Photo Credit: Kiera Chevell
Music has always been a thread of connection for many during the holiday season – from the traditional standards, to hymnal classics and the contemporary songs that have created new memories for many fans across the globe, when it comes to Christmas…the songbook has never been stronger.
Sydney songwriter and performer Jules knows this all too well, and has brought her affinity to such a unique collection of music together with a natural talent for storytelling, in the curation of a brand new Christmas EP: It’s Coming On Christmas.
In making this EP, Jules has been able to embark on a special creative project that has not only brought her more knowledge surrounding Christmas standards and musical traditions from different countries, but it has also captivated her own curiosity about the impact of this music on generations of music fans.
The EP, recorded at Church Street Studios in Camperdown with Emmy Award winning producer Sean Carey (Julia Stone, Daniel Johns), captures the essence of the season – one that Jules describes as being beautifully complex in its nature.
“Christmas is filled with complexities. Images of homes, greenery, merriment, and the warmth of fireplaces and hot summers, sit against a backdrop of war, longing, death, and grief. This all occurs as centuries of carols, hymns, and songs provide the soundtrack. It is with this in mind, that I embarked upon curating a Christmas EP.
The music traditions we have drawn from in It’s Coming on Christmas are a tried-and-true mix. German hymns are placed next to the yearning melancholic ballads of wartime Hollywood, and the first iterations of Laurel Canyon truth-telling.” JULES
Featuring songs like ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’, ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’, ‘Silent Night/Night of Silence’ and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s 1971 classic ‘River (It’s Coming On Christmas)’ – the latter of which stands as a special highlight of the record, a song that has been a favourite of artists all over the world when it comes to the Christmas canon.
“What makes ‘River’ resonate with people is how immensely sad it is. Against the Californian sunshine, Joni Mitchell wants a frozen river on which to skate away. In sunlight, she wants a cold winter. Is there anything that could define an artist more? It’s a confessional and very personal song; an oddity at the time. My whole Christmas EP is blue, but this song is the bluest.” JULES
The release of It’s Coming On Christmas marks Jules’ return, her first collection of music since the much-praised 2023 studio album, Familiar Drama. With four records to her name that have charted an impressive and authentic sonic evolution, Jules is a performer who leads from the heart – her brand of songwriting and performing has garnered the love of audiences around the country and internationally.
Establishing her own record label, Lights Record Label, in 2015 gave Jules the power to control her own creative output, redefining her role as the architect of her own journey. Weaving pop, blues and folk influences with honest and open storytelling, Jules’ music represents a great love for the craft of storytelling through music – It’s Coming On Christmas is a fitting addition to the catalogue.
PRAISE
“Take Me Back To The City, a buffeted-by-winds ballad in the style of Tina Arena, where city and country play as metaphors, punctuates its penitent pace with the sharp snap of an impatient snare, and is laced with a clear bitterness. For all that, the tone of most of the darkest songs is regretful rather than revengeful, such as in the mellow Scandinavian hum of Heartsick. And in the breezy ‘70s of Summertime Waits For You (think Seals and Croft meet Carly Simon)…”
BERNARD ZUEL (Familiar Drama, 2023)
“Kerr finds herself indebted to yacht-rock: for the first time in her career, she’s recorded a cover in the form of Christopher Cross’ 1979 smash Sailing. What started out as a little bit of fun ultimately snowballed into one of the album’s standout moments.”
THE MUSIC
“A sprawling ten-track collection documenting the throes and complexities of grief and nostalgia, the stirring record is carried by the sheer force of Jules’ songwriting.”
HAPPY MAG (Familiar Drama, 2023)
