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Simple Gifts | 
| Creators: John David, Billy Joel, Randy Newman, Paul Simon, Stephen Stills, Sting [1], James [Pop Composer] Taylor, American Traditional, British Isles Traditional, English Traditional, Spiritual Traditional
Label: Signum UK
Category: Music
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $9.99
as of 11/28/2009 05:02 CST details
You Save: $9.99 (50%)
New (25) Used (6) from $9.99
Seller: newbury_comics
Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 9525
Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 121
UPC: 635212012123
EAN: 0635212012123
ASIN: B0016NBV44
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | She's Always a Woman | | • | You Can Close Your Eyes | | • | Greensleeves | | • | Gift to Be Simple | | • | Swing Low, Sweet Chariot | | • | Helplessly Hoping | | • | Deep River | | • | Black Is the Color | | • | I Love My Love | | • | Water Is Wide | | • | When She Loved Me | | • | Valparaiso | | • | Turtle Dove | | • | April Come She Will | | • | Steal Away | | • | You Are the New Day |
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| Customer Reviews:
 Not like your grandpappy's King's Singers, harumph February 25, 2009
Goshen (Ypsilanti, MI United States)
I am a long-time King's Singers listener, with a particular fondness for their interpretations of popular material. The early/middle line-up of the King's Singers rendered songs from the folk/pop/jazz genres with a charming blend of humor, respect and tasteful musicality. Personnel has changed over the years, of course, and I haven't always kept up, but even *Good Vibrations*, which only featured three of the group's earliest members, was an enjoyable album.
Not that this CD isn't enjoyable.....
....I just have so many little complaints! This mostly new line-up (save David Hurley and Stephen Connolly, who've been around awhile) is making stylistic decisions I don't understand or like. There are newly distracting vocal details: pop sliding from the lead on Track 1 and especially irritatingly on Track 9 ("My love luh-uvs me"), and strange pronunciation decisions: "charioh" instead of "chariot" in "Swing Low" (??!), "oughta be" instead of "ought to be" in "Simple Gifts," and "flah" for "fly" in "Helplessly Hoping."
Also, a lot of the songs you would expect to be GREAT when given the King's Singers treatment end up falling strangely short here--"Helplessly Hoping," for one, somehow sounds more strident than gorgeous. What a disappointment! If anyone should be able to do CSNY, it's them! The versions of "She's Always a Woman," "Simple Gifts," "The Water is Wide," and "Black is the Color" are also mysteriously unsatisfying. Perhaps it's the arrangements that don't work for me, because the group's vocal blend is certainly lush, perhaps even more beautiful than in the old days.
And one final complaint: why, oh why, of all the fabulous Randy Newman songs in the world, did they have to record "When She Loved Me," a treacly nothing from his Disney days? Argh! This decision alone ought to knock another star off my review.
Anyway, despite all my whinging, you should probably buy this album. There are countless fabulous moments and at least six whole tracks that even *I* can't find fault with (including the trademark "New Day," as good as you've ever heard it). I might suggest *Beatles Connection*, *Get Happy*, or *Good Vibrations* before this album, though, if you're on the fence. That 2-CD *Greatest Hits* compilation looks like it's way beyond reproach too!
 The King Singers Simple Gifts February 6, 2009
David M. Asher (So-Cal USA)
An eclectic grouping of songs performed to perfection! I am very much into musical harmonies, couple that with the incredible vocal ranges of the King Singers and you have Heaven on Earth. Need not say more...
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