Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Symphony is terrific and the album artwork is top drawer too., 19 April 2008
On listening to this for the first time, my attention was immediately grabbed by the bombastic opening tracks 'Gothica' and 'Fleurs du Mal'. With stirring percussion and swirling strings from the orchestra and accompanying keyboard players, there's a gothic feel to this album. And then of course, the enchanting melodies of the ballads are delightful.
Even the duets, there are four of them, are exceptional as well. One of the duets is with the formidable Andrea Bocelli. The whole album is terrific in my humble opinion but if I was to choose a single favourite track, I think it would have to be 'Sanvean'. It's so calming and relaxing in a sea of crescendo tracks.
I would highly recommend this album and looking at the album design, I am completely taken with that as well. The accompanying booklet opens like a calendar and the images inside show of a gothic castle with Sarah Brightman, resplendent in a flowing red dress, in among the grey background. This album took 3 years to record from 2004 to 2007. Was this studio album worth the long wait? I would have to say yes definitely.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
A long wait, was it worth it? Yes!, 3 April 2008
After waiting for so long for a new studio album from Ms Brightman, the release of Symphony has garnered a mixed reaction (even from die-hard fans) and probably the reason for this is not the content, bur the sheer expansion of expectation that has been evolving amongst the fans for the last few months since the announcement of a new album and the releasing of three songs as singles.
Since three of the songs have been available elsewhere (even though one of them has a different duet partner) you're only left with 9 new songs, (track 1 is an instrumental) and what the ever talented songstress - that Ms Brightman is - tries to do, is cram as much variety and encompass as many styles as conceivabley possible. And she does. Successfully. So what's the whole problem with it? There isn't a problem. The songs are fine, the duet partners have good credentials (although there are four, yes four, duets) and the album does seem to have a coherent theme, like a symphony blending different themes into an audible whole. For most people merely aquainted with Brightman, the album is a real delight, and die hard fans, well what were you really expecting?!!!! A beautifully well crafted album comprising of soaring melodies and deliciously controlled vocals. That's what this album is!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Has delivered what is expected, but the expected is getting tedious now., 13 May 2008
This is a good solid album which probably delivers what die-hard Sarah fans have been yearning for over the past five years since her last studio release of 'Harem'. 'Harem' was quite a departure from the crossover realm that Sarah created with 'Eden' and 'La Luna', and for those hoping that she has further branched out with this album in the same way will be disappointed, as this album is of the same skeleton of those two albums. For critics of 'Harem' and for safe listeners that wish for Sarah to never change, this album will be their delight. 'Harem's package promised a Eastern influenced sound, which it definitely delivered.
The album cover, and the promo that led to this release led us to believe that this album was going to be heavily symphonic metal influenced. I understood she couldn't go down the Within Temptation route, as it would have alienated a lot of her fans, but only two songs (or maybe three, if you include the intro 'Gothica') has any real gothic influence which does not justify the misleading marketing.
'Fleurs Du Mal', the opening number and the most 'gothic' influenced (and arguably, the only) song of the album makes me want to reach for a Within Temptation album instead of Sarah. I understand it maybe liked by the faction of Sarah fans that are not familiar with the Nightwish/Within Temptation/Lacuna Coil circuit, as it sounds refreshing and new, but for those that are, the artificaility of the song is easy to recognise. It sounds as if Sarah, Frank and team have copy and pasted Within Temptation's 'Stand My Ground', 'Angels' or 'See Who I Am' from 'The Silent Force' album. This in unlikely to be a coincidence, as Sarah's fans have been screaming about this band on her official forums on a regular basis, and how Sarah should try out their sound. Her fans wishes have been granted, and it was a good move. But for more die-hard fans of these type of bands, this song is extremely pale in comparison.
There are more covers than usual on this album. Her interpretation of Sanvean is notable, different and very enjoyable. The original is far more atmospheric (you can't compete with Lisa Gerrard's voice), but in a different way. Sarah has created such a different sound that you can feel like putting one of the other on, depending on your mood. Her cover of 'Where the Lost Ones Go' by Sissel is atrocious compared to the original, basically because it is interpreted in the exact same way, but also because it is performed inferiorly. What is really disppointing are the original songs, excepting 'Let It Rain' and 'Fleurs Du Mal', the originals are quite bland. 'Let It Rain' is a very sweet pop song. It's one of those songs that draws you into the album as it is instantly catchy and memorable, but does not hold much substance for long.
The highlight of the album is definitely 'Canto Della Terra'. I've heard it several times before (Katherine Jenkins included), but this version blows all the others out of the water. A fantastic interpretation. This is the first example of true crossover done well, as a classic piece is given a dramatic and 'symphonic metal' arrangement. Fans of Andrea Bocelli will enjoy this, as he delivers a powerful chorus (Sarah's verse lets the song down a little). As someone who has never really enjoyed Bocelli, this song is very persuasive to his cause.
'Sarahbande' is a bonus track for the UK release, but die-hard fans may already have it as a bonus track for the 'Harem' album, where it fitted more nicely. It's a powerful and somewhat electronic rendition. It certainly throws a punch, and on an album that is immensely eclectic anyway, it easily finds it place here, especially after the song 'Running' which is a more tame and paler version of the format of 'A Question of Honour'.
Unusually for Sarah, there are no lyrics in the booklet, but as people have previously said, the packaging and the booklet are stunning. The booklet itself is in the same glossy material as the 'Harem' and 'La Luna' booklet and the photos are more lavish and hyperbole than ever before. Certainly the best produced packaging not only from Sarah, but of any album I have ever encountered. Cynical critics could creep in and say she should spend more time on the music than getting photos of herself digitally enhanced, but I just don't think that is of much concern in this case. Besides, all her fans know how theatrically over the top she can and likes to be, and we like to be on the receiving end of it.
Over all, I was a bit let down by this album. The classical crossover trick is getting tired now - unfair, as Sarah basically created it, and there has been scores of copy cats since that have tired out her sound (Katherine Jenkins, Hayley Westenra, Il Divo, etc.), but that's what happens when you are away from the market for five years. Not her fault at all, she went through a lot in those five years, but the time of poppifying classical pieces, and turning pop songs into italian translations is surely past? Simon Cowell has his hands in this genre now, and the genre has been transformed into a novelty sector of the market, marketed for Christmas and Mother's Day. Having said that, Sarah is still above her copy cats, and she is still able to dodge this type of audience as her albums are genuinely injected with her vision and creativity, rather than the Katherine Jenkins gag, who spurns out one to two albums every year with very little creative thought, but with a lot of marketing ploys in mind.
I hope, that for the next album, she can be a little more original. A lot to ask for, considering the originality she has presented the world over the past two decades, and the sound she currently creates is one that she innovated. Still, I hope she does not create yet another 'Eden' or 'La Luna' as she has done with this album. Sarah has promised that she will start composing - already a very talented lyricist, I am eager to hear her compositions.
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