Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Dean Martin FOREVER COOL
I know what you are thinking….maybe…it’s an ancient singer just being re-sold to the music buying public. To that I say, “Listen to it!” Deano as he is known to so many is a singer’s singer. Get his best, best-of entitled Deano, The Essential Dean Martin and you will hear what I mean. He had a classic voice and always looked and sounded like the magnificent performances were effortless; there has never been a cooler performer, period. Even Elvis is quoted as saying so in the CD booklet. Dean Martin’s music will be enjoyed for generations to come. I mean it.
The Essential is by far the better collection if you only want to hear Dean Martin at his best. Forever Cool is nevertheless an addictive companion to this album. On Cool, you hear posthumous recordings of Dean Martin, paired with contemporary artists, and instrumentalists. Given one slight technical limitation I’ll go into in a moment, Martin out-classes the entire eclectic group. Not that people like Martina McBride, Shelby Lynn and Joss Stone are anything less than great on this disc…it’s just I found myself enjoying the partner vocal but waiting for Deano to take the next line and deliver it in his own calm and embracing manner.
Among the best cuts on the album are the pairing of Martin with the instrumentals of Chris Botti and Dave Koz, with no human vocal competition, just the soaring and swaying of these world class players. Also worthy of mention is the uncanny vocalizations and verbalizations of actor and singer Kevin Spacey. On a break I guess from the Old Vic Theatre in London, Spacey delivers such a convincing spoken voice impression of Deano, you’ll find yourself wondering which of the voices is the master at times. And the duo really does a smashing job of singing on “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head.”
Special mention is appropriate for the final cut, “Brahams’ Lullaby,” which after a short intro features Dean Martin solo…no further instrumentals or other voices. It’s gorgeous.
Quibbles are few, but doing “Everybody Loves Somebody” in a duo with Charles Arznavour is a bit sinful; this was and always will be Deano’s signature song, and sacred in many a mind. Technically, critical listeners will notice the slight lack of high-end tone on Martin’s vocals in comparison to all the other newly recorded voices. You will also note a bit of loss of dynamic range on Martin’s vocals when placed “over” the newly recorded instruments (especially the cymbals and high end horns). Don’t get me wrong, this is a technical masterpiece of weaving vocal recordings by Dean Martin with state of the art sounds being put down decades later, and as such is facile to enjoy. It's a tad short, about 40 minutes over 14 cuts, but there is soul in all that brevity.
A special edition of this album is available with a companion DVD on the “making of” this album. It’s OK. If you are a hard core Martin fan, it does contain what appears to be a nice smattering of 8 mm home video from the 1960s or so. It does set the mood. There are soundbites about the project by many (but not all) of the co-performers. Yet, it’s a short video, with no audio set up capability and is something I think the casual listener can do without (and save about $10 US).
Ending on a positive note, this album has cute and enjoyable banter by Martin and a few unidentifiable voices between tracks, many of which are very funny. There's even a spoken intro before the first cut that sets the mood brilliantly. It lends to a unity of the project and indeed is a bit of a “cocktail party,” as suggested in the CD booklet. The giggles and sly remarks make for the atmosphere that this music should be enjoyed in…calm yet energized, hot but ultimately very very cool.
Bottom Line: 4/5 stars.
Zeph, out
I know what you are thinking….maybe…it’s an ancient singer just being re-sold to the music buying public. To that I say, “Listen to it!” Deano as he is known to so many is a singer’s singer. Get his best, best-of entitled Deano, The Essential Dean Martin and you will hear what I mean. He had a classic voice and always looked and sounded like the magnificent performances were effortless; there has never been a cooler performer, period. Even Elvis is quoted as saying so in the CD booklet. Dean Martin’s music will be enjoyed for generations to come. I mean it.
