Rohan Solomon’s “It’s Christmas” is the new single from the popular Indian singer/songwriter. He’s long since crossed over into the global market working out of Nashville, but his forays into the more commercial spectrum of songwriting doesn’t come at the expense of artistic integrity. “It’s Christmas” is a seasonal song, a staple of every December release schedule, but it does traffic in the sloppy and well-worn sentiments adorning nearly every Christmas-themed release. Nor does it lean on the religious imagery that’s a staple, as well, of the genre. Rohan Solomon has brought ferocious individual creativity to everything he does since first emerging as front man for the group Cyanide. He released his first solo effort in 2009 and shows no signs of slowing down.
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He’s kept up a prolific pace since then. Solomon’s output has mixed album releases with singles though he’s favored the latter during the pandemic for obvious reasons. “It’s Christmas” is the latest in a successful spate of tracks emerging since the pandemic began and has enormous poignancy despite never mentioning COVID-19 a single time. There’s an artistic achievement in that alone that’s well worth appreciating.
I love the vocal melody. It gives Solomon ample musical possibilities to work with and he never disappoints; listen to how he caresses certain words out and how he surrounds others with just the right amount of emotion. The production for the track brings these elements into near perfect accord with one another – you will be hard-pressed to identify a single part of the song that stands out at the extense of another.
The musicianship is superb. It doesn’t demand technical expertise from the players, but the requirements are just as stringent. Having an ear for the exact mix of musical flavors isn’t a skill you can learn; you either have it or you don’t. Solomon’s “It’s Christmas” brings a limited assortment of instruments to bear with the focus on guitar and drums, but it’s nonetheless a thoroughly satisfying listening experience.
It isn’t difficult to imagine it playing well in live performance. It remains to be seen, however, if Solomon gets many, if any, opportunities to perform the song. I believe it’s an important release nonetheless. There’s no question it expands Solomon’s growing appeal with a song certain to appeal to anyone rather than wrestling with polarizing social issues. He’s reaching out to everyone here.
It’s likely they will return his affection. If you don’t like “It’s Christmas”, you may be a bit of a Scrooge. Rohan Solomon has written a song full of sentiments you can’t really quibble with and the added bonus of him presenting them in such an artistic fashion helps push this track over the top. It isn’t your everyday holiday tripe, but rather a piece of musical art that touches on fundamental themes anyone but the hardest of hearts can appreciate. For lovers of Christmas music, it’s a must-hear, but you’ll come back to the song long after the new year begins. It’s much more than some more Yuletide cheer.
Rachel Townsend
The music of Rohan Solomon has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com