CD-Charts Position 101
Average Rating:

No Frills

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: The Persuasions

Release Date October 25, 1990
This is a kind of Persuasions classic, because it features their concert standards, "Under the Boardwalk," and the autobiographical "Still Ain't Got No Band." But it also has some weird and wonderful song choices. I mean, The Partridge Family? Yes, the Persuasions sing The Partridge Family's "I Woke Up In Love This Morning," and make it a heavyweight tune. This is the only album to feature a female Persuasion---Bev Roehler, who sang the high stuff on more than half the tracks. Oh yeah, and Paul Simon's "Slip Sliding Away" is pretty good, too.

CD-Charts Position 102
Average Rating:

Martin: Mass / Songs Of Ariel / Cantate / Chansons / Ode A La Musique

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: Frank Martin, The Sixteen, Harry Christophers

Release Date March 15, 2005
This is a reissue of a 1996 Collins Classics CD. Here's what I said about that disc, slightly updated:
With the exception of the enormously popular Mass for Unaccompanied Double Choir (1922/26) & the oft-recorded English-language Songs of Ariel (1950) to texts from Shakespeare, Frank Martin's most significant choral music is found in his 4 large-scale oratorios: In Terra Pax (1944), Golgotha (1945-8), Le Mystere de la Nativite (1957-9) & the Requiem (1970-1). This CD gathers together some of the shorter pieces from throughout his career, together with the Mass & Ariel Songs. Some of the performances come off better than others, largely because the various works were written for very different resources. The Sixteen do very ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 103
Average Rating:

Santiago De Murcia Codex

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Astree

Release Date August 16, 2005
This is a reissue of a 1996 Collins Classics CD. Here's what I said about that disc, slightly updated:
With the exception of the enormously popular Mass for Unaccompanied Double Choir (1922/26) & the oft-recorded English-language Songs of Ariel (1950) to texts from Shakespeare, Frank Martin's most significant choral music is found in his 4 large-scale oratorios: In Terra Pax (1944), Golgotha (1945-8), Le Mystere de la Nativite (1957-9) & the Requiem (1970-1). This CD gathers together some of the shorter pieces from throughout his career, together with the Mass & Ariel Songs. Some of the performances come off better than others, largely because the various works were written for very different resources. The Sixteen do very ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 104
Average Rating:

Vaughan Williams: Over hill, over dale

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Hyperion UK

Release Date November 21, 1995
THIS MUSIC DEPICTS A SAMPLING OF RALPH V.W. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END, AND WHAT BEAUTY HE GAVE US!

Ralph Vaughan-Williams loved "the lilt of the chorus at the music hall...children dancing to a barrel organ, the rousing fervor of a Salvation Army Hymn, St.Paul's and a great choir singing at one of its festivals...the Welshmen striking up one of their own hymns...the cries of street pedlars, the factory girls singing their sentimental songs." This disc somehow reflects all of these influences. I think it makes him a true folksong specialist!

The music included herein covers the whole of the composer's long career-from "The Willow Song" written when he was eighteen, to "Heart's Music",composed three ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 105
Average Rating:

One Size Fits All

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: The Nylons

Release Date October 25, 1990
I have liked most albums from this group. This is another keeper. It is a good combination of vocals and simple but creative music. The production is very good. Overall a very good CD.

CD-Charts Position 106
Average Rating:

Faire is the Heaven: Music of the English Church

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Collegium

Release Date September 11, 1993
I am fond of sacred choral music, and I have listened to several groups and CDs. But I have yet to find any group with the superb quality of the Cambridge Singers! Under the direction of John Rutter their smooth, flawless music flows so seemingly effortlessly (though we know that much effort must be made for such angelic quality). The acoustics are awesome as the recording was recorded in an ancient cathedral. They say a whisper will resonate 5 seonds after the whisperer stops. And the selection of music as well is wonderful! There is a progression from the 1500s to the 1900s, and though all the music is nice the first portion is especially melodic, enchanting, relaxing, and inspiring!!! Therefore as the chorus, the recording sound, and the song selections ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 107
Average Rating:

Feelings

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: The Singers Unlimited

Release Date April 24, 2007
I am fond of sacred choral music, and I have listened to several groups and CDs. But I have yet to find any group with the superb quality of the Cambridge Singers! Under the direction of John Rutter their smooth, flawless music flows so seemingly effortlessly (though we know that much effort must be made for such angelic quality). The acoustics are awesome as the recording was recorded in an ancient cathedral. They say a whisper will resonate 5 seonds after the whisperer stops. And the selection of music as well is wonderful! There is a progression from the 1500s to the 1900s, and though all the music is nice the first portion is especially melodic, enchanting, relaxing, and inspiring!!! Therefore as the chorus, the recording sound, and the song selections ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 108
Average Rating:

Rockapella

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: The Nylons

Release Date October 25, 1990
Having discovered The Nylons in 1986 while in high school (I was in Jazz Choir so we all just fell head over heels with this music) this was the long anticipated 2-year wait for the follow-up to 1987's Happy Together. I was working at a record store (we actually STILL had records then) when this album came out. I remember buying the first CD that came into the store and subjecting my fellow employees to what I was expecting to be a typically fantastic journey into vocal acrobatics. Instead I was greeted with a highly slick, heavily synth-enhanced sound that sounded NOTHING like I was used to from the premiere A Capella foursome. This was to be the final album in which all four original "studio" Nylons performed on - the group had two other bass singers ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 109
Average Rating:

Good News

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: The Persuasions

Release Date February 14, 1992
Fans of David Ruffin take note, this collection features two of the greatest Persuasions tracks: 'Message From Maria' and 'I've Lost Everything I Ever Loved,' both originally on Ruffin's 'My Whole World Ended,' his first solo LP after leaving The Temptations. Not only surpassing the intensity of the originals, the Persuasions also pay one of the few (only?) relevant musical tributes to the solo career of one of soul's finest voices. 'I Won't Be The Fool Anymore' closes the LP and unrelated from this Ruffin banter is also a total stand-out. I only prod because I think fans of this should lend an ear to one of the David Ruffin collections that feature these tracks because I'd be happy just bending people's ears to the great David Ruffin and his spotty solo career.

CD-Charts Position 110
Average Rating:

Seamless

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: The Nylons

Release Date October 25, 1990
About 30 minutes of top quality rock-a-pella. Ten songs. Some good, some forgetable. Voices are fabulous - which is typical of the Nylons during this period. The arrangements are very creative but . . . this album doesn't leave me singing the tunes in my head. I walk away thinking, "Wow that was really well done" . . . . and then tend to forget about it. There are some good songs but overall this album seems out of focus.
I was spoiled by "Happy Together" which I think was their best album. If you are looking for more of the same on this album unfortunately what you get is a shadow of the incredible vocal work capable of this group.
Recommended for Nylons fans (like me) but if you have never bought a Nylons CD buy "Happy Together" ... Read More: