It’s a week before Black Friday, but you can start easing into the holiday spirit today with Lowland Hum’s ”Songs for Christmas Time,” a collection of low-key holiday tunes “for those who need something a little less triumphantly cheerful during their holiday season.”
That’s according to husband/wife duo Daniel and Lauren Goans, who originally hail from Greensboro, North Carolina, but now call Charlottesville, Virginia, home when they are not spreading their unique collection of folk songs around the world.
The duo released two singles in anticipation of the album, “Joy to the World” and “O Holy Night.” The second single is already being featured on the Spotify playlist “Acoustic Christmas.”
The holiday album comes on the heels of the duo’s most recent releases, “Thin” (Lowland Hum’s third full-length studio album) and Thin | B-sides (an EP of a handful of unreleased songs from the ”Thin” sessions, a cover of Weezer’s “In The Garage” and other previously unreleased material). “Thin,” released in February of 2017, was met with critical acclaim from yours truly, NPR, No Depression, Paste Magazine and Pop Matters, among others.
The band’s songs have been described as poetic and evocative, and their arrangements minimal, hushed and dynamic. Lowland Hum’s performances are characterized by the space they create together for their audiences.
Lowland Hum has toured the country promoting “Thin” throughout 2017 and is currently finishing out the year with a tour of European dates.
Following are a list of tracks and the songs authors on “Songs for Christmas Time” that was mixed by Mark Nevers and mastered by Jeff Stuart Saltzman.
Joy To The World – Isaac Watts
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree – Traditional
O Come, O Come Emmanuel – Traditional
Ain’t That Rockin’ All Night – African-American Spiritual
We Are The Shepherds – Johnny Cash
Silent Night – Joseph Mohr / Franz Xaver Gruber
Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming – Traditional
O Holy Night – Placide Cappeau / Adolphe Adam / John Sullivan Dwight
Christmas Time Is Here – Lee Mendelson / Vince Guaraldi
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