Mark your calendars now, this might be a record for early Christmas music announcements; as of yesterday (September 23) Letters to Cleo have unveiled the coming of their new holiday EP named Ok Christmas. Due out November 15, the Boston group’s newest collection will include three covers (The Dogmatics’ “X-mas Time (Sure Don’t Feel Like It)” plus “Father Christmas” and “If I Get Home On Christmas Day”), as well as one original tune called “Miss You This Christmas.”
“Song selection for Ok Christmas was an interesting experience,” says guitarist Michael Eisenstein. “We knew we were going to try to write an original, but we wanted to agree on three to four covers as well. Before we even decided to make a holiday EP, our manager Michael Creamer suggested we do a single of The Dogmatics’ ‘X-mas Time.’ He was more or less like, ‘it mentions Filene’s Basement and Kenmore Square, you gotta do it!’ It’s a gift to our Boston fans.”
“The Kinks’ ‘Father Christmas,’ which has been covered many times but remains largely unknown, was on all of our lists from the start,” he adds. “Greg [McKenna] found Elvis Presley’s “If I Get Home On Christmas Day” and no one was too crazy about it as first. Then he made an acoustic demo of his arrangement idea and we all got it. Stacy [Jones] laid down the drum track in one take.”
Fans can preorder a vinyl copy of the EP here, or grab a copy at the band’s two shows at the Paradise Rock Club on November 22 and 23 with Speedy Ortiz.
Check out the album artwork below, by Daykamp Creative.
