Maverick Smith’s return after the success of their debut album takes the shape of a short, festive, and colorful collection of covers of Christmas classics. A terrific blend of infectious alt-rock fizziness with the raw energy of pop-punk, Christmas is a thoroughly delightful listen.
Based in Weirton, West Virginia, Maverick Smith is a musical collective spearheaded by songwriter, guitarist, and producer Sean Boynes, joined by a varied roster of talents composed of Dan Bozek on the bass, Jim Kourtney on the drums, both as core members of the outfit, joined by collaborators such as Paul Santo, Caitlin Anselmo, Dallas Dwight, and finally, the Dreams Strings Orchestra. The illustrious group is bringing together a sound that’s warm, punchy, well-paced, and calculated. The grooves are driving, the guitars are juicy, the vocals are engaging, and the arrangements are top-notch for the 3 Christmas classics that live on this short EP.
Starting the EP is a wonderfully hairy rendition of ‘Coal for Christmas’. An anthemic arrangement full of luscious and thick guitars, a medium tempo pace, and a prominently melodic composition, ‘Coal for Christmas’ is a genuinely heartwarming rendition of a beloved classic. ‘Kid at Christmas’ and its guitar chugs are very memorable with another rock-focused arrangement that’s now more momentous and quicker. The chorus is infinitely addictive, and the syncopated verses are a terrific contrast to the straightforwardness of the chorus, a contrast that keeps the song very fresh throughout its runtime. The EP ends with a rendition of ‘Jingle Bells’ that’s punk and edgy. With its festive strings and rocking attitude, ‘Jingle Bells’ ends up sounding totally unrecognizable and different from its original easygoing jingle.
Christmas is both heartwarming and musically engaging to no end. A short and sweet collection of Christmas-themed rock ear candy from Maverick Smith and an illustrious band of collaborators.
