2021

Album cover design for Hiss Golden Messenger “O Come All Ye Faithful” Record on Merge Records.

Conceptualized and written during the chaotic fall months of 2020, O Come All Ye Faithful is a meditation on grace, loss, hope, and community. Hiss Golden Messenger leader, songwriter, and vocalist M.C. Taylor talks about the inspiration for the album: “Big, brash holiday music—the type that we hear in big-box stores in the middle of December—has never resonated with me, and this past year it felt absolutely dissonant. I wanted to make a seasonal record that felt more in step with the way that I, and so many others, experience this time of year: quiet, contemplative, searching, and bittersweet.” Taylor adds, “The intention was to make a seasonal record with vibe.”

O Come All Ye Faithful features three new songs written by Taylor, traditional classics, and new renditions of “Shine a Light” by Spiritualized, “As Long As I Can See the Light” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and “Hanukkah Dance” by Woody Guthrie, all arranged in the distinctive Hiss Golden Messenger style.