NL darlings Fortunate Ones have just released a new Christmas EP ahead of their Christmas tour. All Will Be Well is a holiday feast with 6 tunes of varying styles. Something for everyone.

They take a few classics out for a spin, such as a faithful rendition of Kenny and Dolly’s “Christmas Without You,” a heaping helping of pop in Wham’s “Last Christmas,” an uptempo nod to Sufjan Stevens’ “Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!” and a way-stripped-down version of Elvis’ “Blue Christmas.” And they shine out two brand new original gems with “What We Got” and “Empty Street.”

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What Made You Want to do a Christmas Album?

Catherine Allan: We are both huge fans of the holidays. Last year we did our first Christmas shows in St. John’s and we had so much fun we decided to record some tunes and do it all again this year! Music is such a huge part of what makes the holidays so special. It was fun to try our hand at a few original holiday songs.

How Hard Was it to Decide on the Songs You Wanted to Record?

Catherine: I’ll admit, there was some back and forth between the two of us. There were a couple of obvious choices but the one that was controversial was the Kenny & Dolly cover. Luckily Mark Neary had my back on that one, so Andrew agreed to it!

Did You Get Input From Family and Friends?

Catherine: The greatest input we had was from Mark (producer). He helped us figure out what songs and sounds might work best for us. He really has a great ear for that kind of thing.

How Has The Reaction of Family & Friends Been Since They Heard the Album?

Andrew James O’Brien: Our families are so supportive of everything that we do that I feel like they were excited that we were working on any kind of new material. My brother had a copy of The Bliss on his car’s dash for so long that the colour bleached out of the album cover. We figured it was time to give him something new.

When Did You Record the Album?

Andrew: We recorded the album in June – right before hitting the road to play a bunch of summer festivals. I’d love to be able to say that we had to dig deep to get into the spirit of the holidays but, to be honest, it took all our might not to set up a Christmas tree in the vocal booth. We love Christmas music so much. We were also happy to be back in the studio making new music. The expression of creativity that the recording process brings out is the best feeling.

How Was Recording a Yuletide Themed Album Different from Recording Any Other Album For You?

Catherine: Sleigh Bells.

How Was the Experience of Writing Christmas Songs? Did You Feel Pressure to Measure up to the Greats or Did You Just Think of it as Tackling Any New Song?

Andrew: We were looking to put our own stamp on the tradition of writing holiday songs. We weren’t concerned with measuring up to the classics so much as trying to live up to the standard of writing that we hold all of our original songs to. We tried to capture some of the nostalgia that we feel about the holiday season without being too saccharine. The messages and themes of Christmas are universal and that universality is something that we try to incorporate in all of our music.

What Do You Think of When You Think of Christmas?

Andrew: For me, I see my family in younger years, stocking up on food, snacks, stuffing a tree into the back of my parent’s car, decorating the house. The music elicits smells and sense memories of a simpler time that I’ll always cherish.

What Traditions Do You Have That Might Not Be So Traditional?

Andrew: In recent years, because of work and touring schedules, my family has taken to celebrating Christmas Eve a few days earlier than the actual day. We keep it to my immediate family and this shift in celebration has alleviated some stress associated with hosting and cooking for a big crowd. We watch some Christmas movies, have a couple nogs and a cooked dinner then, when proper Christmas comes around, I head to Corner Brook for West Coast celebrations with Catherine’s family. Two Christmases in one!