If you’re tired of hearing the same traditional Christmas songs over and over again, but still want to listen to seasonal tunes, kindly place your ears upon Christmas In My Heart by Jeremy Morris. The illustrious Portage, Michigan-based singer, songwriter, and man of many instruments assimilates spirituality with fun into one primo pop-rock package guaranteed to turn even the grumpiest Grinch into a happy camper.
Marrying the iconic riff of the “Batman” theme to a boogie-glam swagger, “Here Comes Christmas” also contains a groovy saxophone solo from Jeremy’s father Bill, while tracks like “King of Glory” “Shout It to the Sky,” and “Christmas Every Day” are pronounced by rolls of power popping guitar flourishes and compact melodies.
Steered by skittish rhythms and spiky hooks, “Hello Emmanuel” sounds sort of like a nifty collaboration between the the Undertones and Phil Seymour, where “A Change of Heart” chimes and thrives to an arresting pop rock finish before concluding to a splash of psychedelic echo.
Frocked in a mediative fabric, “Reason for the Season,” which duly asserts peace and love, glides gently to a folk-oriented arrangement, the haunting “It’s So Cold Outside” features the beautiful violin playing of Kelsey Rose, and “Christmas Spirit” is sparked by a spellbinding chamber pop presence followed by a gorgeously grand chorus flashing images of heavenly realms.
Proposing a fine balance of catchy pop, hard-hitting rock and angelic calm, Christmas In My Heart (JAM Records) includes wave after wave of outstanding tuneage. Jeremy’s fresh and vibrant vocals, which religiously evoke comparisons to those of the Beatles, the Beach Boys and Badfinger, are consistently in the pocket.
The instrumentation is sharp and magnified, and the energy is positive and infectious. Aside from the aforementioned musicians, Stefan Johanssen, Guillermo Cazenave, Dave Dietrich, Todd Borsch, and Jeremy’s son, Peter, additionally contribute their talents to this excellent disc.
Bubbling with passion, Christmas In My Heart is a right-on statement that, due to its dialogue of goodwill, can be enjoyed any time of the year. Thank you, Jeremy and friends, for making such a great album. Merry Christmas to you, too!
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