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Our Review

Based in Toronto, the Essentials are an a cappella quartet exuding high spirits, fun harmonies, and solid musicianship. It's a pleasure listening to artists who so obviously love their craft, and that's the case with the Essentials. These four fellows (Thom Speck, baritone/tenor; Dan Speck, tenor; Joon Nah, baritone; Joe Oliva, bass) handle 11 holiday pieces here, including one original (the title track, penned by Nah) and a nice variety of contemporary rockers and sacred carols. Around since the early 1990s, the group still sports two original members (Nah, Oliva).

Musically, the group is technically clean, and their voices are nicely matched. Although the presentations are largely a cappella, the Essentials do utilize drums and, on one track, an acoustic guitar. The men provide well-executed, flexible vocal effects without resorting to over-the-top gymnastics. Similarly, the Essentials display balanced, heartfelt emotions without engaging in histrionics. In other words, some a cappella quartets go a little crazy, seeking entertainment through overly-exaggerated techniques. The Essentials, in contrast, are professionally grounded, letting their fine vocal talents present holiday carols without novelty tricks.

The smooth presentations are consistently fine. The contemplative pieces (O Holy Night, The First Noel) are harmonically lovely, presented with understated reverence. The enthusiastic contemporary kickers (Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree) fly high. I particularly enjoyed Winter Wonderland, which features a lead vocal by Ryan Malcolm (apparently a rocker in his own band "Low Level Flight"). The original title number Remember December also grows on you; the melody is catchy, the harmonies are very well constructed, and the lyrics convey the familiar theme of lost love and the undying hope for a renewed relationship. The album appropriately closes with an excellent rendition of Happy Christmas (So This Is Christmas).

Remember December presents a cool assortment of tasty a cappella treats for the holiday season. Is this album absolutely essential to your holiday happiness? Perhaps not, but why take a chance? Check out the Essentials!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)

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From the liner notes:

The Essentials are:
Thom Speck
Dan Speck
Joon Nah
Joe Oliva

Produced by: The Essentials, Brian Pickett, and Jay Riehl
Executive Producer: Mark Watson
Recorded at: Voodoo Highway Music & Post and The Swamp Recording Studio

This is an "a cappella" recording.
With the exception of an acoustic guitar on the title track, this album contains only the human voice with drums, snaps, winks, and claps.

All arrangements by THE ESSENTIALS.


From the Website:

Some of the highlights;

David Kalmusky plays guitar on Remember December. David is a highly acclaimed, very much in demand, guitar player. The Essentials were able to corner him in a studio and not let him out until he played guitar on the title track. What's an acappella group doing putting a guitar on a track?! Well, The Essentials have been called the 'bad boys of acappella' on more than one occasion. Incidents like this reinforce that title.

BJ Harris vocally percusses on Little Drummer Boy. Here's an interesting tale. Once upon a time there was another Canadian acappella group called Streetnix. The Essentials and Streetnix were friends. Then one day, Dan Speck's brother (Thom) came to The Essentials and said, "Streetnix is looking for a guy and I think I might join them". And so it was. And Thom toured for 4 years with Streetnix and BJ Harris was providing his vocal percussion skills to that group. Vocal percussion is when someone is making drum/percussion sounds from their mouth. It's not easy to do. Try it. Following Streetnix's disbanding, Thom came to The Essentials and said "I'd like to sing with you guys now". And so it was. And upon the occasion of creating Little Drummer Boy The Essentials thought, "We are oft-criticized by some so-called 'acappella purists' for using drums in some of our music, so perhaps in a song that actually mentions a drum, we should use a vocal percussionist, just to confuse them." And so it was.

Ryan Malcolm, sings the lead vocal on Winter Wonderland. Ryan takes a break from his rock vocal duties with the band Low Level Flight, shows his versatility, and joins The Essentials in a jazzy, high-flyin' version of Winter Wonderland.

Joon Nah inks original. Ah, good ol' Joon. He said he was going to write an original Christmas song for the album, and he did! It's the same song that has a guitar in it, and it sounds pretty damn good! It's not really a Christmas song per se, but has a Christmash feel to it and has the word 'december' in it, so what the heck, The Essentials put it on the album.

Simply put: just a great album. So we've mentioned a few specific tracks here, but in all honesty, we love 'em all. You may have heard some of them last year on the 3-track single, Stocking Stuffer. Now all you have to do is pick up this album, and put Stocking Stuffer in a someone's stocking.

The Essentials, are proud of the entire recording and can't wait for you to hear it on the radio (it will be released to radio in December) or in your car or home stereo.

The Essentials are a Toronto-based acappella group that has moved from their beginnings in London, Ontario to international acclaim as "one of the finest a cappella groups in the world".

Their unique arrangements of songs from the 50's to present day have won the respect of fans everywhere.

The Essentials

Remember December

Artist link

Track List