Charlie Christmas released his latest album, ‘Weird Old Man’ in December 2018. The album is a collection of songs which are filled with excellent composition, musicianship and tongue in cheek lyrics.
Hailing from Los Angeles, Charlie Christmas is a one-off musician. His songwriting is a masterclass in composition, he is always thoroughly engaging and entertaining.
The opening track, ‘Place To Stand’ sets out the main instruments which will be heard throughout the album. ‘Weird Old Man’ has a 70’s Rock feel to it. There are lots of interesting electric guitars, driving drums, melodic bass lines and infectious organs to be enjoyed.
We loved the song, ‘(The Band Can’t Play Your) Wedding Song’ as it is the perfect example of all that is great about Charlie Christmas. It is a fun storytelling song which is catchy and a prime example of exquisite composition.
‘Secret Service Pig’ is as intriguing as it sounds. It has a tongue in cheek sound with psychedelic organs and an interesting bass line. It is a mostly an instrumental song with vocal harmonies. ‘Put It Away (Sexual Misconduct Song)’ is a serious subject matter but here it is tackled with a smile and a simple yet effective message to men, “Put It Away.” A must listen for all.
‘Thank You’ is our favourite track. From the laid back harmonica to the piano driving sounds and a tambourine to carry the sections through, it is a perfect song. Again, there are genius lyrics to be heard including our favourite, “Sometimes it’s had to give a sh!t”. Magnificent.
The mix, production and mastering on this record are top notch. All of the instruments are played by Charlie Christmas (in his bathroom no less!) and mixed in the garage by himself. ‘Weird Old Man’ was Mastered by Prof. Elliott Lanam, at Hidden City Studios. The sound is excellent which just proves to musicians on a budget, you do not need to pay thousands in a studio. The main ingredient needed is talented songwriting which Charlie Christmas has in abundance.
On Charlie Christmas’s website, ‘Weird Old Man’ is described as, “Pleasantly unsettling sounds for slightly odd listeners.” This is a perfect introduction for the humour and lighthearted feel there is on the album. Do not get us wrong, not all of the songs are simply humorous, there are also seriously melodic and musically interesting tunes too.
So fancy some light-hearted 70’s Rock sounding music? Of course, you do! Check out ‘Weird Old Man’ today!
Reviewed by FVReviews April 2019
http://www.charliechristmasmusic.com
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