Search - Aliqua :: All I Want

One of the best holiday/Christmas albums released in recent

Jennifer Midura | 12/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a sucker for good Christmas music. Unfortunately I am finding it harder and harder to find albums with that balance between classic and modern, as so many artists choose to go overboard with Autotune, synthesizers, and the like.



Then came Aliqua. I ended up with 2 tracks free off of this album (one from here, one from another music site that sponsored a giveaway). I was intrigued enough that I looked them up and discovered that they were streaming their album free online. After listening, I spent the rest of the day telling people about it and wishing I had it on my mp3 player. Needless to say, I went back that afternoon and bought the album that struck such a chord with me (haha).



Aliqua is an 8-voice women's choir. They often sing parts of each song a cappella, but whoever produced the album knew just when to add in gentle instrumentation so the songs never have that "empty" feeling I often experience on a cappella tracks. However, the orchestration never overshadows the voices. I hesitate to call their vocals "pure" because that invokes the idea of a vibratoless child singing. The women in Aliqua know when to add in vibrato or tone it down depending on each song and the fullness it requires, so you never feel like you are listening to an unapproachable entity (like some opera singers or Renaissance choirs can sound if you aren't a vocal music nut). The musicanship on here is stellar, perfectly balance.



*Bottom line for those less versed in musical terminology--the album strikes the perfect balance between a solo artist and a full choir. They know how to add their own twist on songs without ruining them, and I can honestly say I was never bored listening to this album. One of the best Christmas albums I've seen recently, if not ever had the pleasure to own. If you like Josh Groban's Christmas album, you'll likely like this album as well (I might enjoy Aliqua's more as a whole album, much as I love Josh's voice!)



***This album is meant to be listened to straight through. Though the songs are each great on their own, there is a definite album-long progression.***



~Angels We Have Heard On High: What a way to hear this carol! It's a great introduction to the album, although it does not epitomize the album. It is an introduction to the concept of their vocal harmonies and twists on songs, but it is one of the less "full" sounding songs on the album, meant to gradually introduce you to the concept of this choir, and it sounds one of the most "choir concert-like" songs on the album. However there is an extra "Gloria in excelsis deo" line added into the mix, and some of the song is sung in French which makes me keep listening.



~Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Originally from The Nutcracker, this sounds most like an a cappella group's version of the song, since it lacks lyrics and requires the vocalists to imitate strings. It's actually kind of fun, they sing on "Plum, plum, plum, plum" and "fa la la la la". I thought this song would get on my nerves, but they know just when the novelty wears off and add in a few light strings as well as a xylophone. There is also a slowed down section that gradually speeds up. Another song that introduces you to the concept of Aliqua.



~A La Nanita Nana: I actually recognized this song from a choir concert I had heard. It's a traditional Spanish carol, and Aliqua's voices really open up on this song to let out their full power, matched by more orchestration (though never overpowering). Now you're truly into the album.



~O Come O Come Emmanuel: New harmonies and a more flowing accompaniment line create one of the best renditions of this song I've ever heard. They also add in part of "What Child Is This" as a descant (light upper harmony). You have to listen carefully to catch it because it fits in so well with the rest of the song.



~Carol of the Bells: A few new (well, additional) harmonies on the classic song completely change how it sounds. It no longer sounds tired, as it is wont to become when featured on GPS commercials for GPS devices. It doesn't have the frantic, panicky feeling to it--it makes me appreciate it as a carol again.



~Oh Holy Night: Like Carol of the Bells, they change one subtle thing to make it sound fresh instead of overwrought. In this case, it's the rhythm of the piano accompaniment. Yet the fullness this rendition achieved due to all of the harmonies and the beautiful violin part!



~All is Calm: I cannot say enough about what an accomplishment this song is. It is a combination of Silent Night and Schubert's Ave Maria, and while you'll be able to recognize the influence of each song, this is a completely new beast. For much of the song it utilizes the melodic and accompaniment line of Ave Maria. The original piece is in a major key, but somehow this Aliqua version sounds "more major" due to its new chording--it sounds more hopeful and less desperate than most performances of Ave Maria. It made me appreciate the Schubert again (I had lost patience with that overdone song), and my friend (male college undergrad) equally enjoyed this song as well.



~Winter Wonderland: Introduced as a song on an old-fashioned radio, this is the only completely a capella song on the whole album, but it's not jarring. Aliqua even throws in a tribute to Frank Sinatra's "J-I-N-G-L-E Bells!" backup line from his "Jingle Bells" song.



~Stille Nacht - Half in the original German, half sung "Silent Night". A cool version of this song, though the instrumentation is kind of odd at first (sounds like a very slow steel lap guitar).



~Sleigh Ride - fun! And a good rendition of this song. Some clarinets add some flair to this song. In my family, a bad version of Sleigh Ride is enough to take the album out of rotation. This is a great choral rendition of it.



~This Little Babe (from A Ceremony of Carols)- You'll be wowed at how great their unison on the opening bars of this piece are. No one is off pitch. As the song builds and goes into rounds and harmonies, flamenco-like instruments are added. Great Spanish flair! Try not to smile while listening to it.



~Balulalow (from A Ceremony of Carols) - Beautiful lullaby from Scotland, though I am not familiar with it (not having heard "A Ceremony of Carols" in its entirety). Sounds like there is a marimba somewhere in there, which is an interesting twist.



~Christmas Angel - Also unfamiliar with this, but it's a beautiful spiritual and women really let their voices rip on this one! Completely different from any other song on this album.



~Sugafunscary - a cute remix of their "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" track. Sounds like the lovechild of Aliqua and Trans-Siberian Orchestra (albeit without the electric guitars).



***

Aliqua comes from the Latin for "part of the whole"--for that reason, they like to pull songs from different parts of the world for each album. On this album, it makes for intriguing and interesting songs, though the album always feels cohesive. Moreover, Aliqua takes various carols and renditions of holiday songs and combines them into new pieces. I could hear the love they have for the music in each piece, and that in turn made me fall in love over and over again with each song they referenced.

Beautiful, poignant, and fun. This is an album that you can have on in the background OR listen to with full attention. I cannot stop listening to it! Brava, Aliqua! Definitely a keeper for this holiday season, and for my holidays yet to come.

"

Something New

Christopher Holm | Silicon Valley, CA | 12/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I previewed the free download and loved what I heard so much that I had to instantly buy the album. These ladies have clear transparent voices, impeccable harmonies, and interesting creative arrangements. The songs are fun, creative, excellent, and the group doesn't take themselves too seriously. There are some very welcome new songs on here in addition to the old standards. I especially liked the "vocal orchestra" technique in some of the songs where they "fa la la" the instrument parts. It's a real bargain, so give yourself a treat and download All I Want now!"

The voices of angels--exquisite

mcel | Salem, MA | 12/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stunning vocal arrangements. Aliqua is one of my favorite finds of 2009.



This album is wonderful. These ladies voices are like those of angels. I find myself listening to this when I want nice, quiter, subtle Christmas music.



Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel is one of the most beautiful versions I have heard of this song, for those unfamilar with this one, it is typically heard in mass during Advent and Christmas



Angels We have Heard on High, Winter Wonderland, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy are some of my favorites as well, but every song is exquisite.



This should be a classic Christmas album. Grab it NOW while it is still at a cheap price, but even if it costs 3x as much as it does now, it is still worth it.



"