Produced and arranged by Jon Cohen, Faryl consists of an eclectic mix of 12 stunning tracks ranging from such signature classics as Amazing Grace to the lesser known Welsh hymn Calon Lan , taught lovingly to Faryl over the... more » phone by her Grandfather. The album features Faryl s signature song Ave Maria her choice of talent show audition song which has now become synonymous with the youngster, gaining standing ovations whenever she performs it. River of Light has been written by Ivor Novello winning writer Frank Musker and is based on The Blue Danube by John Strauss one of the most popular tunes of all time. The melody is loved around the world but no one has ever heard it like this before. No doubt one of the album s hidden gems is The Way Old Friends Do written by Abba s Bjon Ulvaeus and taken from their 1980 classic Super Trouper album. Bjorn personally changed the lyrics to suit the young star. ...ordinarily Abba are very strict and never sanction lyric changes, but with Faryl, Bjorn offered to change the words personally (Tom Lewis - UCJ) Adding a new dimension to the album is Annie s Song Faryl s rendition of US country star John Denver s number 1 track from 1974. The haunting ballad highlights Faryl s varied vocal range and further showcases the young singers diversity Faryl sings with precision, emotion and power throughout each of the album s 12 tracks. A testament to her ability, Faryl proves that the young girl from Kettering has a glittering career ahead of her. Every singer dreams of recording their own album, but to have this chance at my age was amazing said Faryl. The recording was a challenge - I had to fit it around my school work and so ended up recording right through my Christmas holidays, but I loved every minute of it!« less
Produced and arranged by Jon Cohen, Faryl consists of an eclectic mix of 12 stunning tracks ranging from such signature classics as Amazing Grace to the lesser known Welsh hymn Calon Lan , taught lovingly to Faryl over the phone by her Grandfather. The album features Faryl s signature song Ave Maria her choice of talent show audition song which has now become synonymous with the youngster, gaining standing ovations whenever she performs it. River of Light has been written by Ivor Novello winning writer Frank Musker and is based on The Blue Danube by John Strauss one of the most popular tunes of all time. The melody is loved around the world but no one has ever heard it like this before. No doubt one of the album s hidden gems is The Way Old Friends Do written by Abba s Bjon Ulvaeus and taken from their 1980 classic Super Trouper album. Bjorn personally changed the lyrics to suit the young star. ...ordinarily Abba are very strict and never sanction lyric changes, but with Faryl, Bjorn offered to change the words personally (Tom Lewis - UCJ) Adding a new dimension to the album is Annie s Song Faryl s rendition of US country star John Denver s number 1 track from 1974. The haunting ballad highlights Faryl s varied vocal range and further showcases the young singers diversity Faryl sings with precision, emotion and power throughout each of the album s 12 tracks. A testament to her ability, Faryl proves that the young girl from Kettering has a glittering career ahead of her. Every singer dreams of recording their own album, but to have this chance at my age was amazing said Faryl. The recording was a challenge - I had to fit it around my school work and so ended up recording right through my Christmas holidays, but I loved every minute of it!
Myra S. (ignolopi) from SALT LAKE CTY, UT Reviewed on 11/16/2011...
I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for this CD. Why? Well, her voice is absolutely beautiful. The arrangements are pretty. It's very pleasant to listen to.
However, it's just 'another one' of these kinds of CDs, where the artist with the pretty voice turns out songs that have been done a gazillion times before. I don't need more than a 5 versions of Ave Maria, or Amazing Grace, really. Faryl's versions of the songs are not new or special or different.
But -- I absolutely love Annie's Song. I sampled the CD and thought 'oh well, pretty but boring.' I was disappointed. When I first actually listened to Annie's Song, though, I immediately liked it, and within a couple weeks the play count jumped to 50 plays. I can listen to this song again and again, on repeat (and I just don't listen to songs on repeat). It's not really complicated or fantastic or dramatic, it's just pretty. Very pleasant. It goes on like an endless waltz, and I can imagine sand in the desert, waves in the ocean.
Other than that, I like Brahm's Lullaby, which I only have 1 other version of, and Blue Danube, which is just pretty. Other than that the songs are ordinary and lackluster. If you have other versions of the songs there is no reason to get this CD.
Well, except for Annie's Song. I'm going to listen to it again now....
