Dusty Springfield - Beautiful Soul: The ABC - Dunhill Collection

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Free Music Notes for Beautiful Soul: The ABC - Dunhill Collection

Free Music Review: Longing's the best Dusty album (after Memphis) that got away
Hit: 5 Stars

"Longing" is, in my opinion, possibly the most essential album to have been recorded and heard by Dusty fans in the last 30 years. It provides that last missing piece that finishes an otherwise complete musical portrait of Dusty as a recording artist and presents a new side to Dusty we never heard before. It is Dusty's homage to young up-and-coming popular songwriters of the day (eg, Ian, Manchester, Manilow) and possibly the most personal and intimate collection of songs she has ever recorded for any single recording session. It is also certainly her most quiet and musically restrained album up to that point. In stark contrast with the bright, busy and commercial sound of "Cameo", the musicianship on "Longing" is understated and sublime. Vocally, it is also a transitional album as it marks the first time we hear Dusty use her breathy technique for an entire project. She would later perfect this technique for her 1978 comeback album, "It Begins Again" (IBA). It's a pity Dusty never had the opportunity to complete the project and recut the guide vocals she put down on some of these tracks as she would have delivered ten perfectly executed and consummate performances that would have made "Longing" one of the best albums (possibly only after "Memphis") she has recorded in her career. Yes, it's that good.

"Exclusively For Me" - Already previewed in "Simply Dusty", this Colin Blunstone gem must rate as one of the three best cuts here and sounds even better in the context of the album. The first song to have been completed for the sessions, Dusty uses her feather light breathiness to perfection on this beautifully evocative and intimate number. One of my favourites.

"Turn Me Around" - The shorter 1978 version we are familiar with may be more polished vocally but then it suffered from overproduction under Roy Thomas Baker's heavy handed direction. Whereas Dusty's voice positive shimmers on the later effort, this first try out in 1974 is less controlled and sung with more heart. It also includes a second verse which to my ears works as a bridge and improves the flow of the song. The arrangement is fairly similar to the IBA version but I much prefer this slightly raw but more heartfelt take.

"In The Winter" - Arguably, the most stunning track in the collection. It's Dusty at her dramatic best as she contemplates loneliness away from a lover who's found bliss with somebody else. The haunting piano and soaring string arrangements blend perfectly to deepen the sense of loss conveyed in the lyrics. Dusty's performance is so devastating it hurts just listening to her. Look out for the ever-so-slight croak on that last note of the song. A wonderfully spontaneous touch and an emotional revelation. One of her best recordings ever.

"A Love Like Yours" - Despite Dusty's slightly ragged vocals on her first stab at this original Martha Reeves and the Vandellas B-side, this again is a superior version to the one we got four years later on IBA. The musical accompaniment and backing is more imaginative, funkier and far more solid than the wooden/stilted version produced by Roy Thomas Baker on IBA.

"I Am Your Child" - Yes, they used the same backing track for the 1977 remake of this Barry Manilow ballad. The vocal arrangement is also identical but this time, Dusty's beautifully controlled and pitch perfect reading on the remake wins hands down. It's a nice enough song but not one of Manilow's best compositions. He went on to write better things.

"Home To Myself" - One of the loveliest songs Melissa Manchester has ever written. Dusty turned on the wattage to transform this gentle ballad into an emotionally overwrought confession. Great performance, though I still prefer the composer's more plaintively sung singer-songwriter version.

"Make The Man Love Me" - This relatively unknown Mann & Weil number doesn't have the free flowing magic of "Just A Little Lovin", but could Dusty have recorded it because she recognized its dramatic potential ? Cher recorded it for an early 70s album. It's got a nice verse with a hook and a chorus that's eminently singable, spoiled only by a cliched melody line in there. Still, Dusty gives all she's got and delivers a performance far more compelling than the material deserves.

"Angels" - This sounds like one of those left field choices Dusty used to make that drove her producers and record companies crazy. After a dreamy intro (shades of "Mixed Up Girl"), Dusty wanders in on vocals that quickly rise to an impassioned shout above a rousing rhythm track that just as suddenly subsides before picking up again. "Angels"' is a complex and difficult song to sing, but it's undoubtedly one of the strongest cuts on the album. It's a sleeper and one for the long haul. I love it.

"Beautiful Soul" - Ahhh.....finally a song to die for. This Margie Adams original has a gorgeous melody and lyrics so intimate and personal they melt your heart. The instrumentation, in particular, the softly flowing guitar accompaniment transforms this little gem into a great thing of beauty. Some fans hear a love song from Dusty to a woman. Others suggest it's Dusty singing to Mary. Whichever, it's a tour de force of a performance, appropriately placed to close the album and what's important is that we get to hear this ethereal beauty finally.

"Beautiful Soul - The ABC-Dunhill Collection" is a real class set. Insightful liner notes by Jim Pierson, heartwarming personal tributes from distinguished songwriters, detailed production credits, great choice of rare or period relevant photos, and an overall product design that seeks to preserve the integrity of the two albums Dusty recorded for the label. Thanks, Hip-O, you outdid our collective expectations.

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