Allan Palacios Chan – “Coventry Carol/What Child is This” [Song Review]

Philippine-born American tenor Allan Palacios Chan recently released his holiday single, “Coventry Carol/What Child is This,” presaging Chan’s forthcoming crossover album, highlighting reinterpreted classics and Chan’s hypnotic voice.

Speaking about “Coventry Carol/What Child is This,” Chan says, “I love the contrast this music provides and did not expect the subject matter to become so horrifyingly relevant as the world seemed to be set on fire during the recording process.”

The genesis of “Coventry Carol/What Child is This” occurred while Allan Palacios Chan was touring the Philippines, raising money for indigenous students at the Notre Dame school in Mindanao. Perceiving Chan’s enormous talent, Renen de Guia of Ovation Productions introduced him to LA-based agent Gina Orr and acclaimed arranger and pianist Leonardo de Bernardini.

“Coventry Carol” is a lullaby for the children murdered by King Herod, followed by the tender strains of “What Child Is This,” a Christmas carol set to the tune of “Greensleeves.”

The song opens with Allan Palacios Chan’s haunting tones, infusing the song with hints of Gregorian timbres. As the strings enter, the melody takes on soft depth and resonance, escalating to compelling, impassioned surfaces composed of multiple sonic layers.

Rich and round yet gentle and under exquisite lilting control, Chan’s vocals imbue the lyrics of “What Child Is This” with reverent hues, glowing with all-consuming, fateful significance. There’s an evocative, compassionate fervency to Chan’s vocals, at once alluring and elegantly fluid.

Allan Palacios Chan at Village Studios in Los Angeles, photo by Ted Soqui

Intimate and luxuriously sensitive, “Coventry Carol/What Child is This” reveals the color, texture, and balance of the voice of Allan Palacios Chan.

Run Time: 5:23
Release Date: November 21, 2023
Record Label: Ars Nova Records