So lets do this! I will post some pictures later.
And here is the review:
Joy to the World
It is as almost to say "WELCOME TO OUR ALBUM". It sounds so majestic and lively. This is a definite track to show off to people. It will make them really know what Libera is about!
Still, Still, Still
Solo: Ralph Skan
Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful. I simply cannot get over this song. The violins are lovely and Ralph's voice is so perfect and smooth. My favorite part of this song is the whole ending section. Like starting from, "Light, Light, Light" when the deep voices do the melody part and the high voices do the Descants(?). It's so soothing and completely unlike any other Libera song we've ever heard. The end with the "Sleep, Holy Jesus, Sleep, Sleep, Sleeeeeeep" It so beautiful and like, the first time I heard it, it made me smile. It was so touching, actually.
Carol of the Bells
This song is so awesome. It sounds soooo much better when you get it on the album because you can really hear the harmonies. This song's harmonies are so complex that you wouldn't think they could pull it off in concert, but they obviously did, very well too, here. This song is awesome and I love the way it ends on Cassius's (?) part. Very cool.
Veni, Veni Emmanuel
Solo: Daniel Fontannaz
Okay, so you guys can all shoot me in the foot. But I'm not a huge fan of this song! But I still like it, don't get me wrong. Something about it just isn't hitting me right. I love the gaude's, I think they are nice. I also love Daniel's solo. His voice is getting deeper and I could see how Mr. Prizeman picked him for this song. Also, Libera sang in this in concert in the Philippines, but Josh had the solo. I can also now see why, because Josh's voice was just perfect for this and quite similar to Daniel's, kind of.
Once in Royal David's City
Solo: Eoghan McCarthy
Eoghan, Eoghan, Eoghan!!! He is SO good. He has such a nice tone to his voice and it kind of reminds me Stefan's a little bit. The harmonies in this song are AWESOME. The arrangement is just about identical to the 2008 version. The end is awesome. Like it stops, and then an "explosion" of music plays! It's a great little tune. I really like it! Oh, and the low voices are quite prominent.
O Holy Night
Solo: Ralph Skan
It starts off with a instrumental introduction, but I don't see how it fits the song, but it's still pretty. Ralph comes in and melts us with this perfect, soothing, touching voice. Harmonies are AMAZING in the second verse. I particually love that verse because of the great harmonies in it. The end is also beautiful. The last verse has a descant (?) to it and it makes it sound so beautiful! And then Ralph's "O holy night" at the end it also so so so so pretty. I like the way he ends the word "Night" because it sound so soft. This is a GREAT song. I would go on, but AMAZING would be every sentence ;).
White Christmas
Solo: Stefan Leadbeater
It starts off with a little instrumental beginning. And then Stefan starts to sing. He definitely has a similar voice to Liam O'Kane, but also at the same time, not quite. He starts off and then the group comes in a sings the chorus. Then another little TINY "ah" section or bridge as it is correctly termed. And then the chorus again with the entire group comes in, but with Stefan singing on top of it all. It is such a great song!! I'm a huge fan of it. I love Stefan's voice in the second chorus because it is so soothing and soft. I love the "be white!" It sounds really nice and it is such a nice Christmas song.
Corpus Christi Carol
Solo: Ralph Skan and James Mordaunt
You know it's a shame that James may have possibly left Libera. Just listening to this song, you realize how much true potential this kid had. And of course Ralph is nice and soothing in it as well. It is a relatively slow song, and it is only Ralph and James the entire time. Not much to say about this one, besides the fact that I love it. Oh and the last note is quite beautiful and touching.
In Dulci Jubilo
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY. I love how it is like English and Latin mixed. It's so happy all the time during this song and the harmonies are AMAZING. This song makes me want to like, set up the Christmas tree right now. This instant. I thought it was nice when it says "There are angels singing." And there is a descant(?) in the background. I was like "YES THERE ARE." On the last verse the low voices join in and it sounds great! The end of the song like the descants(?) were sooo high. And I mean SO HIGH. And it is also an awesome note at the end. Such a happy song! I love it.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Solo: James Mordaunt and Ralph Skan
Really no need to review because it came out so long ago, but once again another reason to miss James and to love Ralph.
