Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a great band, 12 Jul 2007
Ok, I'm partisan. I rate Oi Va Voi really highly. I saw them in concert at the time Laughter Through Tears was released and was completely knocked out. Then the great Sophie Solomon left and I wondered. Then I saw them in Bristol again, with their new singer and new album and they were stonking. I awaited the new album with anticipation. And first time round, I thought, good but not as good... But listening to it again, I'm knocked out! With the exception of the first track whick doesn't deserve the prominence it's given, it's otherwise just lovely. If you like soaring clarinet, whistful trumpet, powerful singing, poignant singing, violin, and great bass and percussion, built on simple, yet complex, tunes, buy it. But give it a chance.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oi Va Voi deserve more attention..., 12 Jul 2007
Oi Va Voi released their sophomore self-titled album and frankly I was not anticipating that they could surpass their groundbreaking Laughter Through Tears. But 'oh yes', in my humble opinion, they did. With a new singer in their line-up, who adequately replaces KT Tunstall, the London group delivers a mixed bag of songs, albeit not as diverse as their debut. That is not a bad thing though. The album sounds more coherent and the flow is seamless.
The band's intentions are evident from the first track "Yuri". An upbeat composition dedicated to the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, that sets the mood for the rest of the album. All the songs in which Alice McLaughlin offers her vocals are exceptional, but my personal favourite is "Further Deeper", one of Oi Va Voi's best tracks to date... Very powerful vocals, focused instrumentation and an astounding chorus that sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to it. "Look Down" has the potential to stick into your head for days, while the Eastern European "Balkanik" will uplift your soul. Overall a more melodic and harmonious album than their debut. I would encourage everyone to buy this!!!
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
disgruntled fan, 9 Aug 2007
Well the three previous reviewers clearly have different tastes to my own. I can't say that I bought the cd based on their recommendations, since given how much I enjoyed both "Laughter Through Tears" and "Poison Sweet Madeira" (both of which in my opinion deserve a five star rating), I'm pretty sure I would have bought it anyway.
This latest offering is very obviously from the same stable; too obviously, since the the tunes/chords/even some of the lyrics are largely a pastiche of their tracks from previous recordings. Meanwhile, the new female vocalist just doesn't cut it; maybe she's more effective in concert.
I eagerly anticipate the next cd from Sophie Solomon, but am unlikely to purchase anything else from Oi Va Voi. If you don't know the band yet, then I urge you to buy Laughter Through Tears; if you do, my strong suggestion is that you purchase at least one song from this latest cd via mp3 downloan, before committing to purchasing the entire album.
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~ Oi Va Voi
~ Sophie Solomon
~ Oi Va Voi
~ Fleet Foxes
~ Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
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