By and large, most Christmas albums seem to fall into one of two camps. There’s either the lively poptastic soundtracks favoured at family or work celebrations, which generally feature plenty of sleighbells and a cover of something by either Slade or Wizzard, or the choral and rather more religious affairs of Aled Jones and his ilk.
Northumbrian folkies, the Unthanks, however, have decided to try a third way: a dreamlike collection of woozy tunes that might accompany the feeling of having over-indulged on mulled wine while being slumped comfortably by a warm and cosey fireplace. It’s an approach which pays considerable dividends too. In Winter is a truly beautiful collection of songs that captures the good cheer and feelings of nostalgia that generally make an appearance with the dark and cold Winter nights at Christmas time, featuring atmospheric wassails and melodic tunes that reflect the many traditions and rituals that mark the Festive Season.
Comforting folk-focused arrangements of traditional fayre, like “O Tannenbaum” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”, rub shoulders with new compositions, such as “River River” and “Dear Companions”, and fade in and out of focus, like memories half remembered but not quite forgotten. This is particularly true of highlights like the drone-like “Carol of the Beasts”, with Rachel and Becky Unthank’s ghostly vocals, and the mellow “Dark December” as it slips into the spaced out “Gower Wassail” accompanied by Faye MacCalam’s haunting clarinet soloing.
Needless to say, In Winter will probably not bear much listening when the weather warms up again, but it’s certainly no insubstantial and disposable Christmas gift. In fact, while it’s unlikely that this album will prove as enduring in the public imagination as Mariah Carey’s greatest hit, it’s a record that will no doubt make many more appearances at this time in years to come, such is its magical power.
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