This is a Christmas record recorded live at Ice Cream Factory Studios in Austin, Tx. We recorded piano, vocals, drums, and bass together, and overdubbed the strings and some harmonies. There are three new songs I wrote the day before we started our sessions. I had a long drive from Houston to Austin and thought about some comments people had made on Facebook, "Why don't you write your own Christmas songs?" I thought about what elements of Christmas were strong in me.... Christ's birth, the reminder that we're forgiven and to love, memories, being loved, family, but also the reminder of how alone I've felt, how fucked up our world can be. Christmas has not always been a pleasant time for me. It use to just remind me of how alone I was, how angry I was at the people responsible for that, and how other people had whole families but I didn't anymore. In my 20's, many of my friends were alone during Christmas, and I would be lying if I said that none of us were arrested a few times during December for doing crazy shenanigans, acting out our desolation.
But now I get to remember how lucky and loved I am. I'm in a different place, and although I'll never think that Christmas is all bells. snowmen, and lollipops I have a deeper understanding of it, and it's a time I use to ponder what I've been given, and what I can give back. Not all of us feel happy at Christmas, not all of us feel sad, and not all of us will feel the same way about it our whole lives. I wanted to make a Christmas record that we could still escape into, but reflected the reality of the bittersweet tenderness, as well as the child-like happiness, and not just our "expected" response.
I encourage you, as you listen to these tracks, let the music unearth your memories.. and, happy or sad, try and be ok with them. Remember all that you've been given, and think about where you can give and to whom... The greatest thing you can ever do is to love someone unconditionally, and believe me... We need a lot more of it.
Wherever you are, may you have a Merry Christmas..
Casey McPherson
Alpha Rev
credits
from An Alpha Rev Christmas,
released December 20, 2014
Recorded at Ice Cream Factory Studios
Producer - Casey McPherson & Alpha Rev
Mix & Mastering - Lars Gorranson (Sounds Outrageous)
Engineer - Matt Anderson
Piano/Acoustic & E Guitar/Lead Vocals - Casey McPherson
Drums/Bgv/Whistling - Tabber Millard-smith
Bass/Bgv/Piano (on Run Run Rudolph) - Nick Jay
Acoustic Bass/E Bass - Zeke Benenate
E Guitar - Zak Loy
E Guitar (Merry Little Christmas) - Tuk (Texas Ukelele King)
Thank you Lars, Solomon and Transistor Mgmt, Edge and SES Mgmt, Hayley and Katy for watching and recording Weston, and my wife McCall for letting me do something awesome like this that took a lot of work for both of us!!
Sparkling synthpop with an emphasis on high-wattage chords and the kind of melodies that burrow themselves deep in the brain. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 1, 2023
