Die Aliveby Tarja

This collection exhibits Tarja's flagship solo 'My Winter Storm' album songs in varying formats. Acoustic or 'alternative' her voice remains astounding in both its power and, at times, imperfection and ability to rise above those imperfections. Her voice is operatic and sublime and at the same time hugely flawed, like her songs, and those of her former band Nightwish, in a very human way to which we can all relate. As a native English speaker her mispronunciations of English words can be irritating, but when she reaches those peaks of operatic bliss where language becomes irrelevant, I forget all misgivings and fall in love with the sentiment behind the songs completely. Alternate showings of imperfection and "divinity" (for lack of a better word) is what makes Tarja so special and brings me back again and again. Who wants perfection when we, as mere mortals, can never achieve perfection ourselves? Life is never perfect and Tarja expresses this beautifully through her soaring operatic vocals and varying instrumental accompaniments. She is a real woman with fluctuating fortunes and feelings, this collection encompasses both wonderfully.