Album Review: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Somewhere Over the Rainbow

You know you're not in Kansas anymore when Dorothy is replaced by a 300kg Hawaiian.
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is probably best known here for his heartbreaking version of Over The Rainbow, the song originally written for the movie The Wizard of Oz.
That track opens this album, and in a similar fashion a cover of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World closes it out, though the latter carries a fraction of the power of the original.
The 11 tracks in between are mainly Hawaiian tracks, and hark back to a long-gone era of Western ballads, with a similar style to classic old-time Maori tunes.
We could have done without a version of Wind Beneath My Wings but the impressive, emotion-filled Hawai'i' 78 makes up for that.
If not your cup of tea, this would make a great present for the easy-listening-music-lover in your life.
Stars: 3.5/5