Review and More

Our Review

Some may wonder why I spend endless hours reviewing holiday music each year (in addition to my "day job"), and Over the Rhine ("OtR") provides the perfect explanation. I had never heard of OtR when I sat down to listen to Snow Angels on a quiet October night. Before I had made it halfway through the offering, I went online and purchased three other OtR CDs. I'm hooked. For me, OtR represents what great music is all about, and writing for ChristmasReviews.com exposes me to wonderful artists like these.

So what's the big deal? This incredible husband-and-wife partnership (Karen Bergquist and Linford Detweiler) produces the most gorgeous, pared-down folk/jazz/pop/country meld in history. OtR's Snow Angels presents ten wholly-new holiday favorites, exquisite creations that shine with intelligence and style. I absolutely loved this album the first time through, and that is almost never the case with holiday originals. The combination of their outstanding songwriting (mostly Detweiler, but both contribute) and Bergquist's knock-'em-dead, textured vocals will take your breath away. I understand that OtR has a die-hard cult following, and I believe it.

Happily, Snow Angels arrives in a well-executed fold-out cover with funky graphics and extensive liner notes that spell out all the creative lyrics. Everything about this recording exudes "cool." Although it is impossible to designate special favorites from this extremely strong set of tracks, I will tell you that the harmonies on White Horse brought tears to my eyes, and North Pole Man is one of the mostly slyly sensual Christmas tunes I have ever heard. The tone is relatively mellow throughout, but never sleepy, and always warmly rewarding.

Just fabulous. If you are unfamiliar with OtR, you are definitely missing something special. Care for something beautiful and unique this year? Then do yourself a favor and score some Snow Angels this holiday season!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2007)

More

From the liner notes:

This music was designed to be played at magnificent volumes. Enjoy, Over the Rhine.

Produced by Over the Rhine and Brad Jones

Over the Rhine is:
Karen Bergquist
Linford Detweiler


From the Website:

Band Bio

After more than 15 years making music, it's obvious Ohio duo Over The Rhine is in it for the long haul, and for keeps. Their commitment is underscored by their latest, The Trumpet Child, and its opening track, "I Don't Wanna Waste Your Time," a manifesto of sorts for the artists recently named to Paste magazine's list of 100 Best Living Songwriters....

"Believe me, we don't want to waste anybody's time," elaborates Detweiler. "When we stop believing we're doing our best work, we're done. Every song has to be good, every record has to be great, every concert has to have some spiritual significance--something that we can't quantify, something bigger than all of us."

Over The Rhine may not be a household name, but to call the act's followers "fanatical" would understate the point, and they're not shy about converting the curious. Why? For starters, there's Bergquist's torchy, devil-may-care voice, brimming with Midwestern soul, unafraid to lay bare every emotional resonance. And again, there's the life-and-death commitment dripping from her every word. "I'm either into it or I'm not, because there's no faking it with me," Bergquist notes. "Life's way too short for that."

Over the Rhine

Snow Angels

Order from Amazon

Track List