Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends
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Free Music Notes for Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends
Free Music Review: Legendary, gifted vocalist and icon delivers superb set
Hit: 5 Stars
When the first few bars of "Danny's Song" begin to open this recording, the voice that follows them is instantly recognizable, unforgettable, pure and effortless - and so good.
The appeal of Anne Murray has been not only her voice, but the way she has carried herself both professionally and personally in the public eye for four decades. Anne Murray is one of the classiest singers/performers ever. She epitomizes class - something that has been sorely lacking in the music business for years.
It is fitting that on her more than likely final recording, her idols get to say thanks by singing with her. Highlights here include "Danny's Song", on which Murray and Martina McBride nail the vocals. The orchestral maneuvers on "I Just Fall In Love Again" give the song a sweeping, wistful feel. Murray and Olivia Newton-John uptempo "Cotton Jenny" into a nice toe-tapper. "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" is a piece of beauty with Murray and Dawn Langstroth's strong vocals and the song's sentiment creating a safe and comforting emotive response. An updated and reworked "A Little Good News" by the Indigo Girls shows how strong this song was to begin with, as it is just as strong today. "Daydream Believer" with Nelly Furtado, at first listen, is a bit jarring with Furtado's tinny voice against Murray's warmth, but with repeated listens, the song grows on you. The same can be said of "You Needed Me" with Shania Twain. I am no fan of Twain's, yet the strength of this well-written song, the stripped down music and the almost quiet nature of the performance overcomes her vocal limitations with repeated listens.
"A Love Song" with k.d. Lang is absolute joy. Both turn in superior performances on this acoustic, string-laden version. "You Won't See Me" with Shelby Lynn is pure power, a fun uptempo tune courtesy of Lennon/McCartney - great horns, electric guitar and percussion - almost as good as Murray's original and easily better than the Beatles version. Both Murray and Carole King grit out a down tempo "Time Don't Run Out on Me" which takes a while to get used to because the original was so uptempo and bright - this version is dark and brooding, which fits the sense of the song. The best song on here, however, is the least recognizable - "Another Pot O Tea" with Emmylou Harris. Murray is at her best here - soft, warm, comforting - achingly so good. Both are so good harmonizing together. It's a feast for the ears - perfect.
Most of these duets work. Those that are a bit too sterile are "Song For the Mira", "Could I Have This Dance" (both are way too plodding and do nothing fresh) and "Snowbird" - Sarah Brightman is way out of her element here and her vocals are jarring to listen to against Murray's. "Snowbird" needs to be stripped down acoustically to be effective (Murray does a knockout live version in concert with only guitars and sometimes a few strings). Here, the strings take over and that earthy quality is immediately lost.
Curiously absent here are Diana Krall, or even Sarah McLachlan, or less so, Alanis Morissette, all of whom followed Murray in the wake of her trailblazing career as the only Canadian woman on top of the world music scene for over 20 years in the 70s and 80s. Celine Dion is here it seems only as a token (a live performance from 1996). There was probably some politics involved that prevented Murray from recording with Dion (evidence such as Dion's record company refusing to allow Murray to include this duet on Murray's 1997 live album).
This is certainly no comeback. Murray has gone about her career almost quietly for years after her heyday in the late 70s - early 80s. Even then she was woefully underappreciated. She is a quiet legend, almost apologetic about her success. Her decision to remain in Canada and forgo the glitz of a Hollywood career has probably cost her millions of units in sales, yet it has been that decision that has endeared her as a Canadian icon.
Anne Murray has shown, and continues to show, that no matter how much off-stage tabloid press you generate to sell CDs to compensate for your lack of talent, how much histrionic over-singing you do, how many on-stage acrobatics, how many in-studio voice modulators, bells and whistles and tricks other `singers' use to hide vocal shortcomings, true talent like Murray will always prevail. She's a legend and if this is to be her last recording, she's going out on a high note. She's more than earned her stature as one of the most gifted female vocalists ever.
Free Music Review: I was surprised - in a good way!
Hit: 5 Stars
My first thought about Anne Murray Duets: friends & legends was that Anne was releasing a type of "greatest hits" project, a trip down memory lane with some other artists. Yes, I wanted to hear it, and I wanted to review it. But, that all changed. The minute I started to play the CD - I needed to hear it, I needed to review it. That's what I like about Pop Music. You can take some of the past, mix it with the present, and take it into the future.
Let me start with the talent. Anne Murray is beautiful, talented, and evergreen. Then, she is joined by a cast of women who are also beautiful, talented, and evergreen. And . . . Canadian! Together, they have completed a project that is timeless, and very much needed. For me, this CD offered not only love, but hope and courage to not stay the course, but to shake things up a bit.
This is also one of the most professional CD packages I've seen in a long time. There are quotes from Anne and her accompanying artists. You also get a bit of history about the songs. Nice liner notes with a nice sized type!
Anne Murray worked with Phil Ramone on this project. You know him! He has worked with Elton John, Billy Joel, Madonna, Chicago . . . on his list is some of the biggest names in music.
My Favorites on Duets: friends & legends
Daydream Believer: I love this song. I loved it when it was released during my earliest of childhood by The Monkees. (Before there was Clay Aiken - there was Davy Jones). So now that I've told you my age, don't fret, this song is all new again. Nelly Furtado shared the studio with Anne on this piece and it's a great combination. I love how their voices offset one another.
You Won't See Me: What would you do if you had covered a song by a famous band and one of the band members tells you that it was the best cover he'd ever heard. That's what happened to Anne Murray. The night she won a Grammy award for "A Love Song", John Lennon came to her dressing room and gave Anne the compliment about "You Won't See Me". On this CD, Anne covers the song with Shelby Lynne. This version has energy, spunk and great vocal strength. I think John Lennon would have liked it, too.
