas
Choosing this song to finish the EP was a great choice, given it's warm vibe and room to explore that amazing Pentatonix style. From the heartwarming intro to the beat driven verses and the addition of a choir about halfway through, Pentatonix goes all out in a truly awesome rendition of this song. It encapsulates all that they are and all they are going to be in the future. The laughter at the end was a great touch as well, revealing the joy they had making this EP.
This was by far one of my favorite releases this year. It is absolutely worth buying right now. So go do it! This is a fantastic addition to any Christmas collection or music library. I look forward to the next release by this amazing group!
Overall Rating: 5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment