As I sit with my laptop sat securely in my lap and a warm tea waiting for me, I can't help but notice the soft serenity basking the theatre show being broadcasted on my TV. Katherine Jenkins, a widely recognised musician in the classical world, renowned for her dulcet tone of voice and unique breadth of pitch, leaves the stage to introduce forward male-band, Collabro. The name rings a bell but as each young man stands before the audience, no measure of familiarity registers in my mind. It isn't until I'm later told by my father that this is Collabro, the winning act of Britain's Got Talent 2014.Their performance was effortlessly executed, with a perfectly cathartic shrill, something which is reflected in their second and most recent album, Act Two, where we find that Collabro have made a graceful leap into a profound territory as an increasingly established band, surpassing the success of their debut album, Stars. I was obviously compelled to have a listen, but rather than finding a conflict of invariably good and yet bad songs, as I've come to expect from most albums (since after all, music is regrettably subjective and not every song is sure to fit your taste), I was proudly surprised to find that each and every song had a character that could not in any way be passed off with the labels, boring or unpleasant. Operatic music has never been more revolutionised and relevant to our culture since the introduction of artists such as Collabro.
Stars was an album punctuated with mainstream songs, sung in a quirky and especial way, distinctive of this classical act. But what's made the second album more effective is that they've come together to yet again, transform these powerful ballads such as 'All Of Me' and 'I Won't Give Up', but then paired these with some of the most dramatic theatrical and film score music out there, in order to reach out to both a contemporary and older audience at the same time. They delivered the talent needed to spike the interest of the younger generation with Stars but here, they pull at our poignant memories with the languid and striking music which, at least for me, is significant in how the songs fundamentally marked my childhood. 'Memories' and 'Music Of The Night' are both performed with the care I expect they ought to be given. The harmonies are enrapturing too, drifting in the air like the soft caress of an ocean breeze. With each minute that goes by, it feels as if you're pulling at silk, which is slowly slipping from your hands as you endeavour to savour the songs, luxuriating in the vocals and string quartet which when combined, develops pathos, yearning and an immense sensation of great loss but triumph and comfort.
'I Dreamed A Dream' is one of the most iconic songs to brace the album which although an over-exposed track, is timeless and well-performed by the band who clearly sing with appropriated use of tone. However, if any song could be criticised, then at least in my opinion, it would have to be Collabro's cover of 'Circle of Life'. This is a song that requires high zest and enthusiasm to accomplish well in performance. Collabro are mightily talented at singing with ardour in their spirits but I felt the song fell short of my expectations for a track which is famous for how it sanctifies the bounty of life and life's accomplishments. The opening was powerful but I found myself willing the music to reach a climax which never came. In rock songs this is created through the guitar riffs or the eccentric cry of emotion, whereas this may be marked in other classical songs with the rise in pitch and stretching of a note that leave the artist/s sounding utterly overwrought with emotion. That's exactly what I was looking to pin-point but sadly this wasn't something I found (at least in a striking way).
All in all, Collabro are a skilful act that have shown classical music can still have significance in this ever-changing music industry, driven by a pop-mad audience. They also retain a beautiful sense of power and strength through the masculine tone of voice which is a rarity among music today. Not to say that other male singers sound weak or effeminate but that just as you find in literature, where gentlemen would have conformed to the stereotypical masculine archetype, Collabro epitomise classical music and the stereotypical masculine 'voice'.* As said, not every song on the album will satisfy your tastes but with only one song as a slight concern for me, I have no doubt that as the band develops, they'll only get better and progress so much so that soon, it'll be hard to lay out any further improvements.
Act Two is out now and can be bought from iTunes, or at your local music store.
*That probably sounds entirely incomprehensible. Don't worry, I'm not aiming to be sexist by saying a man should act or sound according to their archetypal stereotype but simply that it is common within the classical genre, which is seen by some people as 'outdated' or 'old-fashioned', to find the man sounding powerful with a deep tonal range, whilst a woman sounds sweet and yet astonishingly powerful, with a high tonal range.
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