Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The King's Singers

While I'm recommending, I thought I'd share one of my best finds this year, The King's Singers. Our wonderful friends, Scott and Kari, invited us to their concert in early December which put me in the Christmas spirit like nothing else. This vocal group from England, takes their name from King's College Cambridge where some of it's early members were scholars. It's a little different, and I'm mostly partially to listening to their Christmas stuff, but if you love incredible harmonies and a crystal clear sound, you'll probably like them. I literally have never heard a more impressive live performance. Their voices were unbelievably clear, spot-on and beautifully blended--not to mention they performed entirely a cappella. The song that blew me away for sound and exceptional lyrics was Born on a New Day which was written for Christmas and is an adaptation of their most well known song, You are the New Day. I have a playlist called "relax," where I put all my new age and instrumental stuff that I love. Look below for some of my favorites--old and new-- then go visit itunes and see if you feel the same. I really believe you can't judge anything fully, until you put it loud in your earphones and give it 2 or 3 tries...but that's just me. For my very favorites go here.

What do you relax to?

King's Singers favorites:
Born on a New Day, Always a Woman, Lullaby, Home, You are the New Day,

More new favorites:
The Voice of Angels-- Ademius (amazing-crank it!) Pie Jesu (beautiful)
Cocteau Twins--Carolyn's Fingers (recently rediscovered--ethereal)
How to Train a Dragon--Forbidden Friendship (awesome)
Natalie Merchant--My Skin (old but love the melancholy sound)
Slumdog Millionaire--Latika's Theme (lovely)


BORN ON A NEW DAY

You are the new day,
Meekness, love, humility,
Come down to us this day:
Christ, your birth has proved to me
You are the new day.

Quiet in a stall you lie,
Angels watching in the sky
Whisper to you from on high:
'You are the new day.'

When our life is darkest night,
Hope has burned away,
Love, your ray of guiding light,
Show us the new day.

Love of all things great and small,
Leaving none, embracing all,
Fold around me where I fall,
Bring in the new day.

This new day will be a turning point
For every one,
If we let the Christ-child in,
And reach for the new day.

Christ the Way, the Truth, the Life,
Healing sadness, ending strife,
You we welcome, Lord of Life.
Born on a new day,
You are the new day.

3 comments:

jill said...

Why don't you make me a CD being that I'm completely pathetic?

I also loved the songs that you posted under "here." Why can't I get with the program and have music around my house. All I hear is the Dora song, Yo Gabba Gabba song, Clifford The Red Dog song, Caillou song, and the current favorite Tom and Jerry which actually ain't that bad.

I definitely need to listen to your King Singers favorites, I've heard soooo much ranting and raving about them!

Jayne Layne said...

Saw them in concert too! They were great!

Ann Marie said...

Have they performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? For some reason.. when I saw the name.. it seemed like they had...

My relax music is mo-tab.. Enya -- like you-- ( watermark ) and I also love Lorena McKennitt.