The Essential is by far the better collection if you only want to hear Dean Martin at his best. Forever Cool is nevertheless an addictive companion to this album. On Cool, you hear posthumous recordings of Dean Martin, paired with contemporary artists, and instrumentalists. Given one slight technical limitation I’ll go into in a moment, Martin out-classes the entire eclectic group. Not that people like Martina McBride, Shelby Lynn and Joss Stone are anything less than great on this disc…it’s just I found myself enjoying the partner vocal but waiting for Deano to take the next line and deliver it in his own calm and embracing manner.
Among the best cuts on the album are the pairing of Martin with the instrumentals of Chris Botti and Dave Koz, with no human vocal competition, just the soaring and swaying of these world class players. Also worthy of mention is the uncanny vocalizations and verbalizations of actor and singer Kevin Spacey. On a break I guess from the Old Vic Theatre in London, Spacey delivers such a convincing spoken voice impression of Deano, you’ll find yourself wondering which of the voices is the master at times. And the duo really does a smashing job of singing on “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head.”
Special mention is appropriate for the final cut, “Brahams’ Lullaby,” which after a short intro features Dean Martin solo…no further instrumentals or other voices. It’s gorgeous.
Quibbles are few, but doing “Everybody Loves Somebody” in a duo with Charles Arznavour is a bit sinful; this was and always will be Deano’s signature song, and sacred in many a mind. Technically, critical listeners will notice the slight lack of high-end tone on Martin’s vocals in comparison to all the other newly recorded voices. You will also note a bit of loss of dynamic range on Martin’s vocals when placed “over” the newly recorded instruments (especially the cymbals and high end horns). Don’t get me wrong, this is a technical masterpiece of weaving vocal recordings by Dean Martin with state of the art sounds being put down decades later, and as such is facile to enjoy. It's a tad short, about 40 minutes over 14 cuts, but there is soul in all that brevity.
A special edition of this album is available with a companion DVD on the “making of” this album. It’s OK. If you are a hard core Martin fan, it does contain what appears to be a nice smattering of 8 mm home video from the 1960s or so. It does set the mood. There are soundbites about the project by many (but not all) of the co-performers. Yet, it’s a short video, with no audio set up capability and is something I think the casual listener can do without (and save about $10 US).
Ending on a positive note, this album has cute and enjoyable banter by Martin and a few unidentifiable voices between tracks, many of which are very funny. There's even a spoken intro before the first cut that sets the mood brilliantly. It lends to a unity of the project and indeed is a bit of a “cocktail party,” as suggested in the CD booklet. The giggles and sly remarks make for the atmosphere that this music should be enjoyed in…calm yet energized, hot but ultimately very very cool.
Bottom Line: 4/5 stars.
Zeph, out
Sunday, August 12, 2007
David Gilmour's 'Remember That Night - Live At The Royal Albert Hall'
USA Release On Tuesday, September 18, 2007
This double DVD, lasting more than 5 hours, "Remember That Night -- Live At The Royal Albert Hall" includes Gilmour's highly reviewed London show -- featuring special guest appearances from David Bowie, Robert Wyatt, David Crosby and Graham Nash --as well as 2 hours and 40+ minutes of extras!
I can't wait!!!
Zeph, out
USA Release On Tuesday, September 18, 2007
This double DVD, lasting more than 5 hours, "Remember That Night -- Live At The Royal Albert Hall" includes Gilmour's highly reviewed London show -- featuring special guest appearances from David Bowie, Robert Wyatt, David Crosby and Graham Nash --as well as 2 hours and 40+ minutes of extras!
I can't wait!!!
Zeph, out
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
ELVIS
VIVA LAS VEGAS
I normally advise my dear friends to purchase music (an oddity these days perhaps...) at their neighborhood indie music shop...to keep them open if for no other reason. I usually shun the big box stores that sell almost everything, for the lack of any service, usual lack of any insight into music beyond the latest hits, and most of all for their selling (often) only the sanitized version of an album. Well, here I must make an exception...the (not so) new Elivis Presley live CD from Las Vegas is best enjoyed in it's 2 CD format from of all places Wal-Mart.
