Jon Mitchell’s classic “River” can barely be considered a Christmas song, but Braden Lam has done his darnedest to breathe new life into the holiday standard with his own indie-folk rendition of it, regardless.
“River” is Joni Mitchell’s break-up song about breaking things off (probably) with singer Graham Nash (The Hollies, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) late in 1970. Six months later, in the middle of June, the song would appear on her legendary platinum 1971 non-Christmas album, Blue. Despite the song unfolding sometime around Christmas, references to ice skating, and even a little “Jingle Bells” piano motif, it’s still only about half as Christmasy as even Elvis’s “Blue Christmas.” Instead, “River” should be remembered as the song that made Kate Hudson cry one day in 1973.
But that’s neither here nor there. Braden Lam is embracing Joni Mitchell’s “River” as a Christmas song and even ditched what he refers to as the “cheesy” piano part.
“I’m pretty sure I made it much sadder too,” says Lam.
Good thing he’s still got the Santa hat on in the video, or we might not realize what holiday this is supposed to be.
“Many versions of this song keep the upbeat cheery piano part but I wanted to dig in further with a more chill indie-folk approach to the song. It will certainly get you through a breakup or that family dinner on Christmas eve!”
That being said, with co-producer Paul Aarntzen (Hillsburn), and a blessedly moody horn section thrown in good measure, Lam nails this as something excellent—though, arguable, not any particularly more festive.
“I’ve always admired Christmas music that is unconventional. I’ve especially admired this song since I was a kid for how much raw emotion is captured in Joni’s voice and lyrics—there’s a video of 12-year-old me singing this song somewhere,” says Lam.
“In reality, the holiday season can get messy. Relationships are hard, family is confusing, and now we need to factor in that the whole world is healing, re-inventing, and reconnecting itself. At some point in the past couple of years, we all desired the same thing—escape. We all need a little soundtrack to escape to this Christmas, and it’s a good excuse to release some new music before I begin rolling out more original tunes in 2022.”
With a video directed by Joshua Saunders, Braden Lam channels big sad mall-Santa energy and the disappointment of not quite being in sync with the season. With aerial shots of Lam floating amid an island in the heart-shaped pond in Hemlock Ravine Park near Halifax, the setting is complete. It’s brilliant, but not properly Christmas, and I’ll continue to happily enjoy Braden Lam and Joni Mitchell’s “River” just as much in the middle of June, just as was intended with Blue.
Show Dates:
12.04.21 | Halifax, NS – The Marquee Ballroom with Elliot Brood