One of the hardest things for any singer to undertake is the switch from one genre of vocal music to another. It's not hard to recall examples of failed attempts... Sylvia McNair's lifeless Gershwin album... Renee Fleming's stilted "popera" attempts... renditions of Puccini's Nessun dorma by Aretha Franklin and Michael Bolton (both of which were vomitous). The list goes on and on, with the vast majority being disappointing. A good example of a successful crossover might be Linda Ronstadt's collaboration with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra in the 1980s, but hers is an extremely rare exception and doesn't involve classical crossover.
Imagine my surprise and delight when I heard this little gem from Matt Alber. I've been aware of him for some time through his work with the spectacularly gorgeous ensemble Chanticleer, but have never heard him singing non-classical repertoire. JoeMyGod posted comparisons with Rufus Wainwright... this seems appropriate, though I rather think that Matt's voice is so much more pleasant.
It's really interesting to hear Alber switch from serious classical production (as a countertenor, no less) to indie pop. It's easy for classical singers to start pressing their voices in an attempt to tamp down the high-frequency resonant quality that they've worked for years to attain. I can hear that in Alber's performance just a bit, but it seems to work... and with his level of neuromuscular control of his instrument, I think it'll be something he can maintain without injury. And I love the romantic, old-school nature of the video. Very Tom Ford meets Francis Ford Coppola.
I'm buying the album. In the meantime, check out the clips above... quite a contrast, no?
