Nation Of Language have shared a cover of Darlene Love’s festive classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ – check it out below.
The Brooklyn indie synthpop trio – made up of Ian Devaney, Aidan Noell and Alex MacKay – have put a distinctive spin on the 1963 track that was famously part of Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You compilation.
Nation Of Language join the likes of U2, Cher, Mariah Carey and Death Cab For Cutie in covering the song, which Spector also wrote alongside Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. In this version, the band infuse the track with eerie, spacious production and slower pacing, eking out the song’s bittersweet emotional inner life.
Listen here:
It is just the latest new Christmas-themed release in recent weeks: Laufey shared a cover of ‘Santa Baby’, complete with a video starring Bill Murray, Charlie Puth has put out a Wham!-inspired new single ‘December 25th’, while BTS’ V has teamed up with the Bing Crosby estate for a new version of ‘White Christmas’.
Black Star Riders frontman Ricky Warwick has also given a heavier festive option with ‘All I Want For Christmas…Is Christmas!’, alongside The Cult’s Billy Duffy and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, while NFL star Jason Kelce is about to release an entire Christmas album, including collaborations with Stevie Nicks, Boyz II Men and his brother Travis.
The single is the first new music from Nation Of Language since the release of their third studio album ‘Strange Disciple’ in September 2023. In a four-star review of the record, NME wrote: “‘Strange Disciple’ is a testament to the band’s growth in the brisk three years since their debut. With their third album, Nation Of Language prove they’re able to stretch their auditory imagination, all while sticking to their roots. In just 10 quick tracks, the NYC band demonstrate that their reminiscent sound has always been more about the future than the past.”