For Robin Mitchell, Christmas has never meant glib cantations about jingle bells and reindeer. Robin's 'festive fireside songs' conjour up intimacy and warmth, but hold these in tension with the apocalyptic themes that pervade the Christmas story, as well as the sense of vulnerability that accompanies each new winter.
'Another Fragile Year' explores festive themes as Robin understands them: contrasts between light and dark, cold and warmth, despair and hope, love and loss. The songs reflect upon events from the year including travels in China, Robin's marriage to Hannah, and the refugee crisis in Europe.
At times musically haunting, at others warm and jazzy, this record reveals Robin's maturation as a composer and songwriter, with gentle touches of clarinet, reed organ and electric piano enriching an already diverse palette.
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