The Silver Lake Chorus – a twenty-four-piece Los Angeles choral society – has managed to assemble a stellar cast of songwriters, including Sia, Tegan & Sarah, Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie) and Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips) to pen eleven original songs for their self-titled debut album. This release will be followed up by a remix album with an equally stellar cast of remixers at the helm.
The Silver Lake Chorus is as far from a trumped up Glee as a modern choral release can get. The intertwining of the twenty-four vocals is at times majestic across a mix of a cappella and accompanied tracks. Several tracks echo the more pastoral moments of Pet Sounds and The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes The Sun’. Wayne Coyne’s ‘Heavy Star Movin’ creates an ethereal blanket of sound with hanging piano notes and orchestration wrapping around the angelic vocals. And Death Cab For Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard’s contribution ‘Nervous Soul’ wouldn’t seem out of place on Brian Wilson’s masterpiece.
Overall, The Silver Lake Chorus is a worthwhile endeavour.