Dustin Kensrue Previews New Holiday Album, ‘That Spirit of Christmas’

Dustin Kensrue, frontman of Thrice, announces his sixth solo record, That Spirit Of Christmas, out everywhere October 23rd via BMG. He also shares the lead single, “Joy Lives Here.”

A festive, twinkling offering, “Joy Lives Here” ushers listeners into the holiday season with its warm, celebratory spirit. Bright keys and a retro-soul rhythm section help the song capture both the comfort and chaos of the holidays.

Kensrue shares:

“The truly new song on the album, ‘Joy Lives Here,’ began as a bit of spec writing for the Hallmark Channel. The idea was put to me, and I decided to treat it as a writing challenge, even though I originally was not a fan of the specific prompt at all. But it forced me to dig down and try to capture the actual feeling around my house at Christmas (created mostly thanks to my amazing and Christmas-decoration-loving wife). By the time I finished, I’d gone deep enough into the prompt to really love it, and the way I had connected it to home — despite being told it was not really at all what Hallmark was looking for.”

That Spirit of Christmas finds Kensrue putting his own soulful spin on the holiday music canon, bringing together reimagined favourites, overlooked gems, and two original songs (including the reworked “This Good Night Is Still Everywhere”) into a cohesive collection built for the season. Drawing inspiration from the mid-century soul music that became a guiding influence throughout the recording process, the album balances nostalgia and warmth with Kensrue’s distinct songwriting. At its core, That Spirit of Christmas is a celebration of the shared rhythm, media, and stories of the holiday season, as well as the enduring power of songs that bring people together year after year.

Kensrue goes on to say:

“I’m proud of this album, and I think it’s solid top to bottom in a way that, as much as I love Christmas music, generally isn’t the case with a lot of full Christmas albums. There’s usually a great song or two, but often the rest feels like padding for the single, and a lot of my favourite recordings were only singles in the first place. In this case, I hope you can hear that this record only exists out of a simple love for these songs, the pleasure of crafting a cohesive album, and a joy at getting to participate in this shared rhythm with all of you. Cheers!”

That Spirit of Christmas Track Listing:

1. All Alone On Christmas
2. White Christmas
3. Christmas Time Is Here
4. Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday
5. Joy Lives Here
6. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
7. All I Want For Christmas Is You
8. My Favorite Things
9. That Spirit Of Christmas
10. This Good Night Is Still Everywhere

Dustin Kensrue ‘That Spirit of Christmas’ album artwork