Album: Tracey Thorn, Tinsel and Lights (Strange Feeling)

 

Andy Gill
Saturday 22 December 2012 01:00 GMT
Comments

Tracey Thorn takes a wider brief than usual for her Christmas Album Tinsel & Lights, mostly avoiding the routine carols and standards in favour of left-field choices from writers like Stephin Merritt, Sufjan Stevens and Low, the wonderfully oblique melody of whose "Taking Down the Tree" affords a lovely duet with Green Gartside of Scritti Politti. Gartside's own "Snow in Sun" is another highlight, cleverly paired with Randy Newman's "Snow".

Elsewhere, brass band illuminates the dream of escape in Joni Mitchell's "River", while Thorn's own "Joy" offers a more secular take on the season.

Download: Joy; Taking Down the Tree; River; Snow in Sun

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in