for Wednesday
March 24, 2010
This just in! New Review!
Barry Manilow Really, who can you trust with your heart other then Barry Manilow? His latest, The Greatest Love Songs Of All Time, features some of the best known tunes about the heart, and Barry gives it his usual well-appointed approach. Opening with the Gershwins' "Love Is Here To Say," Barry's strong pipes roll over a big orchestra, while "The Look Of Love" has Barry's breathy voice over a Bossa Nova lushness. But by "I Only Have Eyes For You" the production has changed, featuring a "Fender Rhodes"-sounding piano and a tight snare over those strings. "I Can’t Give You Anything but Love" has a nice 40's-flavor with guitar and piano, but that damn orchestra comes a little too forward again as the song progresses. "We've Only Just Begun" is a surprise for Carpenters fan like me, showing Barry's voice masterfully as "Nevertheless" with just its 3-part harmony and acoustic guitar is simply a perfect version; it's my fave here. "Love Me Tender" has strong and perfect key changes. "It Could Happen To You," "You Made Me Love You," and "How Deep Is The Ocean?" round out the collection and "When You Were Sixteen" ends the entire set, again showcasing Barry's perfect vocals. Though it could be argued that, in some instances, Barry singing to an obvious female love interest might be a bit odd, and the 'Vegas-ness' of the arrangements often times overshadow the man's amazing talent (and I'd like to hear B.M. writing some new tunes too). Nonetheless, Barry Manilow delivers like the legend he is on The Greatest Love Songs Of All Time.
Ralph Greco, Jr.shortandsweetnyc.com
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