Katherine Jenkins – Portsmouth Guildhall – 08/01/12 – Review

Last night I took the short journey into Portsmouth for a visit to the Guildhall to see Katherine Jenkins perform in what was a distinct deviation from the usual shows that I attend. I attended the show very much in my I’ll give anything a go once mentality as although I really like Katherine Jenkins on record I really didn’t know what to expect from a live performance. Taking to the stage at 7:30 prompt as stated on the tickets Katherine was backed by a full orchestra and genuinely put on the best vocal performance of anyone I’ve ever seen by a country mile, I guess to be honest I shouldn’t be surprised by this as she is a classically trained vocalist, it didn’t however stop me from being totally blown away. Katherine was joined by the relatively unknown American vocalist Nathan Pacheco making his first ever tour of the UK, he sang a couple of duets with Katherine and they complimented each other well, he also got to perform 4 solo numbers which included a version of ‘Danny Boy’ and a brilliant rendition of the Pavarotti classic ‘Nessun Dorma’ which I have to say really surprised me as he was the first person I’ve seen since the late Pavarotti to do the song justice.

It has to be said I’m not sure I would ever get used to the completely different crowd dynamics to what I’m used to, the sitting in absolute silence and only breaking it for applause post songs is quite alien to me, as is the concept of an interval in the middle, more than a little strange to someone who regularly attends loud and relatively chaotic rock concerts. It was however quite nice to be able to sit back and genuinely just appreciate the music, the orchestra were very good also and had a couple of solo opportunities to perform aswell.

It was a little disappointing that Katherine didn’t take the opportunity to sing ‘Abigail’s Song’ from the Doctor Who christmas special soundtrack as I was hoping she would, this minor disappointment aside it was a thoroughly enjoyable night. The highlights for me were a brilliant rendition of ‘Angel’ from the ‘Believe’ album, the original french version of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ and her final song ‘Time To Say Goodbye’. It has to be said I’m really glad that she came to Portsmouth to allow me this opportunity to see her because if I’m honest I probably wouldn’t have done so had she not come so locally, however having now seen her I would almost certainly do so again if the chance arose.

PDC

Top 10 Albums Of 2011

This now is the last of my Top lists of 2011 and to be honest I’ve been putting this off for a few days to make sure that I am 100% happy with the choices I’ve made and I’m now certain I’m happy! So now what were for me the Top 10 Albums released in 2011.

10. Seasick Steve – ‘You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks’

Ever since I caught Seasick Steve randomly at Reading Festival in 2008 I’ve had a soft spot for him and his brand of blues, he is such a genuine honest person and that really comes through in his songs. The addition on this album of John Paul Jones on bass duty only adds to what is a really good album.

9. Katherine Jenkins – Daydream

Next up is the latest offering from Welsh Mezzo-Soprano Katherine Jenkins, every time I listen to her voice blows me away she is a truly stunning vocalist and the new album showcases her range really well, on top of that it contains ‘Abigail’s Song’ from the Doctor Who Christmas special which I genuinely have loved ever since watching it.

8. Savage Messiah – Plague Of Conscience

Up next is the first of the albums where I genuinely knew nothing about the artist before I heard it, downloaded for free when I saw the link put up by a Friend of mine and band member Joffy I figured I had nothing to lose and ended up hearing one of the best albums of the year! Savage Messiah are another band that I hope are destined for big things in 2012.

7. Maybeshewill – I Was Here For A Moment, Then I Was Gone

Another artist I knew nothing about, I was sent a recommendation on spotify by a good friend of mine Simon telling me I have to listen to this album, I’m really glad I did this is a great album and honestly is one of the ones that’s been in regular rotation. I was quite skeptical at first if I’m honest as it’s a fully instrumental album but it really works and is definitely justified on this list.

6. Florence & The Machine – Ceremonials

I was originally going to do a top 5 albums of 2011 but this album made it impossible for me to do that as I couldn’t bear to leave an album that is so good out of my list, I therefore decided to make it a top 10. Much like Katherine Jenkins, Florence Welch is a vocalist that astounds me every time I listen, on top of that there are some fantastic songs on this album and definitely worth lengthening my list for.

5. Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones

It is from this point forth where for people who know me and people who visit this blog regularly will find the list becoming obvious. Frank Turner is another one of the artists that really won me over in 2011, I first heard him last year when a work colleague played a couple of his albums at work and I remember being impressed, as a result I decided to buy this album on release and I’ve not looked back since as Frank Turner has gone on to solidify himself as one of my current favourite artists.

4. Amon Amarth – Surtur Rising

The Scandinavian Viking metallers returned this year with new album ‘Surtur Rising’ and it has been on an almost permanent loop in my music collection ever since, this genuinely has to be one of my most played albums this year. You always know what you are going to get with Amon Amarth, but they really upped their game on this album, it also has the honour for most ‘Save The World Style Solo Of 2011’ with the song ‘War Of The Gods’.

3. Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind Of Fix

I remember my younger brother saying he was going to see Bombay Bicycle Club in Brighton and thinking to myself it maybe quite good to tag along as I quite Liked ‘Flaws’ and I’ll check anything out once within reason. Then Bombay Bicycle Club went and released ‘A Different Kind Of Fix’ and Bombay Bicycle Club went from being a band I wouldn’t mind checking out to one I had to see! The album also spawned one of my favourite songs of the year in ‘Shuffle’.

2. Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds – Self Titled

I can’t honestly express in words how happy I am to see a genuinely great album come from Noel Gallagher, responsible for writing so many of the songs that got me through my childhood/adolescence with Oasis Noel Gallagher is one of the biggest influences on my musical progression. This album is truly amazing and to be completely honest very nearly got the top spot on this list, genuinely not a bad track on this album and deserves its high spot on my list simply for its nostalgia factor and the fact it restored my faith in Noel Gallagher and proved with totality he was the talent in Oasis.

1. Mastodon – The Hunter

I’m Positive that anyone who knows me in any shape or form will know what the number one choice was going to be! From the moment I first heard ‘The Hunter’ it was obvious to me that Mastodon had written another masterpiece and what the best album of 2011 was going to be. I have to admit I wasn’t expecting such a strong challenge to it from Noel Gallagher’s album but Mastodon are just a class unto themselves, they never cease to amaze me every time I listen to them, they are technically brilliant and have written so many of my favourite songs! All I can add is thank you Mastodon for consistently being phenomenal and I’ll see you in February!!

Anyway that concludes my list! Thank You all for reading!

PDC

Remembrance Sunday Tribute

As promised on Friday to complete my Tribute to those that have fallen I have selected a second video from the many that fill the vaults at youtube. The video I have chosen comes from the Festival Of Remembrance in 2007 and features Katherine Jenkins singing ‘Jerusalem’.

I’ll Leave you with a poem written by Maria Cassee

Remembrance Sunday

On a cold November Sunday morn, an old man sits a while
Looking though old photographs, he can’t help but smile
They’re all there, all the boys, with hair cut short and neat
Uniforms of khaki, strong black boots upon their feet.
They met as strangers but soon became like brothers to the end
Smiling at the camera, there could be no truer friends.
They all took the Queen’s shilling, went off to fight the hun,
Soon learnt the pain of loss once the fighting had begun.
So many never made it home, lost on foreign shores
Many more were injured and would be the same no more.
The old man’s eyes mist with tears as he remembers every face
Each of his fallen brothers and the killing which took place
He proudly dons his beret, his blazer and his tie
For today he will remember the ones who fell and died.
On his chest there is a poppy, a blaze of scarlet on the blue
He steps out into the cold, he has a duty he must do
Once at the cenotaph he stands amongst the ranks
Of those who marched to war and those who manned the tanks,
He bows his head in reverence, as the last post begins to play
And he wonders what will happen at the ending of his days
Will anyone remember? Will anybody care?
About the lads so far from home whose life was ended there?
I wish that I could tell him, that he should fear not
For this soldier and his brothers will NEVER be forgot
We owe a debt of gratitude that we can never pay
And this country WILL remember them, on each Remembrance day.

PDC

Katherine Jenkins – Daydream – Review

Katherine Jenkins returns with her eighth studio album ‘Daydream’, which see’s the Welsh mezzo-soprano return more to her classical roots and away from the flirtation with mainstream pop, that came from the last record with its covers of Evanescence’s ‘Bring Me To Life’ and Queens ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ among others. ‘Daydream’ still includes a couple of cross over tracks such as the Radio 2 played cover of Delta Goodrem’s ‘Break It To My Heart’, despite these couple of tracks Katherine seems to have realised that her strength lies in the classical field and as a result the tracklisting reflects this.

The rare and beautifully sung French rendition of the signature tune from Les Misrables ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ (J’Avais Reve d’Une Autre Vie) is the first of several stand out tracks on the album, chosen in French in part to show her multi-lingual ability (she sings in English, Welsh, Italian & French on ‘Daydream’) I also think it was done to differentiate away from a certain Scottish womans recent and rather famous rendition. I was extremely happy to see the choice of the Italian sung ‘L’alba Verra’ on the album as I am quite a big fan of Chopin and this is a truly stunning attempt. It is however final track ‘Abigail’s Song’ that steals the show, I remember watching last years Doctor Who Christmas special in absolute awe when Katherine Jenkins started singing, at that point I was desperate for the song to be released which it now has on ‘Daydream’ as a bonus track. Backed by some haunting choral chants and a magical original arrangement from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (which was written with Katherine in mind as they knew she would be guest starring as abigail), her contribution to the Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol soundtrack is arguably the strongest original song of her career.

Overall the album is a really strong album that works at its best when Katherine embraces her Classical background, its well crafted with a good selection of songs and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.

Rating: –

8/10

Tracklisting: –

1 Black Is the Colour
2 Your Silhouette
3 Can’t Slow Down
4 J’avais Reve d’une Autre Vie[I Dreamed a Dream]
5 Carrickfergus
6 L’ Alba Verra
7 And This Is My Beloved
8 Love Divine (Hyfrydol)
9 Ave Maria
10 A Flower Tells a Story
11 Break It to My Heart
12 Blaenwern
13 Abigail’s Song (From Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol)

Recommended Tracks : –

‘Abigail’s Song’, ‘J’avais Reve d’une Autre Vie’, ‘Ave Maria’ & ‘L’Alba Verra’

PDC