Sing the Story
Solo: Luke Collins
I love this song by Michael, but I especially love it by Luke! He sounds great. I love the harmonies in this song. They make you feel all nice and warm. "Shining like silver the stars in the sky!" That part is great! The group sounds so full. I really love the end. When it is nice and slow "Sing the story, the wonderful miracle. Sing the story of love evermore." It is so nice and peaceful and I love the ending that way.
Coventry Carol
Solo: Josh Madine, Ralph Skan and Stefan Leadbeater
Intro by Stefan is great! He sounds awesome and then Ralph joins in and the whole intro sounds more awesome because of the harmonies. Then Josh comes in. It's nice and deep. Very nontraditional. I love the second "Lully Lulla." The harmonies sound AMAZING there. I love when the bass comes in. It gives the song a new meaning. It makes it so much more deep. Now, if you hadn't noticed, this song is not happy. It happens to be very sad and depressing. Inna at the Beautiful Strangers blog wrote this little right up about it:
"The carol refers to the Massacre of the Innocents, in which Herod orders all male infants under the age of two in Bethlehem to be killed. The lyrics of this haunting carol represent a mother's lament for her doomed child."
HOW SAD IS THAT. Anyway, it's a great song!! Wonder who the bass is?
The First Nowell
Solo: Freddie Ingles
The group sounds so alive in this song! I love this song, personally, Libera or not, I love this song. The second verse is lovely. Almost A Capella (SP?), kind of. Not really, but sort of. The harmonies in the chorus are great and really make the song sound great. And Freddie's solo! It has such an "AWWWWWWWW" factor to it! He sounds beautiful, but also sounds soo young! If he left, I will be so upset! He's so good! And just imagine his voice in a few years! The end is nice! The deep voices join in a song along. There is a nice descant(?) going, too. It's a really nice song, and a very happy one. It's a good choice to go right after Coventry Carol :).
Jubilate Deo
Solo: Jakob DeMenezes- Wood
JAKOB. DEMENEZES. WOOD. You are a BEAST my good friend. From the first, Alleluia to the last Allelu (it kind of ends like that..) you sound AMAZING. Superb. Awesome. Perfect. I love love LOVE the beginning. The Alleluias are sooooo cool and a great intro. I love when it goes from "Jubilate Deo omnus terra, Jubilate Deo omnus terra" And then it stops completely, then goes into "Jubliate!" It sounds so cool. The group sounds sooooooooooooo good in this song and so full as well. Play this song on a stereo that as awesome bass to it and it sounds SO good. GREAT, AMAZING, SUPERB job on this one boys. (Sometimes I feel like I proud parent. Even though I am the same age as some of them :D)
While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks By Night
Solo: Cassius O'Connell- White
The traditional version of this song is used. GOOD. Because I love it. The harmonies in this song are wonderful and pleasant. That's a great world to describe this song. Pleasant. Especially Cassius's solo. He sounds a little like Ben Philipp but not too much. Only a teeny bit. When the deep voices join in it is always a great sounding part. They sound so full and awesome. The deep voices are so prominent at the end! They sound AWESOME. Great way to end the Christmas songs on this album!
Lullabye
Solo: Josh Madine, Ben Philipp and Jakob DeMenezes- Wood
Not sure where we are going with the Christmas here, but okay. Maybe this just put it on for the purpose of putting it on. I always try to figure out where Ben is in this song. I here Jakob, I think. Him and Josh sound alike. And obviously, we hear Josh. I always try to figure out where Ben comes in. This song is sad, and then putting it with the music video is even more sad! But all in all this is also a beautiful song. Very impressive, boys!
This album definitely made me ecstatic. I am more than thrilled and I could not have asked for more. Pictures to come later!
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