An Honest Christmas Song from Wynona Bleach
A new single release from Wynona Bleach comes through with a different kind of holiday spirit in the form of a single that feels warm and welcoming as it opens up, and as this is happening, you get classic jingling bells and a sort of 1950s-style doo-wop guitar riff and percussion approach that boasts a little hint of vintage style.
Once the song opens up into its boisterous chorus, things get a little bit heavier, I would say. The track burst into an almost grunge tonality with heavier guitars and this massive chorus that just feels addicting when you listen to it for the first time.
I definitely love how you still hear little bells performing a melody throughout those heavier choruses, which goes right along with Wynona's bright but semi-edgy vocal approach, drawing influence from some of that classic songwriting but also giving it her own sort of attitude.
The track is called "(Don't Know Why) I Wish You A Merry Christmas", believe me when I tell you, this track does give you a little bit of experimentation and sound, instruments, and approach.
After that first big chorus, things die down a little bit back to the verse, and as this happens, you hear these kinds of layers of guitars in the background giving you a perfect segue back into that verse and showcasing a little bit more layers of depth to everything.
Now, this is already quite a lush single because there's a lot going on most of the time. Those big choruses have layers of guitars, bells, vocals, and everything else, so you have this full body to approach during those segments, and when the verses come back in, they are breaking down a little bit more, and so you hear the different instrumentation more lightly as this happens.
Wynona has this almost classic soul approach to how she sings most of the time. This song has a way of showcasing her influences in performance, and she does give a great one that has plenty of presence.
I definitely dig how you have this vintage, almost 1950s-style songwriting that's blended in with a heavier fuzz tone crunch because those two things really fall together super well if you do them right.
Throughout all of this you get the feeling that this is a song that, yes, is meant to be a Christmas single as it is, but it also showcases the downsides of the holiday for some.
Sometimes it's not easy to get together with family. Some people are not as well off as others, and so holidays can be more of a stressor or a bit of a sad experience. This song showcases all of these different sides and does it well.
All in all, it's the attitude that drives this track, and Wynona pulls it off without a hitch.
She gives you a lot of character, and that's what this song is thickened with the most. It's the personality and character behind the song that you end up really holding on to, and I love a holiday or Christmas song that isn't just all candy canes and jingle bells.
This showcase is some realism, but still has the most honest of holiday spirits, so it works out perfectly.
A lot of her vocal melodies stick with you. There are plenty of hooks throughout the song, even in those verses.
You can tell she paid a lot of attention to how the song would take shape in the end. She wanted to have something that had a bit of edginess to it, showcased a bit of attitude, but still sent a message across.
Taking those edgier fields and tones and leaning them into classic holiday instrumentation was such a great idea, and it's not normally done outside of maybe punk rock, so it worked out so well here that to me it's almost an instant classic.
This is a holiday single for people who like to rock out, and with that, I will leave you to it.
Texas track out now, jump right into Wynonna Bleach's uniquely approached Christmas spirit.
Wynona Bleach - (I Don't Know Why) I Wish You Merry Christmas (Spotify Link)