Customer Reviews

Il Divo

5 star:		(234)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(33)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(42)

 

 

Il Divo's debut CD has subtly bridged the gap between pop and classical but positioning itself in a new musical niche. I won't spend too much time praising the singers' wonderful voices since I think many of the reviews also allude to that.

However, I've noticed that many of the more negative reviews seem to be based on some rather incorrect, inaccurate, or downright ignorant perceptions or conclusions. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to respond to some of these flawed criticisms.

First, many criticisms attack the CD has being a "mockery" of pop music or classical opera. Well, anyone who is familiar with the purpose of Il Divo will realize that the CD was never meant to be pop music nor was it ever presented as classical music. Instead, the purpose of the group was to sing romantic songs using classical vocal techniques. Therefore, those who criticize the CD as being neither pop or opera are missing the whole point.

Second, many chastise that the songs have little variation in style. The CD was meant to really feature a collection of romantic songs, so it's highly unlikely that you'd find much upbeat music here. However, anyone with a good amount of musical training would realize that the 12 tracks on the CD exhibit quite a variation of styles, ranging from aria-type music to ballads, Broadway musical-type songs to straight pop/adult contemporary music. The one common thread that ties them all together is Il Divo's interpretation using classical vocal technique.

Third, a lot of the negative comments focus on the supposed lack of harmony and the observation that it sounded like all four singers were trying to outsing each other. Anyone with any classical music training would understand that in classical vocal music (i.e. opera/oratorio), the interpretation of "harmony" is quite different from that of pop music. If people were looking for pop-like harmonies where all four voices blend seamlessly into each other, they won't find it here. Classical vocal techniques don't really create that type of sound. The harmonies produced by Il Divo are more consistent with the sounds you'd hear in traditional operas (i.e. Verdi, Wagner, etc.).

Fourth, don't compare Il Divo to singers like Josh Groban. That's like comparing oranges to grapefruits. Yes, the type of music that they sing is similar, BUT the method of interpretation is very different. Josh Groban's techique is NOT classical operatic/vocal technique. As a result, Il Divo and Josh Groban are really in two close but different music genres.

Fifth, some reviewers quite ignorantly comment that Il Divo represents a sad decline in American music. Well, guess what? Il Divo does not purport to be singing American music (they're imported from Europe, in case they haven't noticed). And since when did American music become the global standard anyways? Perhaps these reviewers need to open their eyes and ears and realize that there is a much larger musical world beyond the shores of the United States. Europe has a much more developed and vibrant musical scene than the USA and when it comes to genres such as classical music, Europe is much more developed than the United States. There is a reason why Il Divo has done so well in other parts of the world even before arriving in North America.

Sixth, some reviewers suggest that the songs were not written for Il Divo's type of singing. Well, that's why Il Divo is deemed as being daring and innovative. They're taking songs from other genres (e.g. Unbreak My Heart) and reinterpreting them using new techniques. There is no point comparing it to Toni Braxton's interpretation because they are two DIFFERENT works of art. There is no right or wrong here. The same goes for Broadway musicals, which essentially was a reinterpretation of the classical opera. Again, they are two different spheres all together and trying to compare one with the other is rather silly.

Okay, after that discussion, here are some of my general comments about the CD.

1. Some improvement in the production can be strived for. Like some reviewers indicated, some tracks are softer than others, for some odd reason. However, this is a minor glitch and doesn't take anything away from the CD.

2. Il Divo is NOT a "tenor group" or "tenor quartet" as some have been calling them. In fact, Il Divo is really a mix of four very talented but very diverse singers. Carlos Marin is an operatic baritone (reminds me a lot of the Spanish tenor Jose Carreras). David Miller is a classically trained tenor but his voice resembles tenors that you'd hear in Broadway musicals. Urs Buhler is also a clasically-trained tenor but his voice resembles more the traditional opera/oratorio tenor. (Some have said that Urs' voice doesn't resonate and that he sings with no expression. Actually, Urs' voice is best when he is singing in the higher ranges. In the lower ranges, his voice doesn't project as well, which limits how expressive he can sound. But in the higher ranges, his voice is crystal clear and is quite beautiful.) Finally, Sebastien Izambard is a pop singer whose voice is interestingly quite compatible with the other 3 singers.

Overall, a wonderful start for the group. Their next CD should definitely be even better given that the group will have had more time to work with each other and to better understand each member's strengths and weaknesses. Eagerly looking forward to the next release.