The Wal-Mart people made a deal to sell this two concert exclusive and it's worth the trip or web browse. The first CD of the set is a collection of live cuts (at least some previously available), and is polished and good sounding, if a bit dull. There's no between song banter, the audience clapping fades away long before any momentum is established. Each tune is completely individualized.
The first CD is also the only CD if you buy it anywhere else (Wal-Mart also carries the single CD version), and it opens with the title track, a great old tune, with the faders rising first in your left ear and then your right (I may have that backwards), and the purcussion is crisp, and for it's day a nice opening and good sound quality. Other standouts in this disjointed "show" have got to include a compelling "Bridge Over Troubled Water," that easily rivals the S&G version. The old Three Dog Night staple "Never Been to Spain," also is nicely turned out, and I think could make a good "single" from this CD. And my concert buddy will cry to "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," like she often does to the Hall & Oates version!
Now the keeper, is the 2nd CD. It's not, repeat not a great sounding recording; the quality is a bit sub-par. It's not "perfect" performances, either. But it is (see JUST ROLL TAPE below) a real show, banter and all, mistakes and all, goofy behavior and all, and for that is the real bargain of the 20 US Dollar version. All the songs are different from CD #1. The standouts here, and there are many, include "Suspicious Minds," and "What'd I Say." It's from 21 August 1969 (gasp!) and it's his first live show after a 9 year lay-off...and the tension shows. And he even does a bit of a plug (or three) for a new at the time sports drink, he seems to prefer to water, for the dry "Vegas throat." The band is tighter and smaller on this CD and the background voices are the best in the business on both.
Even if you do own a few (and there are toooo toooo many) Elvis "Best Of" CDs, this is THE live collection to spring for. You will be glad you did.
BOTTOM LINE 5/5 stars (2CD version); 4/5 for the single CD version.
Zeph, out
VIVA LAS VEGAS
I normally advise my dear friends to purchase music (an oddity these days perhaps...) at their neighborhood indie music shop...to keep them open if for no other reason. I usually shun the big box stores that sell almost everything, for the lack of any service, usual lack of any insight into music beyond the latest hits, and most of all for their selling (often) only the sanitized version of an album. Well, here I must make an exception...the (not so) new Elivis Presley live CD from Las Vegas is best enjoyed in it's 2 CD format from of all places Wal-Mart.
The Wal-Mart people made a deal to sell this two concert exclusive and it's worth the trip or web browse. The first CD of the set is a collection of live cuts (at least some previously available), and is polished and good sounding, if a bit dull. There's no between song banter, the audience clapping fades away long before any momentum is established. Each tune is completely individualized.
The first CD is also the only CD if you buy it anywhere else (Wal-Mart also carries the single CD version), and it opens with the title track, a great old tune, with the faders rising first in your left ear and then your right (I may have that backwards), and the purcussion is crisp, and for it's day a nice opening and good sound quality. Other standouts in this disjointed "show" have got to include a compelling "Bridge Over Troubled Water," that easily rivals the S&G version. The old Three Dog Night staple "Never Been to Spain," also is nicely turned out, and I think could make a good "single" from this CD. And my concert buddy will cry to "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," like she often does to the Hall & Oates version!
Now the keeper, is the 2nd CD. It's not, repeat not a great sounding recording; the quality is a bit sub-par. It's not "perfect" performances, either. But it is (see JUST ROLL TAPE below) a real show, banter and all, mistakes and all, goofy behavior and all, and for that is the real bargain of the 20 US Dollar version. All the songs are different from CD #1. The standouts here, and there are many, include "Suspicious Minds," and "What'd I Say." It's from 21 August 1969 (gasp!) and it's his first live show after a 9 year lay-off...and the tension shows. And he even does a bit of a plug (or three) for a new at the time sports drink, he seems to prefer to water, for the dry "Vegas throat." The band is tighter and smaller on this CD and the background voices are the best in the business on both.
Even if you do own a few (and there are toooo toooo many) Elvis "Best Of" CDs, this is THE live collection to spring for. You will be glad you did.
BOTTOM LINE 5/5 stars (2CD version); 4/5 for the single CD version.
Zeph, out
