Anne Murray [Import]

Anne Murray | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 8, 2007)
• Original Release Date: August 6, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B000002U2N
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,256 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legendary Vocalist Creates A First-Rate Recording, July 23, 2000

By 

Supernova (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anne Murray (Audio CD)

The title of this CD is pure genius. After 30 recordings, releasing a self-titled CD at this point in her career was a marketing high-point. This CD is note perfect. It is a superbly written, professionally sung and produced recording. The unfortunate thing is, hardly anyone heard it. This is an all too familiar story for Murray. Back in 1976-77, the releases "Keeping In Touch" and "Together" were both eclectic highly regarded albums - no one knew it. In 1991, after a series of lesser quality albums, "Yes I Do" was released to rave critical acclaim - the best material she had done since her late 70s heyday - again, it was ignored. The same fate befell this release, to a lesser extent in Canada as it did go platinum. Perhaps in 1996 if she was 20 years younger, she'd have had a legitimate shot at getting these songs on the radio. As a result, it was a struggle to find an audience for this superb effort, lost amongst the sea of over-the-top, cookie-cutter pop princesses whose vocal abilities pale in comparison with the style and perfect pitch of Murray.

The lead-off single "What Would It Take" was a great success in Canada. The adolescent Bryan Adams lyrics are tamed by the pen of Gretchen Peters who created a perfect AC-Rock groove. Stand outs here are "I Know Too Much", a great unique vocal arrangement piece and the wispy "Trust Me Baby, This Is Love". The powerful "The Other Side" is a finely crafted song of loss and life. The confident "Until I Was Loved By You" is pure joy to listen to with a great AC groove. The emotional "Good Again" wraps up the package just right, a fine song written by Ian Thomas on death, grief and grieving - thinly veiled as a tribute to her manager Leonard Rambeau.

This is Murray at the top of her game. As it was, only Anne's fans and those who were guided to this CD knew that this was one of her best ever. Ironically, it was only 3 years later in 1999 that the comeback was to occur. "What A Wonderful World" saw Murray's chart and sales resurgence reach the heights that it once was in the early 80s.

This CD was supposed to be Murray's comeback, re-establishing her as a commercially viable pop artist. Though not the commercial success that she or her manager Bruce Allen wanted, it proved a very important point. Through all the ups and downs over her 4 decades as a recording artist, the class and thus, the quality of her work and her voice remains her most endearing trait and cements her reputation as one of the finest vocalists ever.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Stylish Contemporary Pop Performance, November 21, 1999

By 

ANTHONY J. CALABRESE (BALTIMORE, MARYLAND) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anne Murray (Audio CD)

There are some performers who feel the need to constantly reinvent themselves, insecurely latching on to any new musical trends that may come down the pike, and then there are artists who, by their sheer talent, remain contemporary and relevant no matter what the demographics, no matter what the generation. Anne Murray is planted resolutely in the latter category and the eponymously titled album "Anne Murray", is indicative of this. This is, unabashedly, a great pop/adult contemporary album. Anne is in fine voice, performing beautiful ballads like "Missing You", "Highway, Highway", and "Me Too" in her classic, inimitable style. Her duet with Bryan Adams is flawless. This catchy, upbeat pop number deserved to be a major hit record. On other cuts, such as "Shame On Me" and "That's The Way It Goes", Anne's gritty, straight-ahead vocals prove that she can rock with the best of them. There are few contemporary vocalists able to embrace such musical variety very convincingly. As usual, Anne Murray defies categorization. And as a result, a voice like hers will never go out of style.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Murray's Finest Releases Ever!, July 17, 2004

By 

K. Downey (Atmore, AL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anne Murray (Audio CD)

Anne Murray's self-titled CD from 1996 is one of her finest, yet most underrated releases ever. It is dedicated to Anne's manager and friend of 25 years, Leonard Rambeau, who passed away just before Anne went into the studio to record this CD.

The emotion shines through on such ballads as "Highway, Highway", "Me Too", and "Missing You". The refrain on the first track mentioned starts with "Highway, highway, where you go I don't know, maybe closer to my dreams, maybe far away." For obvious reasons to anyone who ever hears this song, Anne's voice is so heart-wrenching on this track that it has often been referred to as "haunting". On two other great tracks she teams up with pop stars Aaron Neville ("That's What My Love is For") and Bryan Adams ("What Would it Take"). Beyond the Bryan Adams tune, Anne shows she can rock from the lead-off track with "That's the Way it Goes", and later with "Shame on Me". Words of wisdom such as "Take my advice, don't take advice from me" prevail in the song "I Know Too Much" which, in the refrain of the song, features one of the deepest bass voices ever heard. Anne says his voice was so deep that the walls seem to vibrate in the studio when they were recording the song! Murray wraps up the 13 track CD with the wonderful "Good Again" about losing someone we love. "Each and every moment floats away in the wind. You've got to learn to let it go; let a new one begin. Still, you'll cry when some leave before their time, but if you need a little something, it's right there in your mind, and you'll feel good again." I think we all can relate to that one.

Murray's been in the business more than 35 years, has sold more than 40 million records, and is still selling out concert halls. There's a reason for this. Anne is truly one of the legendary superstars of our time, and this is one of her best releases ever. If you can't find it here, it's still available through Anne's music store at annemurray.com. Anne Murray - 1996 is a must for any great music collection.