Il Divo, Simon Cowell's latest brainchild, was put together through a two year search of singers from around the world. The group is comprised of David Miller (US), Carlos Marin (Spain), Urs Buhler (Switzerland) and Sebastien Izambard (France). David, Carlos and Urs are all classically trained, while Sebastien is self-taught. David was seen on Broadway a couple of years ago in <strong>La Boheme</strong>. Carlos has done several musicals and operas, notable roles including The Beast in Disney's <strong>Beauty & the Beast</strong> and Marius in <strong>Les Miserables</strong>. Sebastien appeared in <strong>Le Petit Prince</strong> in France.

Their talent is very evident on this album. Whether the lyric is in English, Spanish or Italian, these men have a great ability to express emotion through the songs, especially Carlos. Considering his stage experience, this is not surprising.
Their voices blend well together and it does not sound as if they are competing with each other.

The album is mostly mild ballads, but with varied lyrical content.
<strong>Nella Fantasia</strong> is about dreaming of a world that is just, where souls fly free .
<strong>Passera</strong> has a very interesting lyric about how songs help us through pain in life, pain that will pass.
<strong>Dentro Un Altro Si</strong> speaks of finding love again after a loss.
<strong>Regresa A Mi</strong>, a Spanish translation of Toni Braxton's <strong>UnBreak My Heart</strong>, is even better than the original.
<strong>The Man You Love</strong> is one of the most beautiful tracks, co-written by Steve Mac (<strong>Flying Without Wings</strong>).
<strong>Feelings</strong> and <strong>My Way</strong> are two of the weaker selections. They don't quite have the depth of the majority of the songs.
<strong>Unchained Melody (Senza Catene)</strong> was added for the US release of the album and it is a pleasant surprise. Rather than just use this song as another overblown ballad, it begins simply with a single voice, Sebastien, and a harp and then progresses into a beautiful crescendo.

The arrangements and orchestrations are lush and a joy to the ears. The album never seems rushed and flows very nicely.
There is nothing musically ground-breaking or astounding about it. It is simply a collection of beautiful songs, sung by beautiful voices.
It is the musical equivalent of a chocolate bar. It is rich and comforting. Sometimes that chocolate bar is infinitely more satisfying than an entire meal.

For those of us who had to import the album for a pretty penny last year, the US release is somewhat bittersweet. But it is great that these talented men are reaching a larger audience. Having already sold over 3,000,000 copies in Europe, they are already a success. American exposure will certainly only further that success.

As dinner background music, roadtrip material or a de-stress tool, this album will be a great addition to any collection.

As a lover of classical music this listener is frequently sent messages to 'try Il Divo' and so somewhat late in the game of their fantastic careers their music finally hits these ears. And what a wonderful surprise it is. If this qualifies as a 'crossover' album then what a treat!.

The group, assembled after a huge media hype by some notable luminaries, is comprised of David Miller (US), Carlos Marin (Spain), Urs Buhler (Switzerland) - all classically trained - and Sebastien Izambard (France) who is self-taught and retains a very likeable voice. They have tremendous sensitivity as a quartet, blending beautifully when called to do so, and bursting forth in solo spots when the songs require it. The vocal sound is very fine and makes for easy listening, the inclusion of some rather dreary sentimental schmaltzy pieces not withstanding.

As lush and beautiful as these men sing this particular recording (their first and this listener has not heard the others) is marred by some of the worst orchestrations on record: one almost wishes for a capella singing, so fine are the vocals and so over-arranged the orchestral accompaniment. But that is a minor complaint when discovering, albeit late, of a fine young group of talented vocalists. Conversion here... Grady Harp, November 06

Four young men with extremely powerful voices provide a rich collection of English, Spanish, and Italian music that I--for one--have thoroughly enjoyed.

Some may consider the way they came together as "Il Divo" to be a cheesy revamped version of a Menudo-style boy-band endeavor, and I'll admit, it is a rather "commercialized" way of forming a singing group. I mean this group isn't the Beatles. But neither is it a Menudo remake. Personally, I could care less how they got together; after hearing their debut album, I'm just glad they did!

They come from a variety of countries, and each one brings his own strengths and talent to the group. I can certainly see "why" they were chosen. Aside from the handsome good looks (which is almost a given), the men can sing! Anyone willing to listen can see they put their hearts into the music. I'm glad they did.

Muchas Gracias para la musica, Il Divo.

