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Customer Rating:  
Summary: Kinda nice...only because of Bruddah IZ
Comment: When I first heard this album was coming out, I didn't know what to expect. I love IZ's music; it's so intimate and personal. However I love what an orchestra can do. It can also be intimate...or it can be big and bold.
Okay, where do I start?
This album has some nice music. There are a couple interesting takes on some songs which I grew up with. However I think it's mostly because of Bruddah IZ's own charm. The "orchestra" just doesn't live up to its hype:
1) First of all (and worst of all), it's obviously synthesized. The samples are of varying quality. The strings, for example, sound very much like synth pads while the harp sounds a little more like a harp. And don't even get me started on the brasses. Gross. (I am a brass player.) I was really expecting some real instruments. After all, we have a lot of excellent musicians around here.
2) One thing that troubled me was related to Jon de Mello's comment that IZ could be "singing with a full orchestra -- a rich sound, with depth". But the synthesized instruments, particularly the strings, fail to have this "rich sound." Additionally, everything seems to be mixed as if each instrument was individually close mic'd with very little reverb added. This makes it sound even more dead and synthetic...not like it's in a concert hall at all. Even the editing done with IZ's voice and ukulele falls victim to this same problem. The music just doesn't sound rich and spacious like it would be if recorded by a real orchestra, even in a studio with competent engineers.
3) There are also musical elements that seem to be sloppily or lazily done. One in particular is that the orchestra has not been tuned to the original recording. Thus there are intonation issues between the "orchestra" and Bruddah IZ and his ukulele. Also there are some chords clashing in some parts around. It sounds like lazy editing when they put a Bb-major chord in some instruments but a Bb-minor in others.
4) Finally, most of the orchestrations sound like something you'd hear at a pops concert or in an elevator...relatively simple orchestrations for music that is obviously not orchestral. Strings only play long chords (unless they're plucked); the brasses are only for hits or the weird-sounding entrance in "Ka Alo O Iesu"; the harp is relegated to stereotypical arpeggios and glissandi. The orchestra doesn't have enough contrast. I don't care about these as much as the other three points because I know it's a difficult task to do this without taking too many liberties and destroying the character of the music. But some have already noted that the addition of an orchestra already changes the character.
The album has many shortcomings. If Bruddah IZ were still alive, I'm sure he'd do stuff much differently. If you really want to be touched by his voice and his beautiful music, I recommend other albums like "Facing Future" or "N Dis Life."
Customer Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL WORLD IZ
Comment: THIS IS A WONDERFUL CD AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO
ANYONE THAT LOVES A BEAUTIFUL VOICE. THIS FINISHES
MY COLLECTION OF THE ALBUMS OF IZ. WISH THERE WERE MORE
Customer Rating:
Summary: A wonderful moment
Comment: Israel Kamakwiwoole had a warm and comforting voice. His talents went so far beyond the hype surrounding him. To sit and to listen, really listen, to what he does on "Wonderful World", to let go and to have almost an hour of delicious enjoyment and relaxation. A Hawaiian moment in one's busy life.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Disney Soundtrack...
Comment: I mean, don't get me wrong, it is an... "Okay" CD. But my Title says it all.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great IZ CD
Comment: I am a big fan of IZ but this album which adds symphony to his tracks is the best.
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