An album from this singing group with a strong musical theatre background and brave enough to set up their own record label. Apparently they won Britain’s Got Talent, a show I cannot bring myself to watch. I know no musicians anywhere who would want to be ‘judged’ by that panel. The intent of the quartet here is to celebrate and emphasise their love of musical classics from stage and screen, which is quite canny as there is a following across Europe for songs emanating from this sector of entertainment. Even smarter perhaps is the sounding out of their own following re song choices, I love any sincere attempt to connect, indeed the purpose of this site is to connect listeners and showgoers worldwide to material and acts they might enjoy..

Let us just record as well and out of respect the fact that these lads have already entertained at the Royal Variety Show, Windsor Castle, The 02 Arena, Wembley Stadium, the London Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall. OK – Lights ! Makeup ! Curtain up !…..

This Is The Moment is from Jekyll & Hyde is a smooth opening track, voice follows voice with harmonies descending and ensemble singing s appropriate. The backing is prime, slick West End production in style with mournful piano and soaring strings and sharp horn contributions. It is all very old-fashioned in style however this style of musical creation is aiming at a timeless appeal song. A very spirited performance.
Empty Chairs At Empty Tables is of course the current party song of The Liberal Democrats..ah, no sorry it’s from Les Miserables, the Marmite of musicals. Heaven to some, dragged-out Hades to others. A soft harp plays over the orchestration. If they have a strong point, Collabro seem to have a suitable voice for each segment of the composition. The vocal build here sounds well-handled, to someone who does not feel drawn to this sort of effort

Beauty And The Beast sounds like hard work rewarded, the piano sounds very village hall but that’s where these sort of songs are rehearsed for live performance. These crafted harmonies point to real enthusiasm; Til I Hear You Sing comes from Love Never Dies which is Robin to Phantom Of The Opera’s Batman, if memory serves. They just stay short of over-singing this one, to me it’s a corny song and you can hear the rustle of the matinee Milk Tray boxes. The recorded brass sound is excellent.

Now Send In The Clowns is my least favourite song of all time, I absolutely detest it. Over the top lyrics, the in-built temptation to flare the nostrils and stare into the distance in quasi-emotion, a baroque turkey of a melody. It makes The Impossible Dream – another clinker – sound like Summer In The City. Can Collabro breathe life into it? In short, no – right from the dour violin intro it defines maudlin. The harmonies are first-class and their fans will like it. I would rather they had included. Maybe The Association’s Windy or tried to put their own stamp on Nights In White Satin, both of which have been used in films.

That’s Life, however !..I was performing this very song myself a few days ago and it’s a fantastic knowing blues – fifteen chords and the truth. How do they fare on this ? Obviously on most of these standard stage songs the guys are on a tight leash. On THIS tune they can loosen up a bit and frankly this is the best track on the collection. You can hear the smiles instead of the slight tension of being on trial for coming up to scratch for the musicals snobs. Also the best arrangement here. They should really track down Barry Manilow’s Swing Street for a future release.

Don’t Rain On My Parade is another CampFest of course, BUT it is what the act is trying to do. The voices sound really rich as the lead vocal is batted around. They do get the best out of a song associated with pricey humourless divas. Very cool drumming here, too. Bui Doi is one of the key songs in Miss Saigon and the voices are terrifically dynamic on this choice. The second movement is a tad camp, given the subject matter…

December 1963 (Oh What A Night) is The Four Seasons gem and features in the mighty Jersey Boys – this version is tuneful if unambitious as regards the backing by the orchestra. An obvious crowd-pleaser, so worth including. Great bass playing. Journey To The Past is apparently from Anastacia and I cannot recall ever hearing it. Twinkly piano ushers in a semi-whispered verse. Maybe it works if you’re watching the stage version. It just conjured up visions of Stage School kids to me.

Lion King 2 – see below – produced He Lives In You and provides a bit of variety in its mysterious ambience. It is sung well and with good feel ; For Good comes from Wicked, the incredibly successful stage musical but it’s a horrible forced sugar-substitute of a song. Lighthouse has a beautiful piano intro and almost hymnal singing, Collabro sound fresh on this recording and the vague Celtic ambience here works well.

Not aimed at the likes of me, this album stays tuneful and on course despite a couple of really duff song choices. Collabro sound as though their hearts are in this.

Pete Sargeant

Thanks to Federica and all at Impressive PR

…When the original Lion King musical film was released there was the usual Disney fanfare and fuss to whip us interest. At the time I was working in The City of London and a few streets away was the world-famous Petticoat Lane. A lunchtime stroll down to the Lane’s market stalls was often worthwhile for a new shirt or a bag of cherries BUT some of the merchandise offered by the Cockney vendors was not what you might term ‘official’. This day I was near a loud man shouting out his wares
– “ New kids film ! Get your t shirts here ! get your lovely t shirts here ! official !!”
The chap on the next stall pointed to the shirts and the spelling on the shirts..”Loin
King “…leaving mothers covering their children’s ears as the stall owner cursed his supplier and designer at high volume, punching the air in anger. Loin King does sound like a very dodgy video….