Looking back at previous posts in my Monday Music series, I'm starting to realize how fond I am of slow, dreamy tunes. This realization took me a while to fully recognize, as I had never thought myself to be into easy listening, or elevator music, or any of those terms that make me want to turn my back and keep looking for other things. Eventually, however, I realized that I was indeed craving slow and smooth tunes to ease my mind while moving about the crazy city I live in. My newly discovered keywords for this were lofi and dream pop, but I kept my mind open for other things I may like, which I had initially blocked out. That's how I discovered Charlotte Church.
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I'm Still Shocked I Like Her!
As much as I have opened up to relaxing music, up to the point of fully embracing it, I never would have thought I'd like arias, let alone religious hymns. In fact, when I put on music for reading or writing, I specifically make sure that it doesn't have vocals in it. At first I thought this only included lyrics in languages I could understand, but I noticed how distracted I got even listening to words completely unknown to me. Finally, I've never really had an experience where I could point out how beautiful someone's voice was... until I heard this:
Let the Dream Take You Away
I don't know if it's the voice or the music, but listening to her first album Voice of an Angel conjures up images of a small, white church somewhere in the American West towards the end of the 19th century, where a bonneted minister's wife accompanies on the harmonium the talented soprano of a shy girl, before the congregation of the faithful join in singing the hymn together. Not that this imagery has any basis in my own personal experiences. On the contrary, I probably would be running away fast, if it was. But hearing the music as an outsider, especially the singer's voice, it ignites a spark of loveliness.
The Real Charlotte Church
Looking at the actual background of Charlotte Church also shows the opposite (though her name, interestingly, is real). She is not from anywhere in the West, in fact, she's not even American, but comes from Cardiff, Wales. Also, being a Roman Catholic, she doesn't meet my image of a stereotypical frontier Protestant. And a quick look at her musical career quickly reveals that she had been as much into singing pop music, as well as opera, and otherwise has had considerable experience as an actor, TV presenter, writer, and even political activist. For me, however, her first album remains most defining. Back than she was only 12 years old.
Hymns to the Divine and British Patriotism
Granted, the contents of her lyrics are still as far away from me as anything could be, since they are famous patriotic pieces, such as I vow to thee, my country and Jerusalem (and did those feet in ancient time), or hymns commonly sung in various christian churches, probably the most famous of which being Amazing Grace. This probably won't change for me, as my views on the divine are well set, and as far as patriotism goes, I can't help but see the ridiculousness in it, no matter the state. On the other hand, I find it interesting, how Charlotte Church sings her lyrics not only in English, but in Latin, Welsh, French, and Italian. It is also nice to see her perform traditional Celtic songs, such as Carrickfergus. Personally, I like this direction of hers much more than her approach to pop music. Otherwise, thanks to my impressions so far, for me Ms Church is going to remain precisely that: a wonderful vocal church experience.
Take a Look at the Previous Posts in my Monday Music Series:
The Sound of the Hungarian Zither
Obligatory Line-Dance at Mexican Parties - El Payaso del Rodeo
Floating Into the Night by Julee Cruise
Classic Canadiana - Stan Rogers
Party Like There's No Tomorrow, Cry Like Everything Is Lost - Hungarian Gypsy Music
The Harder Sound of the Middle Ages - Corvus Corax
The First Hip-Hop I Actually Liked - Things Fall Apart by The Roots
No Prophets in Their Own Land - Rodrigo y Gabriela
Beyond the Boundries of Styles and Genres - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Accordion-Rock You May Not Know (But Really Should) - Los Tabascos
Songs of the Mexican Revolution - La Adelita
Memorable Weirdness - What Do You Want A Japanese To Do Again?
Gloomy Sunday - The Hungarian Suicide Song
Party Tunes from the Wild East - The "Russendisko" Experience
Folk Songs from Your Home Village - Hungarian Regional Sound Archives
Polynesian Salt Water Music
Images Conjured up by Tom Waits' Music
In Country: Folks Songs of Americans in the Vietnam War
Somebody Tell Me - Translating a Hungarian Song Into [EN] and [SP]
Somebody Tell Me - first trial & live performance [HU] [SP] [EN]
Horst Wessel in Mexico
Playing for Change: Old Favorites Played Around the World
Soothing Tunes and Gentle Rhythms of Mali Music
What Is It About Music? [Ecotrain's Question of the Week]
Halász Judit: Memories from my Childhood
Discovering Rocksteady
The New Generation of Banda
Horrible Music From Hungary: Dáridó or Wedding Rock
[ENG - ESP] 3 Songs From My Youth / 3 Canciones De Mi Adolescencia
Dick Dale: Surfer Tunes from the 60's
Tiny Desk Concert with the Kronos Quartet
Ghymes, Palmetta, Deep Forest: The Love-Hate of Hungarian Crossover
Crossover Styles: Cooking With Many Ingredients
Shady Grove: My First Impression Leading up to Discovering The Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead: Endless Jams and Weird Imagery
Ratatat: Electronic Hip-Hop Beats for Studying and More
Flogging Molly: Irish Music With That Extra Bite
Manu Chao: International Sound of the Revolution
Dead Can Dance: Music for Dreaming of Times Past
Putumayo: Embarking on a Musical World Trip
An Audiovisual Return to Monkey Island
A Relatable Country Tale: Truck Got Stuck by Corb Lund