Put The Lights Up – Rebecca Ray (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Christmas songs generally don’t aim for the highest of sonic standards. Then again, they really don’t have to. It is enough that they bring a bit of fun and festive cheer at the years end and even the most popular ones seem jarringly out of place at any other time of the year. But there is another way to do things, and Rebecca Ray shows us this alternative approach in her latest single, Put The Light’s Up.

But who better than a seasoned singer, songwriter and vocal coach to add a bit of sophistication to a musical genre more usually associated with throwaway fun? Put The Lights Up is a sultry and soulful serenade, a beautiful ballad built from spacious back beats, chiming sonics, string sensations and washes of heavenly background harmonies.

But, of course, the show’s star is her crystalline and controlled vocals, running the gamut between intimate whispers and anthemic crescendos. As the song ebbs and flows between lilting lulls and searing highs, you realise that this song falls into that rare category, a song that wouldn’t feel too out of place at any time of year. A rarity indeed.

Why? Well, because, unlike most of the competition, it doesn’t rely on schmaltzy imagery, cliched lyrics, enforced sing-along fun, or that “look how crazy we are” vibe. No, it is a song built on sophistication, sensuality, seductive soulfulness and serenity, and as such, it transcends the season and becomes a song that delivers the musical goods whenever you choose to play it.

It is first and foremost a Christmas song, but it is probably the best one you will hear all winter.