Album Reviews in the Media

[Dave]

Here is a nice album review by InTheNews.co.uk - I thought a thread for media album reviews would be better in the Album board instead of the Media board.

All Angels: All Angels
Tuesday, 14 Nov 2006 18:03

Universal MCJ, out now

In a nutshell…

Calming. Impressive. Beautifully-sung. Daring.

What's it all about?

The self-titled All Angels album presents a mix of classical, opera and pop music. Simon Cowell, whose latest group Angelis are attempting to make it big with the same formula, is convinced this fresh, innocent and angelic type of music will prove popular with not only fans of classical music but also people with more mainstream tastes who are looking for an alternative to the identikit groups currently in the charts.

Expect versions of some of the most popular classical songs as well as covers of hits from Robbie Williams and Fleetwood Mac.

Who's it by?

All Angels consists of four young women: Charlotte, Daisy, Laura and Melanie, all aged 16 and17. As well as being blessed with outstanding voices, the girls have been terrifyingly-successful in other areas of their lives. Charlotte has acted in a Harry Potter film, multi-lingual Melanie is training for her pilot's licence, Laura was the BBC Radio 2 chorister of the year and Daisy released her own jazz album at the tender age of 15.

With all this success it would be fair to think that there could be a bit of backstabbing, but within five minutes of meeting them it is quite clear that they are a lovely bunch of girls who genuinely get on. "We kind-of clicked within a week," 17-year-old Charlotte explains. "It sounds boring, but it means you're really comfortable when you're singing and we don't feel self-conscious."

With their debut single Songbird already released and Classic FM promoting the album, people are likely to be beginning to pick up on the group. A performance for Remembrance Day at the Royal Albert Hall and singing the National Anthem at Twickenham before England v South Africa next Saturday are likely to boost their reputation even further.

Whether or not the girls go on to achieve huge success, what is certain is the fun they've had on the ride so far. "We are so lucky, we get to do so much cool stuff and you can get bogged down with the stress but it's all worth it, it's amazing," explains Laura. "We're just so, so lucky and we want people to know how grateful we are."

Criticism might be flung at the group that they are manufactured (they were handpicked from a nationwide search), but the girls deny that their fresh looks and fantastic voices are simply being put to an already-crafted album. "The company definitely had its own ideas about the classical repertoire that everyone loves. They are taking a big risk with us so I think we have to have covers," said Daisy.

And Laura is keen to emphasis that they have played a role in the process, saying: "Our parents gave suggestions about what should be on the album and so did we, so we did have some input."

As an example…

"For you there'll be no crying.
For you the sun will be shining,
Cos I feel that when I'm with you, it's alright.
I know it's right.
And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you like never before." – Fleetwood Mac's Songbird.

"Steal away, steal away.
Steal away to Jesus.
Steal away, steal away home." – Steal Away.

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

Although this album is unlikely to achieve the mass popularity of the artists who are given the nod for the more mainstream Grammy awards, it wouldn't be surprising if All Angels are one day in with a shot of the best pop/contemporary gospel album award or best chorus album. Their voices are so sublime that it would be remarkable if awards don't come their way some day.

What the others say

"Sublime" – the Daily Telegraph

"Perfect" – Classic FM

So is it any good?

It is certainly a beautiful album, and the girls' voices are, appropriately, angelic. Their own unique registers break through the harmony to provide refreshing and impressive turns within the songs. Their ability to sing across a variety of genres is striking. As well as more than ably singing classics such as Agnes Dei and Ave Maria the four voices do not sound out of place singing popular tracks.

Hardcore fans of Robbie Williams may baulk at the choral harmonies on Angels, but the versions of Songbird and Windmills of the Mind are hauntingly beautiful. Attempting the populist classical crossover market is tricky but the girls will no doubt find numerous fans amongst those who already listen to singers such as Hayley Westenra and Russell Watson.

I thought that was a very nice review... how did they guess that Hayley Westenra fans would like All Angels?

Dave

[richnorri]

Hello folks!

Here is a review from 24dash.com. I don't know if it relates to the original album or the forthcoming special edition.

All Angels – 'All Angels'

Back to Music

[/b]
Published: 18/04/2007 - 10:17:42 AM

You can blame Classic FM for this. Turning a classical music station into the most popular commercial channel in the land was a minor miracle, but how did they do it? Very easily: they broadened their audience by shortening their play-list, resulting in a total of 5 pieces being repeated day in and day out forever. Which has all been wonderful news for fans of TV adverts, but pretty dreadful for seasoned connoisseurs of classical, who would probably rather listen to Chris Moyles than Moonlight Sonata ever again.

All of a sudden, the music magnates realised that there was money to be made from this ‘old-fashioned rubbish that no one listens to’. The trick was pitching it right. Could they somehow combine the eloquent symphonies of old with the shallow, salacious nature of today’s popular culture? You can Beethoven your bottom dollar they could, and soon enough a raft of string and brass wielding vixens appeared, plucking and blowing their way through a catalogue of predictable standards.

And now we have All Angels, the image engineers this time having gone all the way down to the age of consent in their rapacious hunt for potentially prurient publicity. The album cover goes for a respectful balance of autumnal calm and risk-free seductiveness, the 4 angels gazing demurely through their innocent chestnut eyes, perhaps betraying a tiny hint of what may be further exposed in a few years’ time when their owners feel a little bolder.

But enough of this. The actual record is really quite agreeable. The first track, Songbird, is tenderly and serenely sung, the girls instantly informing us that they can harmonise efficiently. Next up is The Flower Duet, the now ubiquitous piece originally made popular by the BA advert, and everything seems to be in order there too. And on it goes, lots of things you’ve heard lots before but now being performed by someone else.

Gutlessly pandering to the populist pulse, the powers that be also felt the urge to include a rendition of Robbie Williams’ truly appalling and bafflingly popular Angels, a dirge so sickeningly kitsch and prosaic that it still makes me shake uncontrollably with rage, and it’s almost as ghastly here, augmented slightly as it is by the lack of Williams’ soul-destroying ‘vocals’. They’ve also had a crack at the very silly The Windmills of Your Mind. Why? God only knows. Expect Motorheads’ The Ace of Spades on their next record, because wacky, juxtaposed choices always work, don’t they?

I can’t possibly condemn this record outright, because these girls can really sing. The orchestral accompaniment is perfectly performed; it’s all very easy on the ears, which is exactly what you’d expect. I just don’t think the true classical fan is going to find anything here to really enthral them. It’s all too predictable and disjointed, splattered as it is with a number of hymns and pop covers. For music fans who aren’t well versed in classical, however, this mightn’t be a bad purchase. It’s nice, it’s calming, nothing much happens, and by then you’ll be asleep.

Review by Max Salsbury[/size][/quote]
Richard