Audiogram
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Montréal’s Elliot Maginot was one of my favorite finds of 2022, despite the fact he had been recording wonderful Christmas songs since those halcyon, pre-COVID days of 2019. Sometimes it takes a little bit for me to find these folks… but I’ve found Elliot, and now he is stuck with me. 2023 brings Elliot’s first French-language Christmas release, the beautiful “Marie-Noël,” originally released by Bobby Charlebois. I’m sure it is no surprise that I don’t speak French, as I am an American, and we traditionally expect the world to speak English with us. But boy do I wish I did – I’d be going to the Tour de France in a heartbeat. (Fun fact, that is my sport of choice.) Wow, it is really taking me a long time to get to talking about this song. Lots of detours and pointless banter. Did you know it is raining today?
I ran “Marie-Noël” through Google translate, and I do think that some of the beauty & flow is lost in translation. The things that don’t need translation are pretty damn wonderful. Those woodwinds – so warm and inviting. Elliot’s delivery – so present and emotional. Elliot Maginot has an incredible ability to perform these ornate pop Christmas songs that feel so clean and polished… and somehow breathes real life into them. In other hands, these songs might feel too clean, perhaps surgically sweet. Thankfully, this is not the case, and Elliot’s added yet another beauty to his Christmas catalog.
Bottom Line: I’m here for the woodwinds. Change my mind.
Christmas Underground 