John Michael Talbot And The Monks From Little Portion Hermitage - Chant From The Hermitage
STYLE: Choral RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 17817-25521 LABEL: Troubadour For The Lord TDD4623 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RRP: £12.99
Reviewed by Cliff Doust
I have to confess (as a good ex-Roman Catholic) chant was never my cup of Earl Grey; even after having chanted myself at the convent where my sister was a novice; though that is another story. We have here a collection of chants and canticles in Latin and English as intoned in monasteries everywhere. Additionally, there is a clutch of John Michael Talbot-penned psalms, which according to the sleeve incorporate "tones from more popular JMT songs," although I could not detect much difference between these chants and the traditional ones. The singing is competent enough but devoid of harmony which is probably why I found it tedious; now if we could have heard the good brothers throwing open their hearts to the Lord in tongues at least one cynical old reviewer would have been impressed. It was pleasant to hear the "Gloria" (de Angelis) but this was purely nostalgic and it would require a devout salesman to describe the chanting as "inspired". Some Romans or High Anglicans may find this meditative (though give me Taize any day) but I fear I associate this type of music with local authority cremation services - pass me the holy water.
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