Dutch Americana duo Grapes of Grain are quick to follow up their Painted Windows album with an EP for the holiday season, Christmas Grapes. They steered clear of the sugarcoated piece on earth and religious fodder and went for a more personal touch instead. Christmas TV (I Want The BBC) is an ode to Auntie as the go-to channel for a good movie - quite appropriately they filmed the video at Amsterdam's finest movie theater Tuschinski.
There Is A House In The Distance finds them digging into their country leanings Berend Jan Ike leading the way on banjo. As the track progresses singer Julia Cunningham joins Alexis Vos and it looks like they will put the song to bed gently until - surprise!- the guitar sound becomes mangled in the lead up to the feedback in the coda. It would have a great way to bow out, but they decided to use the short July In The Winter as well, with Ike messing around on ukulele and landing on a catchy riff.
Grapes of Grain:
Alexis Vos: vocals, acoustic guitar
Berend Jan Ike: guitars, banjo, ukulele, bass, piano, vocals
Jelmer de Haas: drums
Julia Cunningham: vocals
Christmas Grapes is a self-released EP. Buy it from their website.
Tracks:- Christmas TV (I Want The BBC)
- There Is A House In The Distance
- July In The Winter
HCTF review of Painted Windows