Il Divo - The Promise

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Il Divo - The Promise

“Opera and ABBA: two great tastes that taste great together? In Il Divo’s hands, definitely. Unlike some in the wildly lucrative pop-classical scene, the four hunks in this baritone-beefcake boy band (originally created by “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell) couldn’t care less about converting serious-music snobs. They’re happy to pull every heartstring known to man—or at least middle-aged woman—which gives their crescendo-crammed records a kind of refreshing honesty. The quartet’s fifth full-length (including an easy-money 2005 Christmas set) is Il Divo’s most shameless—and therefore its most enjoyable—yet. Highlights include covers of Charles Aznavour’s “She” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” (the latter in a surprisingly stripped-down arrangement), as well as an over-the-top reading of “The Winner Takes It All” that to post-”Mamma Mia!” ears sounds quite a lot like cha-ching.—Mikael Wood”