Orchestrations
Omnivore, 2024
9/10
The Brit-pop legends The Korgis made everyone a fan with 1980’s “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime”, and here they revisit 4 decades of songs from their catalog and put a fresh coat of paint on with the Rialto Symphony Orchestra in attendance.
The powerful and intimate “ Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” starts the listen with the rich strings complementing James Warren’s soulful pipes, and “Something About The Beatles” follows with graceful piano and gentle strings that abruptly shifts to a quicker pace, where Paul Smith’s drums make an impact.
The middle track, “Don’t Look Back”, is among the best, and recruits plenty of dreaminess amid the mature bowing and poetic singing, while “If I Had You” twinkles with a cinematic presence, as Al Steele’s fluid guitar enters along with Smith’s thumping drums.
Close to the end, “Bringing Back The Spirit Of Love” offers a bright and pop friendly moment that makes great use of John Baker’s pipes via the glorious harmonies, and “This World’s For Everyone” exits with rich textures of beauty and sophistication via the gripping strings, emotive singing and sweeping delivery.
The band resurfaced in 2017 and have been quite active. This collection is a great way to arrange their classic songs in a new light, and even if you’re not familiar with The Korgis, there’s much to appreciate here from a band who continue to impress nearly 50 years after their inception.
Travels well with: Roxy Music- Roxy Music; Dexy’s- One Day I’m Going To Soar