All-singing, all-dancing librarian at your service!
All-singing, all-dancing librarian at your service!
Member since:28.03.2001
Reviews:77
Members who trust:23
Who'd have thought a year ago that I could have in my possession two Number 1 albums of big band music? Maybe the world is at last discovering how great these songs are, but I have to say I was a lot more sceptical about buying a CD which said 'Pop Idol' than 'Robbie Williams.' And no, this isn't as good as Swing When You're Winning, but it's still a great album.
I don't think Pop Idol needs any introduction, even if, like me, you were one of the three people who didn't actually watch it. This is the first album spun out of the project - I'm told the big band round was one of the most popular. It features ten bright young things singing thirteen bright old songs, some of (in my opinion, of course, though I'm not alone) the best songs ever written:
Let There Be Love
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
I've Got You Under My Skin
Does music come any more sublime than this? Music and lyrics by, among others, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein and the evergreen Cole Porter. And the singers aren't too bad either, meaning
there's not a dud track on the album. Some of them are a little lacking in the delivery in terms of the placement of emphasis and that tricky thing called character, but if the big divas can get away with just blasting the notes out, then I guess I can't really complain.
I shan't go into each and every track, as that would probably bore you rigid, but shall pick and choose some points of interest:
Get Happy featuring Zoe. The second track of the album and, for me, the best. A joyous song delivered with great enthusiasm and personality - Zoe's is a voice I could happily listen to for a whole CD. One of the greatest joys of this song is the sequence of what seems like several hundred key changes, as the music gets higher and higher. Zoe handles these key changes with no problem whatsoever. She may not have the most beautiful of voices, but the sheer joy and sense of fun she radiates is wonderful.
Mack the Knife featuring Gareth. Lovely. One of my favourite songs. But hardly the greatest rendition of it (sorry Gareth). There's nothing wrong with it as such, except that Gareth's version is so obviously based on that by Robbie Williams on his Swing When You're Winning album. Listen to them back to back and you'd find that Gareth uses exactly the same 'ad libs' as Robbie did, which somewhat defeats the point of an ad lib. And I don?t know who wrote the liner notes, but they've obviously never heard of Lotte Lenya, the subject of one of those as libs. 'Look out Miss Lottie Linyer.' Please! Gareth has a very nice voice, but he sounds just too innocent for the song most of the time. I can?t imagine sultriness coming from his vocal cords ? which isn't a bad thing, it just makes this a bad choice of song for him in my opinion.
Gareth gets a chance to redeem himself on the last track of the album, a duet with Zoe on Oh Look At Me Now. This is a joy, a really good fun song which was new to me and delivered wonderfully. A great vocal chemistry between the two, though Zoe does overshadow Gareth a little. However, his characterisation and tone of voice are much more appropriate here. The backing singers are lovely as well, adding another level of humour to the proceedings. Everyone clearly enjoyed themselves on this track and it shows.
A few of the tracks are, I'm afraid to say, rather boring. It takes real talent to maintain an audience's interest in the torch song Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye, and Jessica just doesn't carry it off for me. I almost want to skip to the next track, but the orchestra plays beautifully. Jessica has a nice voice, but she doesn?t really make the song very interesting. Which is a shame, because it can be a truly great number. I Won't Dance by Will is also a bit of a yawn. Nice voice, but not enough charisma for me. Maybe I'm too demanding, I don't know.
Back to the positive before I end this opinion. Aaron's rendition of I Get A Kick Out Of You is different to most I've heard before and I really enjoyed it; most of these old standards seem to exist for reinterpretation. And That Ole Devil Called Love Again is sublime as sung by Hayley. A really talented torch singer in the making here.
So to conclude - do I recommend this album? Yes indeed. Buy it if: - you were one of the multitude obsessed with Pop Idol, for a chance to hear your favourites again - you love big band music. A new album featuring these songs should definitely be supported, and if nothing else the orchestra (The Big Blue) is great - you think this sort of music isn't your thing. Trust me, you'll love it. Great lyrics, hummable tunes and some good performances. At least listen to a track or two in the store if you get the chance; you really don?t know what you?re missing.
Even if you loathe everything Pop Idol stood for, don't worry. I have to admit to feeling rather embarrassed queuing up with a Pop Idol CD in my hand, but it was worth it!
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Even though they are all very talented, I'm not keen on some of these songs, I think they do better singing more poppy type songs.
KarenUK 17.05.2002 22:09
I bought this album too. I agree with a lot of your comments too, especially on Zoe's Get Happy & Gareth's Mack The Knife. I love Will's Beyond The Sea though & you haven't mentioned that one.
offy 12.05.2002 00:10
It never occurred to me that fans of big band would buy this rather than Pop Idol fans. I thought they would hate all it stood for. Don't tell anyone but I became addicted to the programme and even saw the concert. Anyway, I'm over it now. Great opinion.
Considering the long, pain-staking process in selecting the nation's Pop Idol it seems a ... more
little impetuous to rush release the finished product withThe Big Band Album--but at least public interest is still riding high. Will and Gareth's singles were qui...
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