Paul Carrack’s not feeling at his best. His voice is struggling, perhaps because of the hayfever that he refers to during the show, but thankfully he has some friends to help him out. More than 50 of them in fact, in the shape of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Tonight is the second of three special shows at the Royal College of Music and despite his vocal restrictions Carrack is in fine form.
After a standard tour at full venues across the UK, these special shows are a chance for Carrack to display his soulful voice, performing some of his favourite songs in a very different way. Perhaps that’s why he’s so disappointed not be able to give them 100 percent. The set-list is a cross between his back catalogue and a string of covers and based around the album recorded with the orchestra, A Different Hat.
Interestingly the re-workings of his hits work just as well as the traditional songs. Frank Sinatra’s All the Way and the tender Moon River are marvellous and sit nicely alongside Carrack penned tunes Love Will Keep Us Alive and Eyes of Blue. The latter’s sad lyrical references are emphasised wonderfully by the orchestration.
Conductor David Cullen’s done an excellent job of re-working these songs, especially the Mike & The Mechanics number one The Living Years. Always surprisingly uplifting, the song is given extra emotion by the strings. All it lacks is a choir to help with the rousing chorus, and the audience’s efforts are dismissed by a tongue in cheek Carrack.
Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying and I Can’t Make You Love Me are other highlights, but the usually terrific Battlefield lacks a spark. Overall, it’s an impressive evening, enjoyed by an enchanted audience in a lovely setting. There’s no need for the singer to feel disappointed at all.
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