It's a tale fit for a Hollywood blockbuster: a 60-strong Welsh male choir, originally formed in 1947, plucked from obscurity and transformed into the most unlikely boyband in the world (or at least oldest - the average age is 60, the combined age 3974). In fact, their rise from the fringes to fame is already being primed for a major movie next year (produced by Zygi Kamasa of Bend It Like Beckham and Good Night and Good Luck fame) - but that's another story. First we have Voices Of The Valley, an album that shows us precisely why Universal signed a group originally created to sing goodwill songs to the Welsh communities during the harsh post-war years. Comprised of rousing, traditional songs like "Jerusalem", "Danny Boy" and "Abide With Me", and interpretations of popular tunes such as the opener "Sailing", "Unchained Melody" and "You Raise Me Up", it doesn't take long for the logic of the enterprise to strike: the beautiful, graceful sound of 60 men booming joyously through your speakers and the combination of stirring vocal prowess and orchestral embellishments - is truly overwhelming. --Danny McKenna
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Disappointing. Comment: Excellent voices overpowered by incongruous orchestral accompaniment.The richness of the voices was spoiled for one who wants a male voice choir to be just that.This cd does more than it says on the tin,unfortunately. Customer Rating: Summary: Harmonious but lacking Spirit Comment: I was disappointed with this CD. It felt all very studio-managed. Yes, the songs are nicely sung; but there seemed to be no great emotion or force to the singing. I also I agree with one of the other reviewers that the accompaniment was too pronounced. For a male voice choir you want some power and energy. This might have set the hairs rising on the back of a small dog, but not me. Maybe in the 21st century it has to be sufficiently bland to appeal to a wide audience in different countries. Customer Rating: Summary: The Art of "Sailing" Comment: The combination of this arrangement along with the strong, rich male voices makes "Sailing" one the world's great choral masterpieces in my opinion. Most music only reaches our ears; this pieces reaches our hearts.
This is art. Although it seems magical it almost transcends explanation and lifts the spirit of mankind out of itself for just a moment in time.
"Sailing" reaches us most deeply at the very point when the arrangement modulates and allows the full harmony of these voices to soar. When this takes place in the CD it makes the hair stand out on the back of your neck. My eyes teared up and I knew that my deepest self had been touched. Customer Rating: Summary: Wonderful music but . . . Comment: I have always appreciated Welsh male choirs. Some of the great songs stir my soul . . . when I can understand the lyrics. Singing in Welsh may be patriotic, but I can't sing along. I was disappointed by the tracks sung in Welsh. Couldn't English and Welsh versions have been included? Surely that wouldn't have set back the sectarian fragmentation of the British Isles by too much. Customer Rating: Summary: Mae hen Wlad fy nhadau yn annwyli i mi (The old land of my fathers is dear to me) Comment: WHEN LAND OF MY FATHERS IS ON THE HIGHEST VOLUME ON THE HI-FI, THE HAIRS STAND AND THE GOOSE FLESH APPEARS AND THE HAND GOES TO MY HEART. ITS A VERY PATRIOTIC SONG FOR MYSELF AND WELSH MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE. As soon as "Sailing" starts to play i have images of the Falklands War (I wasnt born then, i was here in 87, but my mum always said "ooh, it reminds me of when our lads went to the Falklands, they played this song many times")so as a fellow PARA i feel very proud of our lads in all services of the forces. The whole album is a beauty and should be heard by everyone. and i mean everyone. Phenominal heart wrentching beauty. BLOODY BRILLIANT MUN!
