Search - The Flirtations :: The Flirtations Live: Out on the Road

Great When They're Straight

acnoth | Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada | 07/04/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Flirtations are a phenomenal acappella offering. Their harmonies are virtually flawless, and that flawlessness and timing become even more remarkable when you realise that this is a live CD and not a studio offering of many takes. The Flirtations are also a gay group, which does not mean that they're a group comprised of gay singers, but instead means that they are gay men who sing songs deliberately geared towards the gay and lesbian community. That being said, many of their songs are well worth listening by those who are "homosexually challenged." Tracks such as "Living in Wartime," "My Buddy / I'll Be Seeing You," and "Something Inside So Strong" may be aimed at a gay audience, but their power (both in the singing and in the lyrics) can well be appreciated by any listener. Unfortunately, I did not find this true of all their tracks. "Mister Sandman" and "Boy from New York City" are both so far over the top (especially the latter) that I ultimately do not find them enjoyable. I should make some allowance for the fact that this is a live CD and that they were playing to an appreciative live audience. Perhaps it's because I simply don't get the jokes, but I found that I preferred their more straight up (hence the title of this review) renderings. Finally, I found the spoken "One of Us" portion to be very moving, even if it sort of becomes less surprising/shocking upon repeated listenings."

Great when I'm straight!

artdreams | 11/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These guys are amazing. The musicianship, timing, harmonies, it's all there. Yes, they're playing live to a primarily gay audience, but I still appreciate the humor, and definitely the angst. Everything Possible brought me to tears as my daughters went off to college. Listen to the clips. If you like what you hear, you'll love the album."

Love the Flirts!

Robert M Grant | Camarillo, CA United States | 12/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These guys are amazing! The quality of musicianship is unparalleled. Their harmonies are flawless, and the fact that they fill up the entire album with no instrumental backup was unbeleivable and a joy to listen to. I've always loved a capella music, and finding a group of 5 gay men, singing joyfully and shamelessly (many of the old standards have a definite "queer" twist) was such an uplifting event for me. Also, in one of the songs, "One of Us" they reveal telling secrets about themselves, including in one case, a man who has been living with AIDS for 10 years ("And he's TIRED of it!") Unfortunately, one of the members, Michael Callen, has died since the release of this album. But this is a joy for gay and lesbian folk everywhere. They are committed to ending persecution and intolerance of GLBT folks everywhere, and all members of the "family" should own this collection. BTW, other favourite songs on this album are "Mister Sandman" (with a definite gay twist), their take on "Boy from New York City," and the lovely lullaby "Everything Possible." How I wish my parents had sung this to me when I was a child (before I came out). Check it out!"