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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Yo Te Voy A Amar |
| 2. In Paradisum (Gladiator) |
| 3. Moon River |
| 4. 1492 |
| 5. God Only Knows |
| 6. I Knew I Loved You |
| 7. Hallelujah |
| 8. Ashokan Farewell |
| 9. Celebration |
| 10. Vide Cor Meum |
| 11. Swing Low |
| 12. E Sara Cosi |
| 13. Jerusalem |
| 14. Toglimi Il Respiro |
Product Description
Review
If you bought your mum/aunt/gran the Il Divo CD last Christmas and G4 the year before, then new classical boyband Blake should be top of this year's shopping list.
Blake are Jules, Stephen, Dominic and Ollie, four former choristers who found each other on online networking site Facebook and swiftly bagged themselves a record deal. They've got the well-bred good looks and classically trained voices to deliver the perfect pop-classical package, but the formula is totally anodyne. Backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and produced by Nick Patrick (Hayley Westenra, Russell Watson) this is a slick recording brimming with cliché, from syrupy strings and tinkling cymbals to arpeggiating guitars and an angelic chorus.
Blake lack the novelty value of G4 or the cheesy charisma of Il Divo, but they do steal the latter's trick of translating pop songs to give them classical weight. So Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" becomes "Toglimi Il Resparo" and the Boyz II Men track "I'll Make Love to You" is renamed in Spanish, "Yo Te Voy a Amar". The passion is all in the song titles though, not the production.
The biggest travesty is a complete misunderstanding of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah", where they manage to extract the song's deep soul and turn it into a sugary music box ballad. Blake fare better with film soundtracks, and this album takes in Vangelis, Morricone and a reworking of Hans Zimmer's theme from Gladiator. The music is all shameless button-pushing of course, but maybe that's why it suits them. --Lyndsey Winship
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Album Description
Classical singers Blake are the first group ever to be signed having formed on Facebook. Ex-choristers Dom, Jules, Steve and Olly shared a love of singing, and a few mutual friends, and as a result met on a social networking phenomenon Facebook. Before long they'd formed a classical group that they knew could be bigger than Il Divo. Their self-titled album features well-known and loved classics such as `Moon River', `God Only Knows' (The Beach Boys), `I'll Make Love to You' (performed in Spanish), `Hallelujah' (Jeff Buckley) and their track `Swing Low' has become the official anthem of the Rugby World Cup this year. Having already taken the nation by storm with unique forming, their incredible charm and good looks will be sure to win over hearts this Christmas.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
What would initially appear to be an overnight rise to fame, assuming a best-selling debut album qualifies for that title, is more an inevitable result of the hard work, enthusiasm and an abundance of talent from these four male singers.
Each have a background of academic musical studies and live performances, as soloists and with choirs, which led to degrees of success as individuals even before meeting up on the Facebook website - although they do admit to knowing, or knowing of, each other before that.
Their career took a swift upturn after they made an impromptu performance at a house party and realised that they had a natural chemistry which created a unique sound in terms of vocal harmony. Soon after, the four approached manager Daniel Glatman (Blue and Fron Male Voice Choir) who promptly recognised their talent and found them a record deal with the Universal label.
The result is this debut album, named `Blake' after the English poet William Blake "because he was a man who embraced so many different styles of art and language" says band member Dominic Tighe.
For me, the most surprising aspect of the album is its constant emphasis on the harmony vocals which tend to drive the orchestral accompaniment to the rear of the sound mix. This is in contrast to many of the recent pop/classical artists who often allow the orchestral aspects of the song to be bought to the fore. This vocal emphasis produces a distinctive sound which lends a more personal feel to many of the songs.
Of the songs, they are all chosen by the band themselves and range from the romantically sung (in Italian) `Yo Te Voy a Amar' (I'll Make Love to You) to the dramatic Gladiator film score adaptation `In Paradisum'.
This is a band which has the looks to please a young fan base and the talent to satisfy the demands of a classically critical audience.
Each have a background of academic musical studies and live performances, as soloists and with choirs, which led to degrees of success as individuals even before meeting up on the Facebook website - although they do admit to knowing, or knowing of, each other before that.
Their career took a swift upturn after they made an impromptu performance at a house party and realised that they had a natural chemistry which created a unique sound in terms of vocal harmony. Soon after, the four approached manager Daniel Glatman (Blue and Fron Male Voice Choir) who promptly recognised their talent and found them a record deal with the Universal label.
The result is this debut album, named `Blake' after the English poet William Blake "because he was a man who embraced so many different styles of art and language" says band member Dominic Tighe.
