Americana storyteller, singer, and songwriter Lauren Calve released her original holiday track, “Christmas Is Where The Heart Is” back in November, but we’ve held off talking about it, because we felt it deserved a spot in our Essential Advent Calendar.
‘Christmas Is Where The Heart Is’ is a take on the classic proverb, “home is where the heart is,”
“’Christmas Is Where The Heart Is’ contains the same message,” says Calve. “Christmas, like home, is nothing without the bonds of family and friends. But oftentimes these bonds are strained or broken when there’s a death in the family or a close friend moves away. Christmas is a time to expand the heart to feel all of the light and dark that comes with being human; it’s a time to love, mourn and forgive.”
The holiday song furthers the themes that Calve explores on her ‘Wildfire’ EP, released on June 23, which can be streamed and downloaded here. On ‘Wildfire’, Calve delves into interesting territory as she uses memorable imagery and meter to write about complex issues. Her song ‘Better Angels’ was written after listening to a radio interview with Jon Meacham who cited Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address as inspiration for his book, ‘The Soul of America: The Battle For Our Better Angels’.
The words “better angels” has been a common theme this year with everyone from Michelle Obama to Andrew Cuomo mentioning them in speeches, and now with Joe Biden citing “better angels” in his acceptance speech.
“Meacham applied Lincoln’s message of ‘the better angels of our nature’ to the courage of the American people who dealt with the unprecedented crises of their era,’” says Calve. “Lincoln’s words still hold a powerful resonance, and they gave me a deep hope that I hadn’t felt in years. ‘Better Angels’ was born from that surge of hope and optimism. It was a reminder that we would always rise to the occasion, no matter what.”
Lauren Calve’s musical compositions blend blues and Americana, guitar and lap steel, but their strength lies in how they go beyond tradition into innovative melodies, structures and arrangements that define their originality. Her lyrics, intonation, and songwriting resonate with the listener leaving them to ponder what they’ve just heard and wanting more.
