SINGLE REVIEW: Christmas, You and Me by

rj frometa Thursday, December 24, 2020 Content Leave a comment

The holidays come with a very unique soundtrack, and while it’s one that has become familiar to most of us through the years, additions in the form of songs like “Christmas You and Me” from Linda Imperial are a most welcome treat perfectly aligned with the nature of classic entries in the legendary songbook. Though born out of a vocal-driven performance that leans on its instrumental foundations rather conservatively, there’s a lot to this track that reminds me of the old school Christmas content that heavily influenced the way themes were approached within the pop genre. Imperial puts on one of her most intimate performances thus far here, and to a critic like myself, this is as bold a standard-raiser as a Christmas song could ever be.

Imperial’s vocal is always the center of attention, but the piano it’s been paired with here is actually the perfect partner for her defined tone. There’s so much magic happening in this harmony that it’s hard to believe nothing artificial has been introduced to the mix; even so, it’s clear that we’re never hearing anything other than a songstress and her talented backing band. “Christmas You and Me” might not be the only new track of its kind to hit the airwaves in 2020, but it somehow manages to sound like one of the more heartfelt you’re likely to find on the left side of the dial almost solely because of its unfiltered identity (and that of its composer).

There are some moments in which the vocal and the percussion are so perfectly timed that it’s hard to tell who is shaping the beat here – Imperial or her drummer – but in the end, it doesn’t really matter. There’s nothing getting in between the integrity of the verse and the fabric of the instrumentation, and as tightly as everything here was mixed, I don’t get a smothering feel out of the chorus at all. This is a song that works at both low and high volumes, and we’re only able to appreciate its grand depth through the meticulous hand of its star performer and producers. It pays to take your time when structuring a project like this one, and that’s confirmed within the first thirty seconds of listening to “Christmas You and Me.”

If you’re as big into Christmas music as I am – or simply need something nice to round out your holiday season backdrop in 2020 – Linda Imperial’s new single was made specifically with you in mind. “Christmas You and Me” has a tenderness you’re not likely to find in most of the plasticized pop music adorned with pseudo affections and moderate allusions to the winter season, and while I don’t know if it’s going to win Imperial an instant mainstream following, it’s exactly the kind of track that I want to hear her recording at this point in her career. She’s got a lot of steam in the underground, and the moxie she exhibits behind the mic in this song is precisely the reason why.

by Bethany Page