HomeMusicBlake - In Harmony album review

Blake – In Harmony album review

We love Blake and are pleased that they’ve got a shiny new album for us to listen to. Blake always make us feel happy, in that Notting Hill meets Love Actually kind of way, there’s something warm and comforting about them and there’s something of a rom-com vibe about them. They give out the vibe that romantic, English gentlemen are ten a penny and they make your day all that bit more joyful. We had a glimpse of them performing some of the songs on this album live at the Mandarin Oriental last week and it made us look forward to hearing their latest album.

This is their first album release as a three piece band, following Jules Knight’s departure to pursue his acting career. We are pleased that this has not affected how they sound at all and their slick harmonies remain intact and slick, with their voices seeming to have matured even further. Perhaps they felt as if they had to work harder to make a three piece work, but whatever their magic formula is, they have sprinkled is all over the album, which is glossy and lovely.

There are a generous fourteen songs on the album, featuring some interesting cover choices and seeing several guest singers, which adds a lot of variety. Blake sound fantastic from the off, with You Needed Me showing their classically trained voices to perfection. Love Me Tender is an interesting choice, they give the song a romantic and slow ballad feel, we’re still picturing Humphrey singing this with a quivering lip, but we’re not sure they will add Elvis’ moves to their live performances! Wicked Game is genuinely passionate and they sound fantastic on the track, which is a perfect choice of song for them. They give Sting’s Fields of Gold their own spin, giving it a bit of polish and it’s one of those raise your lighters in the air moments and sway along, hug your loved one type of track.

Song after song, this album generates warmth and we love how different is it yet again to their previous album releases. The different female voices heard on the album give this album something new. You Raise Me Up features the angelic voice of Camilla Kerslake, along with the voices of The Sing to Beat Breast Cancer Choir and altogether, it’s a stunning song and their voices are all so powerful, they sound as if they are battling against each other for airspace, but each blending together so well, it’s a very powerful combination and we love it. Falling Slowly featuring Rachelle Ann Go is a strong love duet, sounding like something out of a Disney movie, if it were on screen, we could imagine the song covered in glitter, with the Princess dashing out to find her Prince Charming. The Prayer featuring Rebecca Newman has many twists and turns, starting out in English, before we heard their classically trained and operatic moments coming out to the fore. Rebecca’s voice hits so many beautiful notes that only certain soprano’s can carry off and again, this is stunning to listen to.

The Right Words has strong instrumental growth and Blake’s harmonies hit the strings at the precise moment required, showing their musicality and their strength as such accurate singers. Waiting is very deep in sound and sounds a bit like some of the songs from Blake’s earlier albums, it’s a very romantic sound. To add to their charm and distinct gentlemen style, they close off the album with Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel). This song has a lot of tender moments and it’s a bit of a weepy, as it’s quite emotional and hits you in the heart.

In Harmony is another sterling effort from Blake, classy, beautiful and hearing their talent plastered across another album in a world of auto-tune and certain people selling records with the help of controversy, or because of which celebrity they’re stepping or hanging out with, hearing this album is a joy to the ears! Now, where did we put the remote, time to switch on a rom-com and get cosy, or maybe we’ll just hit play on the album and sit here and listen to it all over again, feeling all that bit more happier inside.

Carys Jones
Carys Jones
I am passionate about everything any anything that involves music, theatre and the arts! I love interviewing artists and getting to learn more about them. When I’m not doing artsy things, you may find me watching rugby, singing with my choir and travelling to a new part of the world. Carpe diem.

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