Album Description: Il Divo are back refreshed, reinvigorated and ready to remind the world in 2008 just what they have been missing. Four of the greatest operatic voices in the world come together again to create their unique signature sound to re-interpret popular romantic songs. The Promise features 12 songs once again produced by Steve Mac (Il Divo, The Christmas Collection, Ancora, Siempre). The Promise is Il Divo's first release in two years. Il Divo have become an international sensation bringing the sound of opera to the world of popular music since their debut in 2002. Il Divo has sold over 22 million albums worldwide.
New tunes; new words; same old stuff To some degree, I'll probably always be an Il Divo fan, but The Promise is likely the last album of theirs I'll buy.
As I read through the reviews I note that those most enthusiastic about the album seem to be relatively new to Il Divo. And, don't get me wrong, the voices are as glorious as ever in The Promise. Somehow, though, it just sounds like more of the same; like a form letter. To be fair, I should probably say it sounds like a limited quantity of form letters. It's not like there's no variation, just not much.
Unlike some others here, the lack of English language songs doesn't bother me much. I'm usually more interested in the music. On the other hand, a huge, well-funded percentage of the world's population speaks English. It's almost like Il Divo has slapped that market in the face. Why? I'm certainly not suggesting the whole album should be sung in English--not even half. But one song? Come on!
Frankly, I bought The Promise because I had always wondered what Il Divo could do with an ABBA song. I have to say that "The Winner Takes it All" is beautiful. It's not supposed to be beautiful. It's a woman (Okay, we can change it to a man) having her heart ripped out of her. And for goodness sake, where's Benny Andersson's grand piano, driving the song like a bullwhip, not letting the hearer up for an emotional breath until he's released, gasping, as the music finally dies away? I could forgive the rest; but, really, what did Il Divo hope to accomplish by leaving out the very foundation of the piece? Their version is a beautifully embroidered, silken, wet, limp dishrag.
All right. Enough. I'm disappointed.
GREAT MUSIC This was a gift for my sister, she loves it, she tells me it is one of the best groups she has ever heard.
Love it I love this cd and I love Il Divo. Their voices are so fantastic on this cd and I say well worth the money. It could be a little longer but I could just be saying that because I'd want to listen to more and more of their voices. I don't understand what they are saying most of the time but love it anyway.
Repetitious arrangements. Virtually every song on this album follows a variation of the same boring musical arrangement: a few softly-sung choruses, then a musical bridge leading to a blaring chorus with the same virtually-screaming singer, and a return to a final soft chorus.
If it weren't for the song "Amazing Grace", which is the only song in which this arrangement seems to work well, I would have trashed this CD.
Il Divo The young men have an interesting approach to bringing opera-level singing to the popular level. The group has individuals whose voices are collectively and individually quite good. I bought the album for one song: "Amazing Grace." The case in which the DVD is housed is of poor quality.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