For me, the most surprising aspect of the album is its constant emphasis on the harmony vocals which tend to drive the orchestral accompaniment to the rear of the sound mix. This is in contrast to many of the recent pop/classical artists who often allow the orchestral aspects of the song to be bought to the fore. This vocal emphasis produces a distinctive sound which lends a more personal feel to many of the songs.
Of the songs, they are all chosen by the band themselves and range from the romantically sung (in Italian) `Yo Te Voy a Amar' (I'll Make Love to You) to the dramatic Gladiator film score adaptation `In Paradisum'.
This is a band which has the looks to please a young fan base and the talent to satisfy the demands of a classically critical audience.
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Wow Wow Wow Wow - heard BLAKE on Classic FM this weekend, and ordered the album on Amazon straight away - these guys are REAL singers, with talent!!
No silly gimicks, no daft songs from second rate movies - every song on this album is pure aural gold, from In Paradisum to Vide Cor Meum, if you like movie soundtrack, you will quite simply adore this album, its like a trip through 15 different worlds of music and feeling. The sound quality of the orchestra backing, and the way the 4 lush voices sit in the middle, is nothing short of spell binding. I can't recal who produced this album, but it is quite simply one of the finest pieces of work for 2007 in classical.
If you want a naff album full of second rate tunes, go elsewhere - I've found my new favourite band for 2008, and they don't sing anything except pure gold. This is the way the music industry should go, good quality music, produced with real style and flair. I really do take my hat off to this lot, they deserve to be on every christmas list going.
Not bad coming from a jewish wife eh?
Juliet.
P.S. Thank goodness for REAL British talent!!!!
No silly gimicks, no daft songs from second rate movies - every song on this album is pure aural gold, from In Paradisum to Vide Cor Meum, if you like movie soundtrack, you will quite simply adore this album, its like a trip through 15 different worlds of music and feeling. The sound quality of the orchestra backing, and the way the 4 lush voices sit in the middle, is nothing short of spell binding. I can't recal who produced this album, but it is quite simply one of the finest pieces of work for 2007 in classical.
If you want a naff album full of second rate tunes, go elsewhere - I've found my new favourite band for 2008, and they don't sing anything except pure gold. This is the way the music industry should go, good quality music, produced with real style and flair. I really do take my hat off to this lot, they deserve to be on every christmas list going.
Not bad coming from a jewish wife eh?
Juliet.
P.S. Thank goodness for REAL British talent!!!!
19 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Classical cross over is for me, I love Il Divo and G 4, there are great tunes out there but it takes good voices to make the best of them. I find some of the originial tracks quite boring, but good voices can create a totally new experience. Blake have got it right. Pity that G4 decided to pack it in this year, these guys had some good ideas. Il Divo is a bit operatic for my liking but I do like a lot of the tracks. Blake got it about right on balance, I reommend it to all lovers odf classical crossover.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Blake
A simply brilliant CD. Soothing tracks from these talented singers. Classical renditions of popular and folk songs which leave the listener relaxed and happy. Clear diction too. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. L. Bohen
Blake
The high standard as expected as a tribute to William Blake I'm sure he would have have approved of the Jerusalem track.
Published 8 months ago by blake
Blake's CD
Lovely CD, either to listen to intently or to have as background music. Many of our friends have commented on it.
Published 12 months ago by Duckie
Slightly damaged.
I bought this as a gift for someone, the case was broken, I did not return it as I had a spare case, delivery was very quick. Read more
Published 17 months ago by S. C. Alabaster
Beautiful harmonies
I purchased this CD (as a download) after seeing Blake as a BBC Breakfast item on TV. The harmonies are beautiful and their voices are finely balanced. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Lawjack
Blake CD.
Usual selection of songs to be expected from an operatic boy band. Sounds very good and I like listening to it.
Published 20 months ago by Jr Crossley
Blake CD
I bought and downloaded some of these songs on this CD but it did not work out so I bought the CD. I think Blake's voices blend beautifully and theirs is the best rendition of God... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Pamela Cowgill
cd
i would like to say i enjoyed this cd but i did not recive it
Published on 30 Jan 2010 by tina
Not what I expected!
I saw an ad for this, and decided to buy it-after playing it I will probably never play it again!
Track after track sounded so 'samey'. Read more
Track after track sounded so 'samey'. Read more
Published on 21 Jan 2010 by Eileen Dick
BLAKE
Already owned this album (and their 2nd one "And So It Goes"). Had to buy this because I had worn out my original. They are absolutely brilliant!
Published on 25 May 2009 by Mr. G. Brown
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