Simple Gifts

King's Singers - Simple Gifts

Simple Gifts
List Price: $19.98
Our Price: $11.98
You Save: $8.00 (40%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album


(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Artist: King's Singers
Composer: Billy Joel
Composer: James [Pop Composer] Taylor
Composer: English Traditional
Composer: American Traditional
Composer: Spiritual Traditional
Composer: Stephen Stills
Composer: British Isles Traditional
Composer: Randy Newman
Composer: Sting [1]
Composer: Paul Simon
Composer: John David
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2008-05-27
Music Label: Signum UK
Soundtracks:
  1. She's Always a Woman, song
  2. You Can Close Your Eyes, song
  3. Greensleeves, folk song
  4. Shaker Hymn
  5. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
  6. Helplessly Hoping
  7. Deep River, spiritual
  8. Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair, folk song
  9. I Love My Love, folk song
  10. The Water Is Wide, folk song
  11. When She Loved Me (for Toy Story 2)
  12. Valparaiso, song
  13. The Turtle Dove
  14. April she will come
  15. Steal Away to Jesus, spiritual
  16. You Are the New Day

Music reviews of Simple Gifts

Music Review: Not like your grandpappy's King's Singers, harumph
Rating: 3 Stars

I am a long-time King's Singers listener, with a particular fondness for their interpretations of popular material. The early/middle line-up of the King's Singers rendered songs from the folk/pop/jazz genres with a charming blend of humor, respect and tasteful musicality. Personnel has changed over the years, of course, and I haven't always kept up, but even *Good Vibrations*, which only featured three of the group's earliest members, was an enjoyable album.

Not that this CD isn't enjoyable.....

....I just have so many little complaints! This mostly new line-up (save David Hurley and Stephen Connolly, who've been around awhile) is making stylistic decisions I don't understand or like. There are newly distracting vocal details: pop sliding from the lead on Track 1 and especially irritatingly on Track 9 ("My love luh-uvs me"), and strange pronunciation decisions: "charioh" instead of "chariot" in "Swing Low" (??!), "oughta be" instead of "ought to be" in "Simple Gifts," and "flah" for "fly" in "Helplessly Hoping."

Also, a lot of the songs you would expect to be GREAT when given the King's Singers treatment end up falling strangely short here--"Helplessly Hoping," for one, somehow sounds more strident than gorgeous. What a disappointment! If anyone should be able to do CSNY, it's them! The versions of "She's Always a Woman," "Simple Gifts," "The Water is Wide," and "Black is the Color" are also mysteriously unsatisfying. Perhaps it's the arrangements that don't work for me, because the group's vocal blend is certainly lush, perhaps even more beautiful than in the old days.

And one final complaint: why, oh why, of all the fabulous Randy Newman songs in the world, did they have to record "When She Loved Me," a treacly nothing from his Disney days? Argh! This decision alone ought to knock another star off my review.

Anyway, despite all my whinging, you should probably buy this album. There are countless fabulous moments and at least six whole tracks that even *I* can't find fault with (including the trademark "New Day," as good as you've ever heard it). I might suggest *Beatles Connection*, *Get Happy*, or *Good Vibrations* before this album, though, if you're on the fence. That 2-CD *Greatest Hits* compilation looks like it's way beyond reproach too!
More Simple Gifts free music reviews:
1

Description of Simple Gifts

All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Classical CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Classical CDs
Winterscapes ImageWinterscapes
by London Philharmonic
Prophetic Voice; Published: 2000-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.75
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee ImageThe Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee
by Dini Petty
Children's Group; Published: 2001-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $13.38
Price in other shops: $13.98
Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr ImageClassical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr
Release date: 2000-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $24.98
Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos)) ImageTchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos))
by Malcolm Sinclair, Jeremy Siepmann
Naxos; Published: 2003-11; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $35.99
Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS] ImageJose Carreras - Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS]
Sling Shot; Release date: 2000-04-18; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.86
Price in other shops: $9.99
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS] ImageTchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-09-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.89
Price in other shops: $29.95
Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS] ImageRambert Dance Company - Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-10-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops: $29.95
Winter Music: Composing the North ImageWinter Music: Composing the North
by John Luther Adams
Wesleyan; Published: 2004-11-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.91
Price in other shops: $25.95
Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImagePuccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.38
Price in other shops: $29.95
Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImageVerdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.95
Price in other shops: $29.95
Similar CDs
The King's Singers: Live at the BBC Proms ImageKing's Singers - The King's Singers: Live at the BBC Proms
Release date: 2008-12-09; Published: 2008-12-13; DVD
Best price: $16.21
Price in other shops: $25.98
Pachelbel: Vespers ImageCharivari Agreable, King Singers - Pachelbel: Vespers
Release date: 2010-03-30; Music CD
Best price: $13.90
Price in other shops: $19.98
The King's Singers: English Renaissance ImageThe King's Singers: English Renaissance
Release date: 1995-02-14; Music CD
Best price: $6.07
Price in other shops: $8.99
The Beatles Connection: The King's Singers ImageThe Beatles Connection: The King's Singers
Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $9.64
Price in other shops: $16.98
Swimming Over London ImageKing's Singers - Swimming Over London
Release date: 2010-05-25; Music CD
Best price: $13.41
Price in other shops: $19.98
The King's Singers: From Byrd to the Beatles ImageThe King's Singers: From Byrd to the Beatles
ACORN MEDIA; Release date: 2006-04-11; DVD
Best price: $0.24
Price in other shops: $19.99
The King's Singers: Good Vibrations ImageThe King's Singers - The King's Singers: Good Vibrations
Release date: 1993-03-09; Music CD
Best price: $5.56
Price in other shops: $8.99
Annie Laurie: Folksongs of the British Isles ImageAnnie Laurie: Folksongs of the British Isles
KING'S SINGERS; Release date: 1993-11-16; Published: 1993; Music CD
Best price: $9.67
Price in other shops: $16.98
The King's Singers Greatest Hits ImageThe King's Singers Greatest Hits
Release date: 2008-02-05; Music CD
Best price: $8.34
Price in other shops: $16.98
The King's Singers Collection [Box Set] ImageThe King's Singers Collection [Box Set]
Release date: 2008-07-08; Music CD
Best price: $19.67
Price in other shops: $33.98
Books | DVD Video | VHS Video | Health and Personal Care | Digital Cameras and Photo | Kitchen and Housewares | Tools and Hardware | Sports Equipment | Dresses shirts shoes apparel pants
Copyright © 2004-2007 music-hills.com
Google
 
Web music-hills.com
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles