I generally make it a habit to wait until December to play Christmas music, I realize for some they like to start in November or at least midway through November but after years of working in retail, my capacity is limited to a month. I am however making an exception this year to that rule for Fionn’s cover of the iconic Joni Mitchell song “River”. 

The sisters have had a busy 2021, releasing their sophomore album Candid Constellations in the spring/early summer, performing with Marianas Trench, and releasing the single “I Won’t Lie” with U.K.’s neo-R&B darling Mauvey.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVEH23rhrL0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Going back to “River”, in an Instagram post announcing the release of the cover, the sisters shared their love for Joni Mitchell and shared how her “Blue” album and song writing style greatly influenced in their writing of their debut self-titled album Fionn in 2018.  

I always like to hear about who the artists have been inspired by and I think it gives you more to think about and look for when you listen to an album.

What I like about really like about this cover of “River” is the focus on the seriously strong vocals of Alana and Brianne and there’s not the traditional heavy jingle bell blasted back-track that can really plague a Christmas song. Instead, we have a more minimal, subdued church organ-esque synth that rises and falls while the girls provide a sweet and emotive acapella for the main melody. It feels very current to the kind of pop music that’s become popular over the last couple of years and I really love it. It has me, the Grinchiest, Scroogiest person thinking Fionn should perhaps do an entire Christmas album because I would absolutely listen to it.