Opera-lele - A Night On Broadway

It's been almost two years since we reviewed George and Mandi's debut album, and they've now expanded their music to include musical classics from the stage.

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Since that album, they've featured at many festivals, even hosted their own show. They are popular wherever they go, not just for being different, but for their humour and by brightening the place up with their presence. They are lovely people.

This album varies from great representations of well-known songs that gets you singing along (although, few of us can really compete with their trained voices), to other tracks that add dimensions of humour. Anyone who has met these two can just visualise them pulling faces at each other during "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"

Then, onto "You'll Never Walk Alone". Don't get me wrong, I understand the motives and emotions behind the appropriation of this song being sung on the football terraces, but it normally leaves me cold. This version, however, had me captivated from start to finish and gave me frisson. (Look it up, Mandi.). Just fantastically controlled harmonies and contra singing in here give the song amazing resonance whatever its meaning to you. Just outstanding.

Great acting in "The Song That Goes Like This" - I want to see this one live!

"Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat" even gets a bit jazzy at one point, although the ukulele is mostly unfussy on the whole album, it's a great demonstration of how proper arrangment will help to tell the story.

Again, like their opera album, if you have a friend who thinks ukulele is mad, but likes musicals, play them this. The ukes are used to provide a nice little foil to the vocals, it's so refreshing to hear these songs clear and unencumbered by huge orchestral arrangements. Very pure.

Buy over at www.opera-lele.co.uk.

There's also our interview with George & Mandi for you to watch.

8 tracks, 24 minutes.

1. Another Op’nin, Another Show
2. I Dreamed A Dream
3. All I Ask of You
4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
5. You’ll Never Walk Alone
6. The Song That Goes Like This
7. Love Changes Everything
8. Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat

Review - Simon Taylor, 9th May 2018


And we know that Mandi loves biscuits, too.