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Old 12-27-2011, 05:25 AM   #664 (permalink)
Trollheart
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Note: as we head into the last few days of 2011, I'm anxious to review the remaining albums from this year that I have already written up, so I'll be posting one a day, perhaps even more depending on how time goes. After Saturday, this section will only feature albums from 2012 --- as soon as they're released and I get them! This doesn't mean that no more albums from 2011 will be reviewed: they will, of course, but not under this section.

Most of us have a healthy diverse interest across several spectrums and genres of music. Me, I like rock and metal first, but I'm also partial to some good classical and good vocal albums. My interest in Josh Groban's work is well known among those who read my journal, and I do intend to review his new album quite soon. But first I want to take my first dive (ah, if only!) into the music of one Katherine Jenkins, and review her latest album.

Daydream --- Katherine Jenkins --- 2011 (Warner Bros)


Now, this could be a real crash and burn. Katherine Jenkins is known foremost as an operatic style singer, and I really can't stand opera, but we'll give it a lash (again, if only...) and see how we get on. I see from the tracklisting there is a mixture of classical, opera and pop tunes, along with some traditional fare and even a song that featured in Doctor Who! Can't be bad then...

It opens, as you would be correct to expect, with a lavish orchestral overture, then “Black is the colour (of my true love's hair)” is delivered on a soft, gentle vocal from Katherine, she taking centre stage as the orchestra slowly builds behind her. It's a traditional Scottish folk song, and its first proper performance was in 1913, though it dates back much further than that. I have never heard the song, so can't comment on her version, but it's a nice song, powerfully driven by the orchestra and well sung by her. As a matter of fact, looking down the tracklisting, there are few songs here that I do know. Hopefully though that won't hinder my reviewing them.

Next up is “Your silhouette”, again opened on powerful strings and then dropping to a simple piano line for the opening verse, Katherine's vocal feather-gentle, then the drums come in and her backing vocalists add their voices, and her own gets stronger, sounding a little, if I'm honest, like Mary Black. It's another ballad, but let's be fair, we're not expecting a rendition of “Ace of spades” or “Enter Sandman” here, are we? Gentle piano reminiscent of Nilsson's classic “Without you” introduces “Can't slow down”, which can't really: it's already a slow song. Okay, time for the crap jokes to end.

It's a powerful song in fact, another ballad of course but with a lot of heart and emotion put into it by Jenkins. Sounds vaguely country, for some reason, kind of Faith Hill or Leanne Rimes. A song from “Les Miserables” is next, “J'avais reve d'une autre vie” --- says the translation is “I dreamed a dream”, and I guess they should know, but looks more like, to my admittedly limited French, “I dreamed of another life”? Anyway, as musicals go the song is of course dramatic and epic, with great backing from the orchestra, and Katherine stretching her vocals to that famous mezzo-soprano that made her name. Very effective. I'm one of the probably three people in the known world who have never seen the show, but she certainly seems to put in a passionate performance of this song.

One of the few I do know is “Carrickfergus”, the old Irish traditional song covered more times than old Mister Brennan can remember (sort of in-joke for Irish people there), and she does a nice version of it, though it's one of those songs that really, it's been covered so many times that it's hard to pick out a better version of it. Powerful, emotive and well arranged though, with really nice backing vocals from a choir of some sort --- solid information on this album is not that easy to come by. Nice to see her paying tribute to Ireland, too.

That's about it for the ones I know, more or less. “L'alba verra (The dawn will come)” is like something out of a film, or possibly the stage, or an opera, starts powerfully then again drops to single piano backing. Sung in the native language of the song (Italian?), it's impossible for me to tell you what the lyric means: my Italian is worse than my French. Nicely sung though with again that high-pitched voice reaching notes others can only dream of, but never getting jarring in the way so many opera divas can. Some really class piano playing there really adds to the song.

Back thankfully to English for “And this is my beloved”, another stirring ballad where the strength of Jenkins' voice really comes through, while “Love divine (Hyfrydol)” appears to be some sort of hymn (hey, don't look at me: I'm an atheist, thank god!) and delivered in flowing style with great backing from her choir and the orchestra. Even a non-believer like me, though, knows “Ave Maria”, and she certainly sings it like an angel, backed by what sounds like harp and cello? There seem to be a lot of different versions of this song, and this is one I'm actually not familiar with, but lovely nevertheless.

“A flower tells a story” is another powerful ballad, again showcasing her tremendous voice, at times gentle and at times belting out the song, while the power and passion she puts into Delta Goodrem's “Break it to my heart” is phenomenal to say the least. “Blaenwern”, I have to assume, is a Welsh traditional song, and very nice it is too, and the album then closes on that song I mentioned from Doctor Who. It's called “Abigail's song”, and I remember Katherine, who also guest starred in the last Christmas episode, singing it and how touching it was. It loses none of its magic or majesty here, absolutely stunning. Heartbreaking and tearjerking, a really powerful and emotional finale to the album, with excellent backup and just a fantastic atmosphere about the whole piece. Spellbinding.

I would be the first to admit I'm probably not a fan of Katherine Jenkins, but be the hokey she can sing! She's also damn hot! But seriously, this album is not really for everyone: there's a good mix on it, but some of the songs --- the hymns, the stage stuff --- I don't know and to be honest I doubt I'd listen to them in any other sphere. There are some great performances on here, but then that's the least you'd expect from a talent like hers.

I would say in conclusion, I'm definitely impressed, and wouldn't for instance turn off the radio if she were singing, but I don't think I'd be rushing out to buy another album by her. This one, however, won't be getting deleted just yet.

TRACKLISTING

1. Black is the colour (of my true love's hair)
2. Your silhouette
3. Can't slow down
4. J'avais reve d'une autre vie (I dreamed a dream)
5. Carrickfergus
6. L'alba verra (The dawn will come)
7. And this is my beloved
8. Love divine (Hyfrydol)
9. Ave Maria
10. A flower tells a story
11. Break it to my heart
12. Blaenwern
13. Abigail's song
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