The King's Singers: Watching the White Wheat (Review)

Watching the White Wheat (Folksongs of the British Isles)

The title song by itself is worth the price of the album. This one has got all the bases covered: It's a beautiful tune, the arrangement is gorgeous, and to nobody's surprise the King's Singers do a fine job with it.

This CD resembles the Annie Laurie CD. It's a mix of folksongs from the British isles. Some are fast, fun tunes, some slow and soulful. And for some reason, on both CDs the best track is the only one sung in Welsh (the rest are in English).

I liked the rendition of Danny Boy on this CD better than the one on Annie Laurie; they have no other songs in common. The arrangements tend to be less distracting than those on Annie Laurie. One exception: the solos on the first two verses of O Waly, Waly. However, the remaining verses are gorgeous.

On the whole, I like this CD better.

Good tracks:

• Early One Morning
• Watching the White Wheat (Bugeilo'r Gwenith Gwyn)
• Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
• O my love is [like] a red, red rose.
• There's nae luck about the house

Pretty good:

• O Waly, Waly
• Migildi Magildi

The King's Singers: Chanson D'Amour (Review)

The title song has a trivial character and is done in a mostly silly way. A little silliness is good, but I wouldn't have made it the first song.

I was looking forward to their rendition of Kurt Weill's "My Romance" but it was uninspiring.

Good tracks:

• Those Days Are Gone
• Who Is Sylvia?
• All I Ask Of You
• Plaisir D'Amour
• Phyllis Is My Only Joy

Pretty good tracks:

• I Get Along Without You Very Well
• Lydia
• Down With Love

The King's Singers: Good Vibrations (Review)

Good Vibrations

Some of the tracks were, not badly done but so well-trodden that another cover of them just isn't exciting. Notably:

• Good Vibrations
• Cecilia (Paul Simon)
• American Pie

I was disappointed by And So It Goes. It's not bad, but there is a much better King's Singers performance out there. I had expected that performance to be on this CD and it wasn't.

For some of the tracks, there's fun in seeing the King's Singers ham it up. In particular, Freddie Feel-Good.

Good tracks:

• Father to Son
• The Boxer
• Some Folks' Lives Roll Easy
• Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover

Pretty Good:

• That Lonesome Road
• Freddie Feel-Good