Alela Diane has always talked about making a classic Christmas album. Last holiday season, Alela‘s husband joked that her song The Pirate’s Gospel was ripe for a Christmas rendition, where the pirate-like lyrics of “yo-ho, yo-ho ho” in the chorus could be adapted to a “ho-ho, ho-ho ho”. The conversation of making a Christmas album continued overseas while Alela was on tour with folk trio The Hackles (Kati Claiborn, Luke Ydstie, Halli Anderson also known from other projects such as Blind Pilot, Horse Feathers and River Whyless) in early 2023. Amused by the idea of Weird Al-ifying The Pirate’s Gospel — one of Diane’s most popular songs in Europe — The Hackles and Alela laughed about the idea of creating The Santa’s Gospel, and shared increasing excitement about collaborating on a full length Christmas album together.
Within a few months of their return from tour, the musicians, all residing in the lush environs of the Pacific Northwest, began to track down their favorite holiday songs and share them among each other to see which ones might stick. Having arrived at a list of favorites, they gathered in the coastal town of Astoria, Oregon in early May and recorded the album in just a few days. Luke and Kati’s daughter Hazel, who is 9, was confused that they were learning Christmas songs at that time of year. One Spring day, while Christmas music was reverberating through their house, she quipped: “Well, I guess It’s Always Christmas Somewhere...” the title stuck. Alela Diane and The Hackles have definitive Christmas album, shrouding some of the classic and most beloved Christmas songs in sparse, delicate arrangements with all the appropriate holiday spices. It is sure to delight the very listeners who, with eager anticipation, pull out all of their decorations and commence decking the halls while queuing up their favorite holiday tunes. Now, they too, can share in the amusement, that no matter how early they kick off the holiday season, “It’s Always Christmas Somewhere.”
