Declan is being hailed as a 'once in a lifetime' phenomenal talent and a rising media star. The control and range of his voice, as well as his ability to interpret and adapt material of differing genres, are the cornerstones of his unique talent. All this for a 14 year old boy with teen idol looks. In a short period of time, Declan had become a well-known celebrity and has appeared in numerous television programs, newspapers and radio shows all over the UK and Ireland. Included among some of his most memorable appearances are, the Queen's Jubilee at St Paul's Cathedral, when he sang 'Amazing Grace' accompanied by the St Paul's choir and an unforgettable experience when singing in front of more than 22,000 people at an Elton John concert. To his growing list of credits is a Guinness World Record where in Belfast during a 2002 tour of Young Voices, he was simultaneously linked with more than 80,000 children from all over the country who accompanied him in achieving the world's largest choral singalong. The throngs of screaming girls were a hint of things to come.
Tracks on this CD include: 1. Danny Boy - I have heard many versions of this song over the years and most of these have been in a traditional Irish style. This version is very different though. It has been brought from the 'traditional' genre into the 'pop' genre with totally new, but wonderful orchestration, and with the way that it is being sung - not at all in an Irish traditional way. This is a great start to the CD and, in my opinion, it is one of the best tracks on the CD. It is a good start and really sets up what the rest of the CD is going to be like. 2. Carrickfergus - This is another traditional Irish song brought into the 21st centruy and made into a pop version. This, however, isn't as good as other versions I have heard. The lyrics have been changed in places, mainly to make it more suitable for a male to sing, and this sort of ruins your expectations of the song (that is only if you know the song - if you've never heard it before then it doesn't make any difference).
The orchestration in the accompaniment is once again brilliant and is another good track, but not a wonderful one. 3. Imagine - I haven't heard the original version of this song by John Lennon and so I can't compare this version to the original. However, this song is good. It is a nice calming song, especially in the verses at the start, and then it builds, with the accompaniment, into the choruses, the second of which is made into much more than the first chorus. This is another great track and another of my favourites from the CD. 4. I'll Be There - I don't like the start of this song. He sounds as if he is in pain when singing the first few lines of this song. But, then after a while, it gets better when the accompanying voices begin. This is a good track but once again it is nothing spectacular; just another average track. 5. It All Begins With Love - This is another song that doesn't really have a great start but then has a great chorus once it gets that far. This one, however, is much more simpler than the last song and more relaxing. I like this song, once it gets past the first half verse, and it then becomes a great song and another of the best on the CD. 6. Your Friend - For me this song is too much in the genre 'pop' and really although it is a good song, I don't like it. The introduction really sets up for the rest of the song, which is as bad as the introduction. Musically, it probably is quite good - it's just not my type of song and is definitely one of the worst tracks, for me anyway, on this CD. 7. Love Can Build A Bridge - This song is a bit better than the last one, and although it is similar in style to the previous song this, in my opinion, is better and worth listening to more than once. A good track in the middle but with a bad ending. 8. Mama Said - This is another pretty good song and is another very one that is very much in the 'pop' genre which really isn't my type of music at all. The verses again are pretty standard with nothing very exciting about them but I have to say the choruses are good and that I think they are qutie amazing but the verses ruin the song to make it just an average track. 9. Till The Day We Meet Again - This song is quite good and I think it is another of the best on the CD. The chorus is amazing and the verses are pretty good too. The lyrics are nice, and even though it is about the ending of a show, it fits pretty perfectly with the end of everything and then is a great song to listen to if you need one to fit that category. The only thing I dislike about this song is the line 'because you and me, we'll have this memory'. Its just a small grammar point but for me it puts a black mark on the whiteness of the song. 10. Amazing Grace - This song isn't too bad. It has a nice unaccompanied first verse and then a nice 'gospel' style vocal accompaniment in the other verses. I'm not really a big fan of the tune of this song, the words are nice, but I don't like the tune of it and this version has changed the words of the song, probably to make it more modern and suitable for the lad to sing and most of these changes are fine and don't make much difference, but they have changed a word in the first verse which for me ruins the song. It's not a big change, and it shouldn't really make much difference, but for me it is enough to ruin the song. 11. Circles In The Sand - This is an average track.. Nothing wonderful enough to comment upon but yet nothing bad enough to complain about so Im not going to say much. It's once again good enough but nothing special. 12. Angels - This song is quite good and is one of the better 'pop' songs on the CD but I think I prefer the original version of the song. It's good enough but there are a few small things in it which lower my opinion of the song. It's another average, or slightly better than average song. 13. Tell Me Why - As I write this I somehow get the feeling that this song was written specifically to be sung by Declan on this CD. I don't know what it is that makes me think that but I must have read something a while ago and am just remembering it now. But that's not really that important, except to say that unless you've heard this CD, or hear him singing, you won't have heard this song. And it definitely is worth listening to. It isn't the best song I have ever heard, but it's far from being the worst. The words are thought provoking, and although the melody isn't wonderful, the musical and vocal accompaniments to this song, especially during the choruses, makes it a truly amazing song and one that is definitely worth listening to. 14. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Declan's Prayer) - This is a version of this song. It has the noises of someone winding up one of those jewellery box things that make the music (I really can't think of what they are called) and then the music at the start is the noise that one of those boxes would make. It is a very simple song, with a nice, simple accompaniment to it, and is a nice, peaceful, lullaby-like ending to the CD and a total contrast to the fierce, loud song before it. It's not an amazing track but it is a nice, and a really good way to end the CD.
This CD is pretty good. It isn't wonderful, nor is it the best CD I have ever heard and, in fact, it is far from being that. It is however worth listening to, especially if you like 'pop' music. For those who detest that type of music, then perhaps, this is not the CD for you. And if you can cope with a bit of it then this is for you. I would fall into this category, and although the whole CD would fit into the 'pop' genre of music, there is enough of the good tracks which sort of cancel out the not so good ones. This CD can be bought for £9.99 from Amazon.co.uk, with copies from £7.45 in Amazon.co.uk marketplace. It can also be bought for £8.89 with free UK P&P from 101cd.com. I'm not going to say that it is definitely worth buying, because I would be lying if I did say that, and it is far from being the best CD in my CD collection. I was a bit disappointed when I first got the CD, I was expecting a sort of CD like The Choirboys or Joseph McManners, and had really enjoyed listening to those CDs and then this 'pop' CD came when I was expecting a more classical one. I probably don't like this CD very much just because I'm not a big fan of this type of music and so if you do like 'pop' music then I would say have a go, listen to it and then see what you think. But for those who don't really like that type of music I would advise against it, and just a warning - this CD is not like the CDs by The Choirboys, or Joseph McManners and if you are expecting it to be like this, don't get your hopes up.
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