Funny Looking Angels from Tom Smith of The Editors and Andy Burrows, ex-Razorlight and now We Are Scientists, is one of the freshest Christmas albums to be released in a very long time.
The album came out of Smith and Burrows long lasting friendship which includes a passion for music and a love of classic Christmas songs. It is also a response to the traditional Christmas song has been lost amongst commercialism and TV sponsored drivel in recent years as opposed to pulling people together for a sing-along.
Smith and Burrows rectify this by presenting an album in the seasonal spirit, featuring bells, strings and unashamed lyrical references to Christmas and winter.
Smith And Burrows Gently Inspire With When The Thames Froze
The album begins with a stand-out version of"In The Bleak Mid-Winter," featuring a particularly melancholic vocal from Tom. This haunting rendition of the traditional Christmas hymn reflects the concept of the bleakness and the cold as opposed to a run of the mill retread of traditional presentations.
The bleakness theme carries on with the classical arrangement of "When The Thames Froze." The song itself is a modern lyrical picture postcard marrying up melancholic lyrics with hope for the future backed with lush strings and brass instrumentation.
The track reflects on the emptiness one can feel during the Christmas season "I hate the cold - A constant reminder I’m getting old." While moving forward it also gently inspires the listener with "The Years go by so fast – let’s hope the next beats the last." A beautiful track, "When The Thames Froze" is a perfect choice as a single from the album.
Smith And Burrows Christmas Album Features Yazoo's Only You
"As The Snowflakes Fall" lightens up the atmosphere somewhat with the lyric "Just like some fairytale – feels like some other world" stirring up visions of seasonal worlds created by the music of Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, while at the same time drawing comparisons to a world weary of commercialism. The presentation is complimented with a childlike sing-along chorus.
Funny Looking Angels' neat little trick is its inclusion of four sparkling cover versions which aren’t particularly Christmas songs but are given a wintry air. The albums title track is a catchy cover of a song originally performed by cult Birmingham band Delta, while Smith and Burrows deliver a heartfelt interpretation of Black’s 1987 chart hit "Wonderful Life," a pop classic which has since been subject to the wrath of commercialism.
There is also a stirring version of The Longpigs "On and On," as well as the duos own take on Yazoo’s "Only You," which almost reflects the Glam rock era of the 1970s. The Smith and Burrows version is a million worlds away from The Flying Pickets a capella version of "Only You," which reached number one in Christmas 1983.
Smith and Burrows Present The Christmas Song With Agnes Obel
The album continues with the beautiful piano instrumental "Rosslyn," which evokes wintry images in the listener’s minds eye, while "This Ain’t New Jersey" reflects on getting caught up in the trappings of Christmas traditions when the rest of the world can be falling apart. The album closes with the golden oldie "The Christmas Song" featuring a duet between Tom and Danish singer/songwriter Agnes Obel.
All In all, Funny Looking Angels is a seasonal soundtrack which deserves to sit on Christmas playlists alongside the very finest offerings from Bing, Frank and Nat, and in some tracks' cases, will still be enjoyed long after the festivities are over.
Funny Looking Angels is available from B-Unique records on compact disc and audio download formats while "When The Thames Froze" is available as a single from December 12th 2011. For further information on Smith and Burrows, visit their official website.
