Customer Reviews

Singer

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Singer

Operatically-trained AIDS activist/performance artist Diamanda Galas plays the "it's the song, not the singer" game here, and wins. Accompanying herself on piano, Galas gives thoughtful, impassioned= readings of these songs (mostly standards, many previously recorded as parts of her performance pieces), leaving behind for the moment her infamous 8-octave vocal gymnastics and beyond-the-pit-of-Hell moaning.= Maybe not as personal an album as "Plague Mass", but certainly accessable to those afraid of her earlier (and scarier) works.

Galas' performance of these songs is simply awesome. Many have sung them before her, but who will dare to sing them after her? Her performance somehow transfigures these very familiar classic blues and spirituals, bringing out a depth of emotion, an awesome power and force, a wonderful subtlety of feeling that was hitherto unknown. Her voice blends perfectly with the piano, her vocals are perfectly balanced, each "scream" and intonation neither too much nor too little, but just perfect. I don't think I will ever again be able to listen to someone else's interpretation of "I put a spell on you" or "A balm in Gilead" without somehow finding it lacking in comparison with Diamanda Galas' performance. She simply outshines them all.

I've been a fan of Diamanda's work for quite a while. I must admit this isn't the best Diamanda Galas album, but it does have some wonderful songs. The Singer consists of performences performed on the Judgement Day tour, however, if you can find a copy of the Judgement Day VHS you'll find a better example her amazing work. This album is not as beautiful as Malediction and Prayer but is still a good example of her work with her voice and her piano. The best tracks include Gloomy Sunday and Judgement Day!

This CD is absolutely brillant!
When I first bought it...I didn't think
much about it. But.. then I listened
carefully to the version of "I put
a spell on you" which she does here.
Around the same time, there was
a version of "I put a spell.." by
Brian Ferry. Brian sings it without
any feeling. Its like he is falling asleep
while singing. Diamanda on the other hand,
gives a real delivery...punctuated ...and
more like someone who is actually living
and talking it: "I put a spell on you"...
pause...becaaaaause "You're Mine!!".
Absolutely commanding! And throughout this
CD she keeps her screaming to where its
appropriate, which I like. I don't see the
point to some of her other cd's where she
only screams.

Really enjoy this..she is actually a good pianist, also the piano itself has an amazing tone. Such an interesting collection of blues/gospel songs.

I saw he perform this set live at St Andrews Hall, Detroit back in the early 90's when The Singer was first released. I had been a fan ever since. This album is one of Diamandas best. To describe it would be to say it is where goth meets gospel....call it gothpel!

The Singer being Galás 1992 release is her singing own versions of classical blues and gospel songs. Galás has very unique vocals and one always here that it is here singing. The cover is an alright photograph of Calás looking pensive but the hair is not so nice. Only two of the tracks have lyrics but we get a list of whom plays what on the album. 4/5.

Very few female voices in my memory have this kind of power and deep expresion of soul. Chavela Vargas is one of them. Edith Piaf, Billy Holiday, Lucha Reyes are some of these great singes that can you make painfluly cry. In other words, Diamanda have a very distinctive way to sing, with great power and deep feelings. Not for all music lovers. This music can be sound bizarre for some.

I enjoy this cd very much. Diamanda is definitely on my top 10 of solo artists. However, I prefer the live version of INSANE ASYLUM featured on "MALEDICTION AND PRAYER" than this studio recording. It's less gothic sounding and on MAP it sounds bluesy and her vocals are spunky and just has that "OOMPH." It's clear that she's influenced by blues but also is well rounded and diverse as she tackles spirituals and classical as witnessed on MAP. The cover photo is attractive and I like the blue-gray tint the used. I seem to enjoy Diamanda when she's at the piano and singing-the shreiks and noises(and ya all know what I mean), doesn't bother me as much. But "PLAGUE MASS", "VENA CAVA" and "SHREI-X" are very disturbing and I can only handle sections of those cd's- no disrespect to Diamanda. I do, really admire her.

Operatically-trained AIDS activist/performance artist Diamanda Galas plays the "it's the song, not the singer" game here, and wins. Accompanying herself on piano, Galas gives thoughtful, impassioned readings of these songs (mostly standards, many previously recorded as parts of her performance pieces), leaving behind for the moment her infamous 8-octave vocal gymnastics and beyond-the-pit-of-Hell moaning. Maybe not as personal an album as "Plague Mass", but certainly accessable to those afraid of her earlier (and scarier) works.