CHRISTMAS THE SHANE & SHANE WAY
After 10 years and numerous studio albums, the InPop duo of
Shane Barnard and Shane Everett reveal their first-ever Christmas themed
project entitled Glory in the Highest.
Kicking things off is a trippy, up-tempo spin of “O Holy
Night” that includes the acoustic and vocal theatrics that only Shane &
Shane could pull off. It’s a signature sound that has won them numerous fans
thus far (almost half a million career sales and counting) and provides a fresh
take on holiday classics.
And that’s mostly what you’ll find on Glory in the
Highest. “Away in a Manger,” “O Come, O
Come Emmanuel,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “White
Christmas,” “Silent Night” and “O Come Let Us Adore Him” are all present and
accounted for.
Some familiar tracks are refreshed better than others. The
attempts to lighten “Away in a Manger” are lost, but the fault might not lie in
Shane’s (and Shane’s) hands, seeing as how the song is so familiar that any
attempt to shift things around simply sounds off. “O Come Let Us Adore Him” is
fairly straightforward, but the soaring harmonies are perfect for the album
closer.
It’s the new tunes that stand out as the highlights. The
instrumentation is richer on these tracks, and they are fully Shane &
Shane—and that makes a huge difference. “Glory in the Highest” is a moving
ballad that crescendos to great heights. “Born to Die” is a country-tinged,
mid-tempo tune that broods in some places but is a fine track nonetheless.
For some, the overload on the overdone songs will be a
nuisance, but Shane & Shane accommodate well with their special
ingredients, spicing up the compilation for a fine acoustic blend. –Matt
Conner