Reviews & Reports about "Angels"

[richnorri]

Hello everybody!

Here is a review of 'Angels' from Digital Spy: www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40466.html

All Angels: 'Angels'
Released on Monday, December 18 2006

By Miriam Zendle, Music Reporter

All Angels are a classical girlgroup, and as such, it's pretty much a necessity that they have great voices with wide ranges. Their new single, released in conjunction with the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, certainly shows that off, but at the same time, makes a travesty of one of the most popular songs of the past decade.

The girls' Enya-esque version of the Robbie Williams hit 'Angels' is nothing less than well-sung, but the decision to add the echo to their voices, swinging the song from being truly emotional and heartfelt to a rather depressingly cheesy and numbing sentiment instead. For a classical girlgroup, too, it seems a rather strange choice to have picked, but it seems much more likely to hit number one than if they had released a bit of Faure or Vivaldi as their song of choice!

'Angels' is a pretty version of the original, but it simply can't match up emotionally, and though the girls sound great, the overproduction on their voices is totally unnecessary and loses the essence of the song.

Richard

Thread title modified to "Reviews" - Dave

I fixed Dave's smiley - Richard

[Dave]

This isn't a review - it's a media report of a press release... probably close enough to avoid starting a separate thread, I think

CD Times

All Angels to release 'Angels' on 18th December

All Angels are to release their cover of Angels on 18th December.

We've got the press release and video for you below...

[CD cover photo]

All Angels – New Single ‘Angels’ Released 18th December

All Angels, the classical girlgroup, are to release the first ever Christmas single in partnership with The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. The girls have recorded a version of Robbie Williams’ Angels, which is set for release on 18th December and is being tipped by William Hill and HMV to be Christmas number one!

The single is a double A side, the other song will be Silent Night. This is the song that German and Allied soldiers sung in No Man’s Land on the day of the famous First World War Christmas day truce, before playing a game of football together.

Genarro Castaldo, of retailer HMV, said: "Music is a universal language that can help to heal and bring people together, the idea of the British Legion releasing a single to get people thinking about our service men and women - past and present - is a really good one.'Angels' is so beautifully performed by All Angels, that it must have a chance of getting to No.1 this Christmas and raising lots of money for The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in the process."

The Royal British Legion protects the interests, welfare and memory of British serving and ex-Service people and their dependants. Around 10.5 million people - of all ages –are eligible to approach the Legion for its Poppy Support, which includes grant-making to those in need, pensions and benefits advice, vocational assessment and careers advice, home and hospital visits as well as the provision of full nursing care. This work is funded through the Poppy Appeal and the donations and sponsorship of individuals, groups and businesses which support its aims. Last year the Poppy Appeal raised a total of £24.7 million. This year the Legion hopes to raise a record £26 million.

You can view the video here! [scroll down]

by Colin Polonowski on 12-12-2006 11:18

Dave

[Cal]

what a lovely rendition of Angels!
The video is fab and is really moving...there's something about Laura's voice that really sends shivers down my spine (in a good way of course)
Absolutely loved it and hopefully a Christmas number 1!!! :applaud:

[Dave]

drew said:

From Inspire Magazine

Could there be Angels at number 1 this year?

All Angels, the classical girlgroup - and all said to be committed Christians - are to release the first ever Christmas single in partnership with The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

The girls have recorded a version of Robbie Williams’ Angels, which is set for release on 18 December and is being tipped by William Hill and HMV to be the Christmas number one!

You can watch a clip of the video here.
exodus.interoutemediaservices.com/?id=9fa1319f-ce2c-4e4b-a921-1351cc2c12d7&delivery=stream

The single is a 'double A side', with the other song featured being Silent Night - the carol that German and Allied soldiers sung in No Man’s Land on the day of the famous First World War Christmas day truce, before playing a game of football together.

www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/news.aspx?action=view&id=667

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moved from the Media board by Dave

[meagan]

Thanks for that article Drew. The clip from the Angels video was beautiful! Can't wait to see the rest.

[richnorri]

Hello again everybody!

