Music Recommendations: Two More CDs

Crab Art in Baltimore, Maryland

Sing O Ye Heavens is Moravian music.  It is rare to find a CD where I rate 5 stars to nine (9) songs.  The artists are the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park.  Not only is the singing beautiful, but the under-girding orchestra will give your subwoofer a workout.

My second recommendation this week is La Luna featuring Sarah Brightman.  My favorite cut is Ms. Brightman singing Solo Con Te as it definitely has an ethereal quality.  Here is a long and positive Amazon review.

“Congrats Sarah!  I’ve been taken to the moon & back. The long awaited Brightman disc has arrived.  The songs are ranging from her amazing classical renditions to her angelic versions of pop hits. Sarah is dreamy & laid back in her new CD “La Luna.”  Don’t let the idea of Sarah Brightman singing cover versions spoil your likes for her.
The first track “La Lune” brings the hair up on my neck just by listening to the keyboard intro. The 2nd track, “Winter in July” is one of Sarah’s “pop married to classic” tracks.  The lyrics are heartfelt & reflect her feelings about life. “Scarborough Fair” is light and dreamy and “A whiter shade of pale” is operatic and revisited “à la Sarah”.  Beethoven’s “Figlio Perduto” is my 2nd fav. track. I love how Sarah rearranged it to fit her voice. “How Fair This Place” is pretty, but too short.  The tracks continue into one another, like a multi-mood story of music. I find that tracks like “Here with me” and “Hijo De La Luna” are different tunes all together because “Hijo De La Luna” has a ballroom sound to it, with Spanish lyrics. It is sung à la Kate Bush. “Here with me” is more rock or “Dive-ish”. “Gloomy Sunday” tones down the pace resulting in a bluesy, rainy-day track. Keeping with the moon theme, the title track “La Luna”, is absolutely amazing. Sarah builds suspense in every breath of this track.  Her voice soars as the song reaches its climax, wowing me every time. Unfortunately, the orchestra slightly drowns Sarah out at the end. The disc also features a hidden track. It is a breathy, up close & personal version of “Moon River.” {My disk did not contain Moon River.}  Sarah knows how to catch the attention of her fans.
The photos in “La Luna” are breath-taking, right down to the album cover.  I dig the space-age lettering of her name on the cover. In comparison, Eden took on a heavier classical flavor, as so with “Time to say good-bye”.  Nevertheless, “La Luna” balances Sarah’s career between “Dive” back in ’93 to the present. Don’t consider her slowing down even though the thought of a greatest hits double set sounds quite interesting.

I’ve had the golden opportunity to see Sarah in Montreal at the Molson Center on September 18 for her “La Luna” tour. Describe it, you say, Well, I have one word……EXTRAORDINARY!  To hear her is one thing, but to see this woman perform was simply amazing. Definitely worth the money!  Sing on Sarah!  Hers is definitely one of the glorious voices.“