Threepence X 2

Sixpence None the Richer took a break, but when Leigh Nash gave Matt Slocum a call, he was ready.

Experiencing Europe did a world of good for Matt Slocum.


After getting married and living in Italy for a year and a half -- on a long honeymoon, basically -- Slocum returned to Nashville ready to make music again.


Fortunately for him, so was Leigh Nash, his former songwriting partner and vocalist in Sixpence None the Richer. The Christian pop group, which had a No. 2 crossover hit with "Kiss Me" in 1999, had split up four years earlier.


Slocum said that breakup was amicable.


"Leigh was pregnant at the time, and when she had her son, she just wanted to focus on that," he said. "We'd been at it a long time. I think there was definitely a little bit of fatigue and just the need to do something different for a while."


Slocum briefly played in another band, then married his girlfriend Kristen and moved to Verona, Italy, for a year and a half.


"It was like the last hurrah before we had a family," he said. "I did write, but it was kind of a sabbatical, an extended honeymoon. We experienced the world for a while, and it was great."


Back in Nashville, Nash gave her old band mate a call. Her son, Henry, was no longer a newborn. She was ready to play music again.


"We both felt maybe it was a good time to start making music together again," Slocum said. "It was really casual and low-key, but definitely good timing. I was happy to come back home to that opportunity."


Sixpence promptly released a four-song EP to let the world know they were back. They then decided to accommodate fans' requests for a Christmas album. Slocum said they prepared by listening to tons of holiday songs and found it daunting.


"There so many Christmas records out there -- so many good ones and so many bad ones. You start thinking you'll make a bad one. So much stuff has been done so well many times before. The other challenge was we wanted to write originals. That was a bit intimidating as well, to contribute to the holiday canon.


"The Dawn of Grace," released in October, includes Sixpence songs "The Last Christmas" and "Christmas for Two," as well as their take on standards such as "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Silent Night." For the latter song, Jars of Clay's Dan Haseltine made a guest appearance.


"He surprised us because he was coming in to sing and showed up with these separate lyrics that created a different subplot to the song. It was really cool; it just transformed the whole thing."


Look for Sixpence None the Richer and Jars of Clay, as well as Sara Groves and Leeland, to perform together in various combinations during the Love Came Down Christmas Pageant concert at the Warner Theatre on Dec. 11.


"There is a lot of interaction on the tour, as far as bands being up on stage at the same time and performing together," Slocum said. "I'm looking forward to that aspect most of all."


Slocum said Sixpence will stay true to the holiday theme, which means they won't play "Kiss Me," their signature song -- at least not for mainstream audiences.


"We know it's something that ended up defining the band and probably will continue to in the future," Slocum said. "At the end of the day, we're really thankful for having a song that's known all over the world. It opened a lot of doors and has given us a lot of opportunities.


"On the other hand, I think we're ready to move beyond it and keep creating a good body of work."


Slocum and Nash have found they're on the same songwriting wavelength more than ever because he recently became a parent, too. Olive, his daughter, is 4 months old.


"It does enhance the bond," Slocum said. "We have similar inspiration for future songs. It's nice to experience that together."


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