In December of 2007 SNC, one of our favorite male Collegiate a cappella groups, posted several videos of past performances, including a 10 year old video of a live cut of their version of the "12 Days of Christmas" on YouTube. To say it caused a sensation would be putting it mildly-6 million people saw it during December, with an additional 2 million seeing it since then. Combined, Straight No Chaser has received over 10 million views of their videos on YouTube. Formed a dozen years ago while students at Indiana University, this phenomenon has caused the group to reassemble and re-emerge, a process covered on a series of webisodes, covering their rehearsing together for the first time in 10 years, doing their photoshoot, and then recording this album, "Holiday Spirits." Even the New York Times told the story of SNC in their Arts & Leisure section in September of 2008. All that excitement aside, the album is great! 14 songs, all group-arranged, especially by group member Dan Ponce, who also wrote the lovely "Christmas Wish" and "Indiana Christmas." "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Jingle Bell Rock," "The Christmas Song," "This Christmas," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing/Angels We Have Heard on High" and Brian Wilson's classic "Little Saint Nick" show off the smooth harmonies, brilliant leads and killer arrangements that made SNC one of the best Collegiate groups. Then "The 12 Days of Christmas" shows us what the fuss is all about. It contains samples of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and suddenly the song has morphed into Toto's "Africa." It's funny, surprising, perfectly realized and all done with the human voice, all of which was not lost on the delighted live audience. The album finishes with "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" carol "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," "Carol of the Bells," and sublime covers of "Silent Night" and "Auld Lang Syne." We couldn't be happier for the success of talented SNC, who haven't lost a half-note since their college days, and can enthusiastically recommend "Holiday Spirits," one of the most enjoyable Christmas recordings we have heard! |
