Let’s get you out of 2020 and into the Holiday Spirit with the right song and the perfect video. The Whistles, a folk duo comprised of Wendy LaManque and Terry Brennan, took DIY video making to the next level for their Christmas Vacation cover. The title alone may not tell you much, but… if we say “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”, now you’re all warm and fuzzy on the inside. And you got the right to. The Whistles’ take on Mavis Staples’s Christmas Vacation brings a sense of achievement to all Millenials and Xennials, while attracting a good deal of attention to its ambitious, hilarious, heart-warming visuals. Consider it our Christmas gift to you, the reader :star:
You might recognize Terry from a previous article we did on Cousin Earth’s Bacon, Cat Food & Cheese. We advise you either stop reading now and go consume that funk masterpiece first then come back here later, or patiently wait until you’ll have finished witnessing The Whistles’ genius touch and intimidatingly professional vocals. The two can not be consumed simultaneously as your brain might give way 😀
Let’s start off with Wendy’s pink-tinged hair going, God knows how, perfectly in-style with her red lips! If you’re a fashion follower, you know red with pink is a no go. But Wendy just might have you trying that forgotten sangria shade lipstick with your Halloween mermaid wig. Oh, definitely add her flawless soprano voice to it and her pitch-perfect transitions and you get an invincible Christmas trooper: “It’s that time, Christmas time is here/ Everybody knows there’s not a better time of year/ Hear that sleigh, Santa’s on his way/ Hip, Hip Hooray, for Christmas Vacation!” Wendy is the proud main lead of this record and music video but… the woman loves her man! Even if for a short instant, Wendy can be caught looking at Terry at 01:02, 01:47, 01:54, 02:17, 02:24, and 3:39. Yes, we did that. We watched like hawks to see their chemistry and we attest, they are soulmates!
Wendy’s husband, Terry, is a joy to the eyes and comfort food for the soul. The guy is highly enjoying himself and rocks that Santa outfit like no other! His facial expressions, his quirky movements, his smooth head bobbing, and his unexpectedly powerful sung scream of 3 seconds (from 2:14 to 2:17) complete the Christmas painting these two so generously and dedicatedly worked to put together. “We shot all the live-action, and all the artwork over a two-day period at our Tiny House (the name we give our house because it’s tiny), which we never leave, which is why we make cartoons now. 😀 I also did all the video editing and animation. I stayed up for like 5 days straight. I think my resulting delirium really comes through in the video!”, shares Terry Brennan exclusively for Blue Rhymez Entertainment. Actually, no Terry, if anything, you looked like you were Wendy’s dedicated hype man!
If in hip hop and rap music for example artists usually use the same sample or even the same beat with no restraint, Terry and Wendy recreated the entire instrumental from scratch. And that had us scratching our own heads in return. We didn’t even think this was done anymore! From Wendy’s kazoo To Terry’s guitar, keyboard, synth, percussion, and mixing and mastering included, The Whistles came fully-armed to the table with incomparable talent and entertaining holiday visuals.
Musically, the cover is both glorious and novel, granting a pop-like revival to the much more serious original soul. The Whistles will gain favor with positive music lovers and with all souls whose childhoods were marked by the one and only Christmas movie worth rewatching every year, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We stan!
Add this joyous record to your playlists on Amazon HERE, on Apple Music HERE, and on Spotify below:
Written by Mariana Berdianu
Blue Rhymez Entertainment ©2020