Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
The dread of Christmas seems to come earlier every year, the small step of commercialism sneaking a peek into the wallets of the many who cannot afford it, to the tiring spectacle of it being so demanding, the forced smile on the face of the wary and without it letting up for a single minute and should you complain, should you point out the obvious, you become a pariah, a figure of damnation that is shunned and called out for all sorts by parents, friend and society alike.
Thankfully there is John Cee Stannard to remind us that Christmas is not about the mass produced, the wave of the magic wand which says to feel loved requires the very best that money can buy, when what it really should be compelled to offer is love, the moment of a held hand in the darkest of days, celebrating not the over abundance of commercialism and want, but the generosity of spirit, the force of naturally occurring essence that lifts us to a place where we see beyond our own mistakes. Christmas, as highlighted superbly by John Cee Stannard is about sharing time, not greed.
It’s Christmas Time is the arrangement of those thoughts turned into dramatically posed songs, of sweetness and a light brush of the allusion to life’s imperfect nature when it comes to the loss of relationships and desires; it is the strength in holding on to what you believe in that carries the five strong E.P. through the towering character of the season and makes you want to hold it in a different and more sensible way.
With special guest Julia Titus on vocals and featuring the talents of Mike Baker, Howard Birchmore, Julian Brown, Andy Crowdy, Jason Manners and Simon Mayor, the Blues at Christmas becomes more of a determination to get it right than to wallow in the abyss too much.
With Beggin’ Santa Clause, Let Me Go Home-It’s Christmas, Christmas On My Own, Winter Love and It’s Christmas Time, John Cee Stannard takes the time of year out from its comfortable picture box setting and the chaos that actually occurs in nearly every home and offers a different perspective, one that many will find themselves attracted to and the feeling of fulfilment strengthening their resolve to search for a better meaning than is currently available.
John Cee Stannard is a unique kind of guy, not one to stand on ceremony but beautiful to listen too, a star on the top of the tree.
Ian D. Hall