The new album: Tenor at the Movies

Molly · Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 560

Made my stomach flip over reading that Marian.

I cant wait to get it in my hands.

Listening to Down in the River to Pray on the radio station today - I so love that song - and I want to hear it over and over - same with the others.

Roll on Monday!

Love Molly xx Smile

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Marian · Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 709 Location: Middlesex

I think that track is in my top 5 already. Just voices, no instruments - stunning.

Oh Molly, I have no patience especiallly when it is this close! Laughing

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Molly · Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 560

I know Marian. These last couple of weeks seem endless - the nearer its getting the slower the time seems to be going.

I cant get Down in the River out of my head - its one of those songs that I wake up singing and go to bed singing. I adore it!

love Molly xx Smile

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JessicaL · Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 617 Location: Belfast

Totally can't wait -such a wonderful album from the clips and tracks we've listened to ...going to be so lovely to finally have the album in my collection Very Happy

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Marian · Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 709 Location: Middlesex

5 more sleeps!!! haha Laughing

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Molly · Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 560

Has a week ever gone so slow!!!!

It feels never ending just because I want Monday to come!

Love Molly xx Smile

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cathyk2002 · Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 762

Not long now Molly - 4 more sleeps, although I have only 3 as I will be 'hitting' my local 24hours Asda at 12.01am !!!!!! Wink

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xcept · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject:

Jonathan Ansell: Tenor at the Movies review

Universal Music Classics and Jazz (UCJ), out Monday, February 18th 2008.

In a nutshell...

He ought to be proud.

What's it all about?

Despite its title, this is more than just an album of movie themes; many have been given a new lease of life, in some cases with original lyrics added to familiar backing music. The whole effect is more an homage to music than self-indulgence for Ansell - who, it must be said, is on astonishing form.

Record label UCJ explains that Ansell wanted to "explore the music" and the tracks on this album do just that, while managing to preserve the melancholy of themes such as the Godfather and the epic majesty of others, including Dances With Wolves.

The album represents Ansell's break away from G4 and into the spotlight as a soloist - on first efforts this seems long overdue, as the tenor's voice is for the first time given the opportunity to carry a tune to its conclusion, rather than being asked to give way to other vocalists.

Who's it by?

Ansell, like his G4 colleagues, trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London - the institution which gave the group their name (originally known in full as Guildhall 4, according to rumour). The main success story of the 2004 series of the X Factor, the quartet ranked second in the show but went on to massively outsell eventual winner Steve Brookstein.

Discord within the group led them to separate in mid-2007, prompting Jonathan to adopt the full version of his name (rather than the 'Jon' he had previously been known as) and look to a solo career.

As an example...

"No lips but yours/No arms but yours/Will ever lead me/Through Heaven's doors." - My Own True Love (Gone With the Wind)

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

It can be difficult to predict the niche genres such as opera - Ansell could get lucky. The standard of both his vocals and the backing music is good, but movie themes have a service station bargain bin reputation that could prove hard to shake come awards season.

What the others say

"The tenor's remarkable voice is put to its best use on these silver screen classics, marking the beginning of an eagerly-awaited tenure in the public eye." - HMV.com

"No more security and backing from his mates in G4; now it's time for this usher to stand at the front and play the lead role in his very own epic." - Serge, ClassicalX.com

So is it any good?

I must confess I tended to dismiss G4 as an over-produced X Factor cash-in. But the continued support of Ansell's long-term partner-in-celebrity, TV presenter Debbie King, made me think I was wrong. With this album the answer has been given - while G4 arguably were too well-managed, the same cannot be said of Ansell as a soloist. Instead, he gives a performance already polished, already self-assured, while singing with a wonderfully accessible tone often absent in operatic recordings.

Coming at this as an outsider, rather than as a G4 fan hanging on to the threads of my favourite group, I can see that - provided he can shake off the 'Jon from G4' moniker - Ansell has a lengthy career ahead of him. One criticism is that the monumental tracks seem to appear higher up the playlist on this disc, risking an anticlimactic ending - but that's nothing the shuffle function can't sort out and should not detract from what is, frankly, an astonishing first effort as a solo artist.

9/10

Source: Inthenews.co.uk

cathyk2002 · Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 762

Good review from a non-G4 fan...................a convert I think ! Wink

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Marian · Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 709 Location: Middlesex

What a brilliant review, thanks for posting xcept. An honest and fair piece of writing. Yes Cathy, he is certainly converted.

I am happy he is listening to this album with the view that this is just the start and a taster of what is to come in the future.

I only disagree with this one point though

jonfan · Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 226

Thank you xcept for posting the review,
I found that to be a frank and balanced view of the album
now that I have been all serious about it I can say
Fantastic ,Wonderful ,Thrilling review, Very Happy

Jonfan

JessicaL · Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 617 Location: Belfast

What a lovely,lovely review -great to read Very Happy

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Molly · Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 560

I wonder if I can persuade Mr Molly to go to Asda at one minute past midnight! He is on days on Monday which means I wont get my copy of the album till the evening when he gets home from work! Crying or Very sad

A Review from the Sun Newspaper: 15th Febuary 2008

cathyk2002 · Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 762

Was in my local 24hour Asda on Wednesday and asked at the recod counter about the album, if they would have it, and the chap said they didn't know until a couple of days before the release date now what they would be getting in, so said I'd be back to check on Saturday.

Went in this morning straight to the record counter and same chap was on, so asked about it and he held a copy up from a pile on the counter and said that unfortunately, he couldn't sell me it until Monday ..... told him I'd be in around midnight Sunday for it then !!!!!! So Asda will be stocking it Very Happy

Will try and find out next Wednesday when I go in that particular store Wink

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E05297535 · Joined: Sep 21, 2007 Posts: 129

What the others say

"The tenor's remarkable voice is put to its best use on these silver screen classics, marking the beginning of an eagerly-awaited tenure in the public eye." - HMV.com

"No more security and backing from his mates in G4; now it's time for this usher to stand at the front and play the lead role in his very own epic." - Serge, ClassicalX.com
So is it any good?

I must confess I tended to dismiss G4 as an over-produced X Factor cash-in. But the continued support of Ansell's long-term partner-in-celebrity, TV presenter Debbie King, made me think I was wrong. With this album the answer has been given - while G4 arguably were too well-managed, the same cannot be said of Ansell as a soloist. Instead, he gives a performance already polished, already self-assured, while singing with a wonderfully accessible tone often absent in operatic recordings.

Coming at this as an outsider, rather than as a G4 fan hanging on to the threads of my favourite group, I can see that - provided he can shake off the 'Jon from G4' moniker - Ansell has a lengthy career ahead of him. One criticism is that the monumental tracks seem to appear higher up the playlist on this disc, risking an anticlimactic ending - but that's nothing the shuffle function can't sort out and should not detract from what is, frankly, an astonishing first effort as a solo artist.

9/10

so loving this review on a whole...coming from a non G4 fan the verdict given is something very rare to both find and read on any type of media article....and to score it 9/10 is a real triumph for Jon in general!! Part of the review (in bold text) is what I like most about this review, it brings to light that obviously the reviewer agreed with these other 2 comments
and coming from sources who in the fans view (mine anyway), have supported Jon's talents from the start, without ever being 'negative' during their 'support' of him, the reviewer probably sees this as very rare within the media field, as Jon has been established (through G4) for a good while. (and at times was never considered very highly, despite the strong talent he (and the others) processes)!!

The album will be remembered and discussed for several months/years to come...guaranteed!!!