There is a review at MusicOMH.com that isn't really worth reading, but I'll post it anyway.

www.musicomh.com/singles/all-angels_1206.htm

All Angels - Angels (UCJ)
UK release date: 18 December 2006

The success of G4 and Il Divo over the last couple of years has seen a surprisingly large number of people fall for 'light classical' music. Stick some photogenic young men in suits and get them to warble along to a pop classic, and bingo, you've got a hit.

All Angels, the latest group to be bankrolled by the terrifyingly powerful UCJ label, provide a twist on the formula, being 4 young teenage girls plucked from their school choir, and given a collection of modern standards to harmonise to. Angels is, as you may have guessed, the Robbie Williams number rendered even more anodyne and cloyingly sentimental than the original. There's Irish pipes, sickly strings, and even a version of Silent Night thrown in for good measure.

No cliche is left unturned, and while it may be a nice present for your grandmother, it'll be being used as a coaster by December 27th. All proceeds go to the Royal British Legion, but you'd be better off writing them a cheque for £3.99 to be quite honest.

- John Murphy

Richard

[richnorri]

Here is an extract from an article on the BBC's website:-

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6178262.stm

Seasonal singles seek chart summit

By Mark Savage
BBC News entertainment reporter

One part of the festive season which has become a tradition in its own right is the frenzied race for the Christmas number one single.

A variety of serious and not-so-serious acts join the race for the top slot, in a month where single sales reach their annual peak.

This year's hopefuls include Crazy Frog and Pingu, but who are the real contenders for this year's slice of festive chart history?

ALL ANGELS - ANGELS / SILENT NIGHT



Form: All Angels are a teenage girl-band who are placing their Christmas hopes on a cover of Robbie Williams' classic ballad Angels.

The band's debut album became the fastest-selling record by a classical act when it was released in November, and music retailer HMV have tipped this single for the top.

But similar acts, like G4, have struggled to score hit singles off the back of equally successful albums.

Key lyric: "And down the waterfaaaaaall, wherever it may take me."

Trivia: Singer Laura Wright holds the title BBC Radio 2 Chorister of the Year.

Click on the link to see the full article.

Richard

[grant]

Found a few minutes of quality time after the plumber left with fortyeight quid of my money (leaky cystern!) to listen to 'Angels'

What a stunner - they just seem to get better and better and in such a short time.

I don't think anybody has commented on this yet, but Ian Tilley has a wonderful way of making the piano's presence felt without it being overpowering - brilliant!!

Grant

[richnorri]

Hello everybody!

Here is a review of 'Angels' from ClassicalX.com:-

Heavenly review



All Angels are Melanie Nakhla, Laura Wright, Charlotte Ritchie and Daisy Chute. Their double A sided Christmas single in association the the Royal British Legion Poppy appeal is released on December 18th. Comprising of three well known and loved tracks its a pretty safe bet as a Christmas chart best seller.

The tracks they have chosen are Angels, Silent Night and You've got a friend.

Angels
While I assume and understand the commendable link with the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal is probably the reason for the sombre tone given to the pop classic 'Angels', I have to admit it just doesn't quite work for me.

That said it is beautifully sung by the girls, it's just a little too toned down from the emotional Robbie Wiilliams power ballad we all know and love, it just needed a little more warmth.

Silent Night
The perfect song for the festive season and the best version I've heard in a long time. The vocals on this track are so beautiful, the music could easily have been dispensed with and not been missed at all. The four voices are the only thing you'll want to hear, anything else is a distraction.

You've got a friend
A brilliant version of Carole Kings much recorded track. All Angels make it their own but keep all the elements that make it work. Its mellow without being slow and sweet but still very catchy, its hard not to feel chilled out listening to it or the need to sing along!

Angels video
Last but not least is the video for Angels with the Royal British Legion Poppy appeal message, which comes across with huge impact in the most gentle manner. Its perfectly done, very fitting.

Each track is wonderfully arranged and the vocals of the four Angels when combined are....excuse the pun but, heavenly.

The content really should appeal to all age ranges and anyone with an appreciation for good music.

This can't fail to win All Angels a few more fans along the way.

The single is released 18 December 2006 and is available from all good music outlets.

Added: December 17th 2006
Reviewer: xcept
Score:

Richard