Music Review: A Song for the Season—and for the Heart

Broadcasting “live from the windy city”—which she cheerfully clarified was neither windy nor cold—Cavazos Woloszyk introduced listeners to a newly released holiday song that would soon resonate far beyond a standard Christmas playlist. Her pick: “It’s Not Christmas Without You” by British trio The Last Arcade, released only days ago on YouTube.

What began as light-hearted banter about sunshine, melting snow and the absence of a white Christmas quickly turned into a deeply personal and moving moment on air. For Cavazos Woloszyk, the timing of the song’s release was no coincidence.

“Today actually marks one full year without my dad,” she shared, her voice steady but reflective. “Some songs arrive when you least expect them—yet exactly when you need them most.”

The track, she explained, captures the quiet ache of absence that the holiday season can intensify. Having lost both of her parents within just over a year, the song’s theme of missing a loved one struck with particular force. “It’s not a song that overstates its emotion,” she said. “It gently sits with grief and allows it to breathe.”

The Last Arcade—made up of Steve McNally (formerly of BBMak), Steve Erickson on keyboards, and Paul Garrett on guitar—draw on a shared songwriting partnership and a sound steeped in 80s-inspired synth pop. Their music, Cavazos Woloszyk noted, feels both nostalgic and timeless, resonating especially with listeners who grew up in the 80s and 90s while remaining emotionally relevant today.

In a poignant full-circle moment, she revealed that exactly one year earlier, another song connected to the same artists—“Collide” by BBMak—had helped her process her father’s passing. Now, once again, music from The Last Arcade was offering comfort on a significant anniversary.

“Do they know how profound this song is for me? Of course not,” she said. “But sometimes music finds us anyway.”

As she closed her review, Cavazos Woloszyk encouraged listeners to seek out the song on YouTube and follow the band across social media, thanking the trio for their honesty and songwriting—and for “unknowingly providing comfort when it was needed most.”

With audience cheers and a heartfelt “Merry Christmas,” she officially introduced “It’s Not Christmas Without You” as the Ginger and Nuts Single of the Week—a reminder that even in the midst of celebration, music has the power to honour loss, love and the memories that never truly leave.