Bill Medley - Damn Near Righteous

Bill Medley

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2007)
• Original Release Date: September 25, 2007
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Westlake Entertainment
• ASIN: B000UWTHIO
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #71,516 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
As anyone who has seen An Officer and a Gentleman knows, Bill Medley had a thriving solo career outside of his work as one-half of the Righteous Brothers. Still, his solo catalog has been erratic and it has been a decade since his last release. Coaxed back into the studio after the death of singing partner Bobby Hatfield, Medley wraps his gravelly, baritone pipes around a dozen songs, all of them enhanced by his husky voice. It's an eclectic set highlighted by covers of Ray Charles' "Lonely Avenue," the Meters' "Trick Bag," Dylan's "Just Like a Woman," and the Beach Boys' "In My Room." The latter is accompanied by Phil Everly and old California chum Brian Wilson for a stripped-down, spiritually charged version of the classic. Ballads dominate the set list but when Medley digs into a bluesy rocker such as "I'll Find Someone Who Will," it's clear the singer hasn't lost an ounce of his booming power as he punches through the tune like a seasoned veteran. The subtle piano and string arrangements on softer fare like "Beautiful," "California Goodbye," and "Two Lives" (also reprised as an emotional disc-closing duet with his daughter) spotlight the natural drama and passion in Medley's voice. It's an impressive, consistently classy and welcome return for one of American pop music's most recognizable and dramatic voices. --Hal Horowitz

Product Description
Damn Near Righteous - is Bill Medley's first record since the untimely passing of Bobby Hatfield (Medley's partner in the Righteous Brothers). This album honors thier legacy and showcases the singular artistry of Bill Medley in his own right....Damn Near Righteous features a soulful reimagining of the Beach Boys hit "In My Room" performed with Beach Boy frontman Brian Wilson and Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers....As an added bonus - Damn Near Righteous includes a 40 minute DVD featuring archival concert footage and interviews with Bill Medley, Brian Wilson, and many other music luminaries.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Bill, October 23, 2007

By	David S. Jenkins (On the Road) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Wow, what a surprise and what a GREAT CD. What a great BLUES album - forget "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," this is the real Bill Medley, it's quite obvious. I'll just focus on one song, "Something Blue." Put simply, it's beautiful, it's heartbreaking and it's chilling especially if you've ever broken up with someone, especially if you're a man who's gone through the scenario laid out in the song. Bill's voice isn't pure, far from it, but its cracks are like cracks in a fine oil painting. It's REAL. This song (and the entire CD) floors you because it's a human being's voice, not that of an airbrushed vocalist surrounded by handlers and synchophants. If there's a shred of justice left in radio this song deserves major airplay somewhere, somehow. Congratulations Bill for such a fine piece of work in a later chapter of your life, and thanks for resisting overproduction and pandering to a younger generation. This is a small masterpiece by a singer who just might have his very best years ahead of him. Hope so.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Different Bill Medley, October 3, 2007

By	K. Cleveland "K. Cleveland" (Friendswood, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bill Medley once again shows another side to his musical talent and the true artist in him. You will hear and SEE another Bill Medley and listen to his life's lessons. He has so many multi talents and musical sides to Bill Medley, no wonder he keeps on being so RIGHTEOUS in his own way. Bill always Medleyizes a song even one that was done by someone else and he makes it sound so completely different and makes you look at it from a completely different angle. This one is for the Baby Boomers, the ones that have experienced life and some sad and lonely times in life and love. The DVD that comes with it is great and it truly shows Bill and how he is today and where is life is at now at 67 years wonderful.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Songs, October 17, 2007

By	T. Walker (Murfreesboro, TN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I heard an interview with Bill Medley on NPR about this new CD. The CD is great and it also contains a DVD.