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
A Transcendent Debut
J. Michael Click | Fort Worth, Texas United States | 06/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a lovely, lovely voice Faryl Smith possesses! I was caught completely off-guard by the extraordinary purity, the exceptional timbre, and especially the dynamic range of her soprano instrument - a combination which is rarely found in any vocal artist, much less one who is (barely) a teenager.
Her self-titled debut CD could not be a better showcase for her remarkable talent. Faryl performs an impressive variety of selections that span many musical genres, including sacred ("Amazing Grace"), pop ("Annie's Song"), classical ("Brahms' Lullaby"), American traditional ("Shenandoah"), and Broadway ("Somewhere" from West Side Story) music - and she excels at each of them. I found her interpretations to be transcendent; even when she sang familiar songs by other artists (such as an adaptation of ABBA's "The Way Old Friends Do"), she was able to make them completely her own.
The CD includes her 'signature' song, "Ave Maria" - a notoriously difficult selection because of the demands it makes on the performer's range and breathing - and she nails it effortlessly. However, I was most impressed by the exquisite "Mother of God, Here I Stand", a track without lyrics in which Faryl's voice becomes the predominant instrument of the London Session Orchestra; her performance of this selection put a lump in my throat the size of a baseball.
It goes without saying that Faryl Smith won't be everyone's cup of tea; no artist ever is. However, if you're a fan of outstanding vocal performances, of easy listening, or even of pop music performed with a classical twist, you will definitely want to add this phenomenal CD to your music library. Most highly recommended.
"
MARAVILLOSA VOZ, INOLVIDABLES MELODIAS
C. Bellegarrigue | El Salvador | 07/23/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Es increible como una niña de solo 13 años pueda desarrollar un maravilloso talento como el de ser Mezzosoprano, pero en Faryl el talento, el carisma, la ternura, la melodia y la fantasia sonora se hacen realidad: Increible primer disco, gran debut; mi cancion favorita es ANNIE'S SONG (Si John Denver viviera, oh Dios), una inolvidable version del DANUBIO AZUL, donde su voz simplemente se funde con la pieza original y crea toda una obra de arte; una muy tierna SHENANDOAH (nostalgica), la linda BRAHMS'LULLABY (Como hubiera querido ser arrullado con esta pieza de niño) y una muy melodiosa NAHTINGALE SANG IN BERKELEY SQUARE...y aun me llevaria mucho hablando de las demas piezas, el precioso AVE MARIA, AMAZING GRACE, etc. UN GRAN DISCO MUY DIGNO DE UNA FUTURA GRAN DIVA."
A good first album
L. Staley | Washington, DC area | 06/12/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Faryl has a beautiful voice and she has developed it well. I had never heard of her, but thought the mix of songs on the CD looked like it would be good. I found the performances on the CD to be well done, but, ultimately, not very engaging to me. I enjoyed listening to it, but don't see myself reaching for it to listen to it very often."
Angelic
Susan | Pahrump, NV | 06/11/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I had not previously heard of Faryl. I did not know she had been on Britain's Got Talent in 2008 when she was only 12. But I figured if Simon gave her a thumbs up she had to be good; lol. So I got the album.
This little lady is not afraid of singing. She is now the ripe "old" age of 13 and she sings so many different songs to challenge her voice. Age is the only way she can improve. This album was converted to MP3's and installed on my player.
If you enjoy classical music, this album will not disappoint you. I look forward to further albums. I believe as this little star grows, this album will be a collector's item."
Faryl's Incredible Voice
Tim Drake | Saint Joseph, Minnesota | 06/11/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"First discovered by "Britain's Got Talent", Faryl Smith's album is full of enjoyable surprises. Smith looks like a brunette Cameron Diaz, but her voice reminds me of a cross between a classically-trained Broadway singer and ABBA's Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
The album has something for everyone. There's a Celtic number - "Calon Lan," and a Broadway showtune, "Somewhere."
I enjoyed both her classical and religious numbers, such as "Amazing Grace," her signature "Ave Maria," and her lyric-less "Mother of God, Here I Stand," but was also very pleasantly surprised by her take on more modern fare, such as "Shenandoah," "Annie's Song," and my personal favorite, "How Can I Keep from Singing."
Her "The Way Old Friends Do" (by ABBA's Benny Andersson) would make a great song for high school or college graduations or reunions.
Faryl has an enormously listenable voice. It's music that you can put on in the background while you're carrying out a task, a conversation, or enjoying dinner. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of soprano/mezzo-soprana style female vocalists. You can't go wrong with this CD."