Angelina

Item: Wake Up Call
Author: Brian A. Smith

Wake Up Call

(2001)

Reviewed by Brian A. Smith

Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label independentThe Phantom Tollbooth2001

adult contemporary classical worship

Wake Up Call is the second release by 12-year-old Angelina Davis. It is a mixture of the old ("Ave Maria," "The Deer's Cry"), hymns ("How Great Thou Art"), choruses ("In Moments Like These," "I Love You Lord"), and 70's style songs ("Make Your Own Kind of Music," "Whisper in the Other Ear").

Angelina has undeniable talent, regardless of her youth. Her voice is reminiscent of Karen Carpenter at times, and far more mature than any of the teen pop singers so prevalent nowadays. However, the whole album sounds dated to me, as if it had come from a 70's time capsule. "Wake Up Call" opens with "The Deer's Cry," which details St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer. It uses the same words as "Make Me an Instrument" by A Ragamuffin Band:

Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ at my left and my right...

"Ave Maria" is the next offering. Given the various versions of this song that I have heard, I would rank Angelina somewhere above most, but somewhat below Karen Carpenter's rendition. Choruses "I Love You Lord" and "In Moments Like These" are slightly reworked, with the former accompanied by a faster arrangement, and the latter featuring a verse in Spanish. "Look to the Rainbow" is done a cappella.

In listening to this disc several times, one thought kept coming back to me: "This girl has an amazing voice - why is she doing this type of music?" It would be interesting to see what Angelina's career will be like as she grows older and discovers different genres - this CD sounds like she has never listened to anything outside of her parents' record collection. If someone sends her a Stacie Orrico or Rachel Lampa CD, look out.

Talent: 4.5 tocks. Choice of songs: 2 tocks. Overall: 2.5 tocks