Liverpool songwriter Jennifer Ness is getting the Christmas preparations under way with a festive pop single entitled ‘Little Helpers’. It’s all about the little things that go on around the tree each year, the hand made decorations, the gingerbread and the wrapping paper. The chorus is obviously written to be sung together and that gives the whole thing a real sense of cheer.
Piano, bass and drums underpin it all with a steady beat, augmented by sleigh bells, chimes and orchestral strings. Ness’s warm vocals and the layered harmonies are very much in keeping with the domesticity of the piece; the joy is in the music being able to soak up the excitement of the children. You can quite easily imagine the glitter all over the kitchen table.
Co-written and produced with Mat Leppänen at The Animal Farm Music, the song started life as a uni assignment and formed the basis for Ness’s North Pole Crew characters. The wider project makes perfect sense, though it’s the family traditions that provide the best material here. “Little Helpers” is absolutely in its place as a song to go with the decorating box in terms of its warmth and sense of participation.
