Jay Stansfield and SAY – Christmas Is…
CD / DL
Out Now
8 / 10
All Hail Hyena front man releases Xmas song compilation.
Undoubtedly one of the UKs most underrated songwriters, Jay
Stansfield has been at the forefront of several critically acclaimed acts over
the years. Currently fronting postpunkmathrockgaragepsych trio All Hail
Hyena and already headlining in the North West of England, he was also leader
of tRANSELEMENt in the mid-90s and
quickly featured on several John Peel sessions.
Performing as a solo artist on and off since 2005, Jay joined forces
with Rob Ashworth and Maria Stansfield eventually being known under the acronym
of SAY.
SAY feature on
four tracks on Christmas Is… but it is perhaps the songwriting talent of Jay, albeit
sometimes very weird and off the wall, that shines through here. Often sugar coated in some lovely guitar
work, he has the ability to make his words take a rather unfestive turn. It all begins quite innocently with Wake Up
The Children, a tale of wanting and unrequited love praying for togetherness
perhaps with hints of Lennon and Ono, and Mike Oldfield (In Dulcio Jubilo) tucked
in for good measure.
Things in the unpredictable
world of Jay Stansfield then start to take a turn and it’s the writing genius and
impressive vocal range of the man that takes control. Each song, without studying the words, sound
like delightful Xmas ditties but listen closer – This Dream sounds dreamlike
but listen, “My gums are bleeding, it wold be a miracle, help me stop feeding
out of these alleyways“.
The Man In Red
(no relation to Chris Rea’s dirge) has distinct hints at what was to come with
All Hail Hyena complete with funky guitar breaks and wonderful reverb, and the double
chorus of A Good Last Christmas - “people will be eating the remainders of
their friends, the dead will walk the Earth because the Earth is at an end……
while Santa’s chasing children with his face all hanging off” – is nothing
short of genius.
Sometimes it’s so
horrible that it’s funny in a sort of League Of Gentlemen way but at other
times it’s sad. A Wintery December is
one such tune, a tale of wanting, a tale of desperation, a tale of loneliness –
exceptional writing. Christma$ Twenty
Fourteen goes drum and bass and, Oh! What A Christmas has a detailed narrative
that allows you to be involved in the storyline.
With four tracks
from SAY (formerly Say Jansfield) the instrument diversity is broadened with mandolin,
glockenspiel, flute and djembe amongst others and additional vocals from a plethora
of band members, the album is completed with a traditional sounding feel and a
German version of Silent Night (Stille Nach) is nothing short of beautiful.
Not your normal
Christmas album from not your normal performer, instead a delight of wonderful
melodies and often (literally) bloody lyrics.
If you want your Xmas to be filled with death, homelessness, zombies and
old people being burned alive then this is the album for you.
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