Snowbird: This was my father's very favorite song, he's gone now. I occasionally will hear the song on an oldies station, and I get a lump in my throat. When I listed to Anne Murray and Sarah Brightman's version, the same thing happened, only different. It was like the song has come back to me in a new way. It's hard to explain.
That's what I love about music; it brings all types of emotions to all types of people.
Free Music Review: The most enjoyable new recording I have heard in quite some time!
Hit: 5 Stars
2008 is getting off to a great start with a terrific new album by the venerable Canadian recording artist Anne Murray. Produced by Phil Ramone, "Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends" quite unexpectedly blew me away. It is that good.
Ordinarily, I am not that big a fan of these "Duets" projects. I have found that a great many artists resort to these kinds of gimmicky productions in the waning years of their careers. Rod Stewart is one artist who certainly comes to mind. But this disc is the exception. For Anne Murray is still at the top of her game at age 62. And just about every one of the female artists she chose to work with on this project does an outstanding job as well. The roster reads like a "who's who" of Canadian female recording artists. Add to that impressive list the likes of Carole King, Olivia Newton-John, Sarah Brightman and Martina McBride and you have all the ingredients for an outstanding disc. Of the 17 tracks on "Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends" a dozen are remakes of some of her biggest chart hits. Of these, perhaps my very favorite is the tune that Anne sings with her daughter Dawn Langstroth. The haunting "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" will send chills up your spine. I also thoroughly enjoyed "Danny's Song" with Martina McBride, and Anne's collaboration with Sarah Brightman on her 1970 hit "Snowbird". What an outstanding performance by both of them! Then there are the familiar hits done with a very fresh approach. Among these I can recommend "Daydream Believer" with Nelly Furtado and "A Little Good News" with the Indigo Girls. Finally, there are 5 other tunes on this disc that never appeared on the Billboard charts that you might not be familiar with. They are all terrific but my very favorite would have to be "Song For the Mira" a tune that Anne recorded with Celtic Woman. Very moving!
I see where some reviewers found this disc to be a bit boring. I could not disagree more. I was thoroughly impressed by the outstanding vocal performances on each and every song on this album. I am sure that most Anne Murray fans will be thrilled with what they hear here. In addition, I found that the liner notes included with "Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends" are among the very best that I have ever seen. My impression is that this album was an extremely well thought out project from start to finish. Kudos to everyone involved! Very highly recommended!
Free Music Review: No new songs, but great oldies refreshed
Hit: 5 Stars
Anne had previously recorded all these songs, many of which became big hits for her while others became popular despite not being hits. Only one (Another pot o' tea) could be described as a real obscurity, but as Emmylou Harris also recorded that song for one of her own albums, it is entirely appropriate that Anne and Emmylou should record a duet together. Nelly Furtado is the most unlikely singer to be featured here, but she sounds fine on Daydream believer.
Anne's choice of recording partners, who are all female, contains several Canadians and Americans, but an international dimension is provided by Olivia Newton-John, Sarah Brightman and Dusty Springfield. I didn't realize until reading the enclosed notes that Dusty Springfield had actually been the first singer to record I just fall in love again. Anne recorded it a few months later, whereupon it became very successful for her in the American pop and country charts. Here, Anne uses Dusty's original version as a basis for a duet version. The other tracks here are all completely new recordings with the exception of When I fall in love, which is a live duet recording with Celine Dion that dates from 1996.
Elsewhere, the Indigo Girls join Anne for a slightly updated version of A little good news, with Gabon replacing Ireland as a country in which Anne wishes that the children could play happily. Actually, the lyrics haven't changed as much as they could have been. It is interesting that the line about the bad economy was left in unchanged. At the time this album was recorded, the economies of the developed world appeared to be doing well, but things have changed a lot since then.
Elsewhere, the album includes excellent duet versions of Snowbird, You needed me, Could I have this dance, Song for the Mira, Danny's song and other Anne Murray classics.
While this album isn't an essential addition to anybody's collection, it makes for a most enjoyable listening experience. I love all the tracks here even though I have Anne's original versions of all of the songs on other CD's, some of them several times.
Free Music Review: listening to Anne can always make you and I smile
Hit: 5 Stars
I just adore Anne Murray. There is something about her that is so welcoming and inviting and familiar. It's like she's a member of the family or an old friend. I grew up listening to her as a very small child. My mom and dad often played her records and 8-tracks. All these songs on Anne's new CD, "Duets: Friends & Legends" are so special and perhaps even motivational. Anne's voice is so strong and harmonious on each of the tracks. I can't say that it's better than the originals, I'd have to say that it's certainly a tossup! My favorite song is "Danny's Song." That has to be one of Anne's most recognized and celebrated hits because it's so fundamental and universal in a way. The lyrics could really apply to just about anyone. And the new version on this CD with Martina McBride is absolutely stunning. I love how Anne is able to mix both the old and the new on "Duets" and come up with a contemporary and creative work of art. Some of my other favorite songs on this CD include: "Snowbird" (one of Anne's biggest country-crossover hits,) "Daydream Believer" (sounds so perfect with Nelly Furtado!) and "You Needed Me" (sung with another country-crossover star, Shania Twain.) I have so much respect for Anne because she is such a brilliant artist with so much talent and she truly is a very, very beautiful person. Who do I recommend this CD to? Anyone with a heart. Or to anyone that's feeling down because no matter how you feel Anne Murray can lift your spirits. "Duets" will always put a smile on your face!