If hot chocolate could sing, it would sound like these guys. That's the
kind of feelings you get when you listen to this charming,
heart-warming holiday album by the Marcoux men. From pop songs like
Beach Boys' "Merry Christmas Baby" and a swoon-worthy "All I Want for
Christmas" a la Mariah Carey to traditional favorites like "Away in a
Manger" and "The First Noel," these guys know how to convey the warmth
of the holidays with their voices. One thing we really like about their
traditional numbers is that they don't mess with them so much that you
barely recognize the original song any more! You *know* it's "Winter
Wonderland" and it doesn't mutate into anything too far from the
familiar. After all, these are classics - why mess with 'em?
All the arrangements were done by the guys in the group, with some nice
jazz inflections, some surprising harmonies ("Silent Night" comes to
mind) and clever little twists (in "I'll Be Home for Christmas" you
swear they're going to break into the McDonald's jingle - but we're
"lovin' it!"). "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is given an almost
doo-wop treatment here, with some nice vocal percussion work to keep it
contemporary. This is a great addition to any male contemporary vocal
band fan's library. If you like the Blenders, Rockapella, Eclipse or
The Knudsen Bros, you'll love this album. We do!
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A review from:
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| Christmas Reviews.com |
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A cappella music rocks! Stripping away the supporting
instrumentation provides the acid test for singers. The naked human
voice reveals a lot about its owner's musical talents, and the
challenge of harmonization only multiplies the difficulty--and the
dividends when the music is done well. And Marcoux Corner does the
music very, very well indeed!
Marcoux Corner is an a cappella
male quartet consisting of Brent Thorson (tenor), Kevin Taylor (2nd
tenor), Joshua Nathan Baesler (baritone), and Eric Hansen Pantenaude
(bass). This is no cutesy "boy band" full of cloying gimmicks; no, this
is just outstanding harmonization, straight up.
So if you favor a cappella holiday music, Marcoux Corner's Tidings
is a terrific treat! The four men present ten well-known carols with
joyous, but not juvenile, arrangements. These voices are perfectly
matched. Pantenaude's bass is incredibly deep and rich, and his lead
makes "Away in a Manger" extra-special. I usually am not a big fan of
"All I Want For Christmas," but Marcoux Corner's high-energy version
had me slapping my knees and swinging in my chair. The reverent
harmonies in "The First Noel" and "Silent Night" are absolutely
first-rate. Their creative island vision of "I'll Be Home for
Christmas" includes an intro of "Jolly Old St. Nicholas"--sweet!
The obvious complaint about this excellent album is its paltry length.
Thirty minutes? Come on! Couldn't Marcoux Corner come up with a few
more holiday tracks? If they need ideas, they should give me a call.
Apart from the stingy length, Marcoux Corner's Tidings is a marvelous holiday pick.
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