It took two years for Simon Cowell and his team to assemble and ready the four men of the group now known as Il Divo. David, Carlos, Urs and Sebastien are highly talented performers with rich, vibrant voices that impart a sense of singular beauty and majesty. On this album, simply titled Il Divo, the men perform with aplomb and after they did the work we got the payoff!

The CD boasts some truly beautiful ballads that highlight the talents and skills of the four man group. "Regresa a mi (Unbreak My Heart)," is a strong yet sensitive start for the song set. The group also sings in English and Italian. For example, there is the touching honesty in the next song, "Mama." The men sing of how a person knows (only once they're older) that they weren't always easy to raise when they were growing up as a child. The song is also a type of prayer that "(hopes their mama is) happy with my life/At peace with every choice I made/How I've changed/Along the way...And I owe it all to you, mama." Some people may believe that it's lacking in style or substance or strength; but I think it's sweet. They also sing in Italian with songs like "Nella Fantasia" and the beautifully cascading "Passera."

Whether they are singing in English ("Mama"), Italian ("Nella Fantasia"), or Spanish ("Hoy que ya no estas aqui"), their voices blend very well and the musical arrangements are consistently lush. Although the lyrics are typical of pop songs, there is simultaneously a classical or even a dramatic operatic "feel" to the album that won't bore you even if you don't like classical music or opera!

The quality of the sound is excellent and the liner notes give all the lyrics and credits for the songs. There are some nice photos of the group as well. My only complaint, albeit a minor one, is that the songs in Spanish and Italian are not translated into English in the liner notes. I am obviously fluent in English; and I understood the Spanish as well. However, when they sang in Italian, I only knew that it was a song or a ballad about love or romance; I simply did not know precisely what they were singing about as the song progressed. This may bother some people but for others it will not be anything negative. It did bother me; so I am taking off one half of a star to make this a 4.5 star review. I simply couldn't enjoy the Italian songs in quite the same way as I could the others.

Overall, despite my giving this CD 4.5 stars instead of the full five stars, this excellent album displays the strong talents of Il Divo. I recommend this CD for fans of Il Divo (obviously), pop vocals, and people who just might enjoy a classical/pop twist to their music. You know, all the stars were in all the right places for this group of four men to be found and then for them to come together and record this incredible album. We are much better off for having Il Divo on the scene. Enjoy them--to life!

I was looking for a cd that I could listen to all of the time. Oh my God, I am breathless. I was brought to tears as they sang "Mama". My mother passed away in 2002 and I never got a chance to say thank you and this song said it all. All of Il Divo's songs have touched me in a way that no one else could. Thank you for touching my heart. I really recommend that you give this cd a chance. All of these other people on the board that gave it a low score, obviously need a hearing aid and a heart. Blessings

I heard this music being played by a nurse at a VA hospital as background music while she was at her station. I asked her to identify the music which was Il Divo. I ordered it, along with the advertised Christmas album, from Amazon the same day. Outstanding talent of four singers presented on CD. Recommended with enthusiasm.

The first time I heard Il Divo on The Oprah Show and heard their story I gained a whole new respect for Simon Cowel. Their voices are simply magnificent and they are truely beautiful to look at as well. Some of their songs touch me so deeply it makes me want to cry (good tears though).

Patrice
Phoenix, Arizona

A friend introduced Il Divo to me. The music is in either English or Italian. It is soothing and relaxing, excellent quality. Get any of their CDs. They are all great.

Purists might snub at this quartet of voices, but their own limitations would cause them to miss a grand synergy of passionately executed music. This album is among the best of the new crossover singing today. One thing that is certain is change, and like it or not, purists are being left behind in the dust of their own critical eliteness. Beautiful voices like Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, and Charlotte Church are among the pioneers that forced the bigger names (Pavorotti and other opera stellars) to rethink their music capabilities.
IL DIVO as an album is well constructed in a variety of classical and modern music. Beautifully orchestrated to add to the flow of the passionate performance, this quartet of versitile voices is enhanced by the mere fact that they all allow each other to shine in their particular solo part. There is no trying to out-do the other. This generates a synergistic performance that is strong and passionate, with each being lifted up by the others in the background. They are having FUN expressing their talents! There is so much to listen to in each song of this album. BRAVO!
As the world becomes more eclectic, as we cross borders once forbidden by narrow-minded purists, as we listen to other languages being expressed in rich tones, and as we embrace and celebrate our differences, rather than be critical of them, we truly will allow joy and peace to return to this world.
These young men are riding on a wave of the new musical future. May a second album be soon in the making!