On the strength of their initial three singles that have racked up a combined 270,000 Spotify streams to date, The Hello Darlins are giving their rapidly expanding fan base a holiday treat in the form of the Christmas-themed EP Heart In The Snow. Released Nov. 6 on Apple Music and Spotify, the four-song set finds the Calgary-based roots rock collective offering three original soon-to-be classics, along with their take on the annual favourite “Do You Hear What I Hear?”
While it might seem unusual for a brand new band to share Christmas music, the idea for Heart In The Snow came together spontaneously this past summer as a response to the constant negative news surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. For at least a few days while recording these songs, The Hello Darlins could imagine they were with those nearest and dearest to them.
Band co-founder and vocalist Candace Lacina explains, “To us, Christmas is about our connection with loved ones. There’s also something peaceful, comforting and familiar during this time of year. It’s a time of looking back and wishing others well, but the true magic lay in memories of experiencing everything with a child-like spirit.”
That notion is embedded in the title track, which began as an instrumental by two other principle Darlins, keyboardist Mike Little and guitarist Murray Pulver. However, it took on new life when Candace crafted lyrics inspired by thoughts of her childrens’ earliest Christmases. Conversely, they’d written “One More Christmas” three years ago as a tribute to Little’s stepmother who was determined not to let cancer prevent her from spending the holiday with her family. Although she sadly passed away on Christmas Eve, she did get her wish to have everyone together, a bittersweet message the song brilliantly conveys. The third original, “The Night That He Arrived,” written by a friend of the band Sarah Van Peteghen, dates back even further and celebrates the story of the Nativity.
Candace says, “I heard Sarah play it live at a Christmas show about 15 years ago and I immediately fell in love with it. We asked Brett Ashton, who often plays bass and sings harmonies with us to sing it. [Auxiliary Darlin] Joey Landreth always jokes that Brett has the ‘voice of a baby angel,’ and his vocal range is often a talking point in our live show. Brett also recorded lead vocals on another track for our upcoming album.”
Indeed, that debut album, Go By Feel, is sure to be one of most hotly anticipated roots music releases of 2021, based on the response to the singles “Still Waters” (ft. Matt Andersen), “Catch That Train,” and the recently released “Aberdeen” (ft. Joey Landreth). As the list of Canadian roots all-stars within The Hello Darlins’ orbit continues to grow, it only strengthens their claim to be the “Broken Social Scene of Americana.”
The concept of The Hello Darlins first took shape back in 2016 when Calgary-based Lacina and Little (also known as MFL), crossed paths again after first meeting at a recording studio six years earlier. Upon reconnecting, they soon found themselves making music together in between their work with other artists, an impressive list that ranges from Shania Twain to Charlie Major, The Road Hammers to George Canyon as well as the late B.B. King. Through The Hello Darlins, Lacina and Little, along with their powerhouse supporting cast, combine all of their skills and influences to forge a hybrid of country, gospel and blues like no other. It all adds up to The Hello Darlins preferring to add “North” to the Americana genre.
