Take a deep breath. Relax. Over The Rhine's Darkest Night of the Year is the Christmas disc of the year. This is not a loud collection of rock-n-roll holiday tunes to help speed shopping or tree decorating. This disc is peace on Earth.
As the last effort with the original Over The Rhine lineup, The Darkest Night of the Year is music for after the shopping's been done, the tree has been trimmed, and "...the children are nestled all snug in their beds." It is aural therapy for overcoming the hustle and bustle of the season. Pardon the romanticism, but this is a recording that begs for the fire to roar and the candles to dimly glow. Curl up with someone you love, or, as I do, pour yourself a mug or glass of your favorite holiday beverage, sit back, and enjoy this quiet time alone. Nothing gets me in the Spirit of season like a little time of reflecting accompanied by a timeless collection of Yuletide tunes, and Darkest Night of the Year promises to be the perfect soundtrack.
Over The Rhine has gathered a delightful collection of traditional carols and original compositions, all with the signature OTR ambiance. Karin Bergquist's seductive moanings give voice to only six of the thirteen songs, but core musicians Linford Detweiler, Ric Hordinski, Chris Dahlgren, and Brian Kelly, along with guest cellist Norm Johns, synergize to let the instrumentals sing as well. All of the arrangements show creativity and freshness where most Christmas albums go for the ordinary and the expected. Most effective is the combination of piano and acoustic bass.
The Darkest Night Of The Year begins with a lovely, almost melancholy cello rendition of "The First Noel." It starts as a drone, almost as if far away and indiscernible and comes into focus, setting the mood for simplicity and beauty.
Although the instrumentals are beautiful, I tend to be drawn to Bergquist's vocals, and that is reflected in my favorite cuts. Of the carols, "Silent Night" and "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" were the first to really draw me in. The new tune to captivate me immediately was the upbeat "Thank You My Angel," reminiscent of the peppier songs from Good Dog Bad Dog. It features the full band, rhythmic acoustic guitar, and Hordinski's tasteful E-bow. This is as close to rocking as The Darkest Night Of The Year gets, but in the words of Over The Rhine, "Let the lower lights be burning. (Quiet music should be played loud.)."
The collection closes with a Ric Hordinski composition, "A Little Lower Than the Angels"-over seven minutes of ethereal guitarscapes. It is a dreamy finish for an album destined to be one of my Christmas classics for years to come. In fact, I'm listening as I write this, and I am more convinced with each note that this is the Christmas album of 1996.
Contact the band or order the project at: Over The Rhine, P.O. Box 2572, Cincinnati OH 45201
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 2002Reviewed by Jeremy KeillorI recently gave this album to a friend describing it as "the sexiest Christmas Album of all time." Maybe not what everyone is looking for in a Christmas disc, but there's something deeply sensual about these dark, somber arrangements of classic carols and originals. Ultimately it represents the antithesis of the shopping mall muzak so often associated with Christmas. And Linford's essay in the…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by James StewartThere's something about Over The Rhine's records--the sublime, sultry vocals and understated music usually lead me so much deeper into my own thoughts, that I rarely listen closely. While I have especially fond feelings for all their albums, I'd be hard pressed to name more than a handful of their songs. Because of that, the need to write this review, and hence concentrate more closely, on this…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Richard RichardsonStarting with a moody rendition of "The First Noel," Cincinnati's Over the Rhine put a new spin on the Christmas classics, including not one, but two versions of "Silent Night". Yet both editions transcend the somberness of the original. The Darkest Night of the Year also contains other staple Christmas classics redone such as "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear", "Greensleeves" and "O Little Town of…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinThe true test of a really great Christmas album ought to be whether or not you can't wait until Christmas time to play it. The Darkest Night of the Year is one of those albums for myriad reasons. The truth is I've played this one as late as March, and as early as July, and it always sounds great. Over the Rhine's music is hauntingly beautiful, from the soothing strains of Karin Bergquist's voice,…Similar sounding releases
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