Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
It can be a double edged sword, in some respects Christmas is a time when the world seems to breathe, it collects its thoughts in the wild winter and the hope of in-bound days, the warm fire jostling for perspective and memories of days where the dripping of slowly thawing snow onto the hall way floor competes with the sense of isolation, enforced or otherwise and the crush that such a time can have on the soul.
It takes an artist to capture both emotions, to frame the ideal and the worry in an upbeat tempo that greatly adds enthusiasm to the days ahead in which some celebrate and some shy away from. It takes someone of the calibre of Liverpool’s Sue Hedges and an E.P. wonderfully titled Always Xmas to grasp the joy that can be found in some of the smaller rituals that surround the feasts and indulgences that the time of year provides.
It is the sincere kiss, the gentle musical hug that Ms. Hedges provides in all her songs that keeps her fans on the edge of their seats, the powerful voice that is delightfully gorged upon and the four songs on offer in Always Xmas are no different.
The beautiful and the forceful, the quiet riot of combined piano and scintillating thunderous voice, all make themselves abundantly clear in the four tracks, Make It Christmas Today, the superb youthful memory of Always Christmas, Always Seventeen, the reflected heat of Winter Glow and the wonderfully spirited finish provided by Mistletoe Kisses stride with objective towards the goal of making music the highest priority in a world that seems to not care whether it snows or rains on December 25th.
It is in that warmth that fresh snow can provide that makes the songs such a joyous affair and the special kiss between friends that only mistletoe can place on the hearts as the thought of a New Year peeks its head round the corner.
A wonderfully thought out E.P., dynamic, clear and beautifully envisaged, it is the Christmas card sent by special delivery; a true message of the spirit of Christmas.
Ian D. Hall