Christmas may be just around the corner for most in the city who are easing into the holiday mood. But a section of the city’s Anglo Indian community have already had a four-month long X’mas – given the loads of prep behind their recently released festive album. “My family thought it was pretty weird…me listening to carols in August,” laughs Darren Netto, the lead guitarist. He goes on, “But we had to go through tons of carol renditions on the web, before we chose what we were going to put on the album.”
Incidentally, Kul Kuls and Rose Cookies is in its second volume, the first was released in 2011. Darren explains, “We took that break in between to reach out to more veteran Anglo musicians, so this time – everything is bigger.” And he isn’t kidding. With 30 musicians (come of whom have been singing for 30 years) who collaborated on the project, the results are a grander orchestration, huge voices and big guitars.
Testament to their big sound is a video of Merry Christmas (Christ is Here) that released online just yesterday. “It was a song sung by John Lennon after the war in Vietnam,” says Orlando Ambrose, who produced the project. “And not many people have heard of it here, but it’s actually one of the most covered Christmas songs by artistes like Maroon 5 and Christina Perry on YouTube,” he adds.With a total of 15 singers on the song, this one is a must watch out for any carol bug this X’mas season. In fact, we’re told that given the huge line-up of voices and multiple harmonies, the vocals alone for this one song took three whole days to record in the studio!
There are also plenty of Christmas favourites of course – both classic and contemporary. You can expect tunes like Mary’s Boy Child and Silver Bells alongside a more present day Rockin’ Around the Chritsmas Tree and Please Come Home for Christmas on the song list. Music enthusiasts can look forward to a couple of originals on the album as well, from city-based bands Blues Conscience and Second Coming. With a little bit of country, a touch of the blues and a liberal dose of rock ‘n’ roll – we’re not surprised that this Christmas album has an electric guitar with a Santa hat on its cover!
Kul Kuls and Rose Cookies, An Anglo Indian Christmas Album is priced at `160. Copies are available at Bob’s Fashions, Perambur or you can contact 9789097530 for details.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Sonali Shenoy – Chennai / December 19th, 2013