Have no fear, more solid Christmas music is here. With a sound that is the perfect mashup of Deliriou? and Coldplay, and some serious indie cred to their names, Future of Forestry’s follow-up to 2008’s Advent Christmas EP picks up where the first volume left off. Sweeping instrumentation and Eric Owyoung’s sleepy vocals give Christmas music fans another reason to be excited this season.
After an interesting three-year career that followed a big debut album and three Travel EP’s, Future’s newest disc is the bookend to their first Christmas EP, which breathes new life to the original songs, but also stays true to them as well.
The disc begins with as honest and real of a version of “Joy to the World” as I have heard before. Electronic tics and bells start the tune, and a deep cello echoes behind Owyoung, as he sings the well-known classic. Halfway into the six-minute track, the drums and violins kick in and a beautiful rendition of “All Creatures of Our God and King” is mixed in, and ends powerfully with the band’s own finale.
“Do You Hear What I Hear” is given a mellow and reverent tone to begin with, but as in the previous track, FoF takes us on a musical ride through to the end. Ripping guitars, sleighbells, and a chorus of voices come out of nowhere, and add an epic scale to the already stellar track. The FoF-written track “The Earth Stood Still” is a really pretty tune that sounds a lot like a mellow Switchfoot track. I love the lyric, “The angels trembled and the demons did too, for they knew very well what Your grace would do.”
“Angels We Have Heard On High” stays pretty close to the original arrangement, aside from a steady kick-drum backbeat, and a pretty female harmony sung behind it. The ethereal original, “Instrumental,” is a little spooky and beautiful at the same time, with the sounds of footsteps accompanying the piano and bells. Then, a gorgeous pipe organ closes out the EP on the epic “Pie Jesu,” and Owyoung’s falsetto carries the tune until the end.
Try This Track: “Joy to the World”
December 26th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
I love this band! “Pie Jesu” off their Christmas EP is awesome! I wrote up a review of them on my blog today: http://fatwalr.us/2010/12/music-highlight-future-of-forestry/
December 27th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Thanks for the comment Luke! Enjoyed your review too!