To coincide with the release of her latest E.P of the same name Phoebe Bridgers has posted an audio video for her cover of 'If We Make It Through Christmas'. The increasingly popular Indie singer-songwriter has put the video out as her lead single from the four track E.P that she dropped on November 23rd.
The four seasonally focused tracks include Phoebe's take on 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas', 'Christmas Song', '7 O'Clock News/Silent Night' and this one, a cover of a Merle Haggard song. Merle sang the song originally as a Country song, with a jolly disposition and snare driven toe-tapping beat.
Phoebe's interpretation is rather more solemn and down beat. The slower pace and delicate piano accompaniment suit Phoebe's emotive vocal down to a tee. If this track doesn't end up as song that plays out whilst the credits roll at the end of an angst ridden teen drama or even a Christmas supermarket commercial then I will be very surprised.
Phoebe's arrangement gives the song a new balance as she re-frames the lyrics from a different perspective. Bridger's has made the hope in this song seem less achievable than in the original, the "if we" that is hoped for is more despairing than optimist.
I think it unlikely that this will be the only release from Phoebe's latest E.P as the track '7 O'Clock News/Silent Night' is a collaboration with Fiona Apple and The National's front man Matt Berninger and it is quite arresting. All four tracks don't fall far from the L.A artists norm, they're unrushed, well crafted and tenderly sung and all compliment the Bridgers growing portfolio of quality tunes.
