Fans will not be disappointed here; this album is classic Carolyn, with a collection of thoughtful songs that lovingly weave homespun tales and rich insights into the larger narrative of the Christmas season.
– Steve Bell, recording artist
Rootsy, playful, thoughtful, and alive with wonder, Christmas: The Story of Stories features 9 Carolyn Arends’ originals, 3 traditional classics, and a rollicking cover of a Rich Mullins’ tune. Produced as a duo record with Carolyn’s longtime musical partner Spencer Capier, the project is an organic feast of fiddles, mandolins, guitars, and bouzoukis, all centered around Arends’ fresh and poignant glimpses into the greatest story ever told.
Recorded on the 10-year anniversary of Carolyn’s first Christmas project (Christmas: An Irrational Season), the new disc once again showcases songs written each Christmas Eve for Carolyn’s home church in Coquitlam, BC. It also features several musicians Vancouverites will recognize from Pacific Theatre’s longstanding CHRISTMAS PRESENCE series–the annual music and story celebration that has inspired (and often inaugurated) many of Carolyn’s yearly songs.
Christmas: The Story of Stories was recorded at the insistence of Carolyn’s fans, many of whom backed the project via a crowdfunding campaign that exceeded its initial goal within the first 24 hours and placed the project in the Top-10 Canadian music projects ever funded on Kickstarter.
NOTE: Each CD copy of the album comes with a free downloadable songbook, containing lyrics, chords, and stories behind the songs. Look on the back page of the booklet for the songbook link.
SONGLIST:
1. It Was a Holy Night
2. Vacancy
3. Everything Changes at Christmas
4. Christmas Magic
5. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
6. The Sound
7. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
8. You Gotta Get Up
9. Long Way to Go
10. Story of Stories
11. What Kind of King
12. Dawn on Us
13. O Come All Ye Faithful
Released: October 14, 2014