Customer Reviews

Call Me: The A&M Years

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I listened to Chris Montez's A&M LP's back in the 60's when they were selling in the stores but I had borrowed the records and had not bought them for myself. I bought two of his hit singles and still play them but missed some of the other songs in the original albums.

In addition to Chris's smooth vocals I enjoy the musical arrangements and backing vocals equally as much and some of the live performances retain a vibrant quality not often found in other " Live " performances.

In recent years when I became equipped for ( legal ) music downloads from popular download sites I was surprised that Chris Montez early Monogram recordings were available but not the songs he did for A&M. When I found this CD available I felt it was just a bit pricey but I did want to hear those songs and own them for myself on CD. I am often reluctant on buying compilation or re-issue CDs if they are not from the original label as you dont know if you will really get the original " Hit " version of the song that you remember or what the actual source was for making the CD you are buying. As far as I can tell the tracks featured in this CD are indeed the very same as featured on the original A&M Singles and LP Albums. The sound levels and quality may vary slightly from track to track indicating various sources may have been used in this compilation. If you want this music however, to me, it was well worth purchasing although I am still going to keep my eyes open for the original albums at flea markets, tag sales etc. For now however, I believe this CD is as close as you are going to get to having those original A&M Albums and this is close enough for me. The Hit Singles are in this one and some of the best Album Tracks as well. I would suggest buying this CD while they are still available.

Thanks, Polidor ( UK ) / Eclipse for making this compilation available.

Chris Montez sings wonderfully on this album; but that's no surprise. Chris strives for perfection here and it shows when you listen to these tunes. This album gives us just some of his great songs from the years he recorded music at A&M Studios. The quality of the sound on this CD is nothing short of excellent and the artwork reflects good taste.

The CD starts with the title track, "Call Me." Chris' excellent diction makes this so good; he sings this beautifully with genuine feeling and it makes a terrific beginning number for this album. The music sounds just great and I like those drums! "The More I See You" charms me with its natural beauty; Chris Montez sings this to perfection--and beyond! Chris never misses a beat and I'm very impressed. Great! "Foolin' Around" is another lovely song in Chris' capable hands; and I really like Chris' cover of "The Very Thought of You." This is great music!

"Time After Time" is yet another golden charmer; and there's the poignant "There Will Never Be Another You" that shines brighter than silver and gold when Chris sings it so well that he bats it straight out of the ballpark! "The Face I Love" is very well done; and I always enjoy hearing Chris Montez singing "Our Day Will Come." "Our Day Will Come" has a wonderful horn solo that bolsters the number as Chris sings this with panache.

"Going Out of My Head" is a fine ballad; and "Elena," penned by Montez himself, is gorgeous. "The Shadow of Your Smile" gets the royal treatment from Chris Montez who croons this faultlessly; the somewhat Latin/bossa nova flavor of the music really makes this elegant. In addition, "Fly Me to the Moon" sparkles brighter than gold as Chris performs this with lots of positive energy; the musical arrangement stuns me with its beauty and "Fly Me to the Moon" is a major highlight of this album.

"Our Love Is Here to Stay" lets Chris deliver another classic love song; he never lets go of a single superfluous note! "Little White Lies" has a fine musical arrangement and Chris aces this seemingly effortlessly. "I Will Wait for You" features Chris squarely front and center--right where he belongs! The music is just right for Chris' vocals and this is yet another major highlight of this CD. "I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary People)" is both sweet and easy on the ear; and the CD ends nicely with Chris Montez performing "(At) The End of a Love Affair." Wow, how Chris sings this well!

Chris Montez fans would do well to add this fine album to their collections. This is also the perfect starter CD for people just getting into Chris Montez and his exceptional artistry.

Chris Montez is still going strong and performing. He is just as great today as he was yesterday and his music is timeless. This compilation is a cross section of some of his most popular hits, but also includes many other standards and ballads who for his age at the time of recording were a comfortable stretch for him.
I have seen Chris two times in the last couple of years and I am never disappointed in the performance or deliverance of his music.

He is in the process of making a movie about his life and I cannot wait to see it.

This CD was of terrible quality. Though I really looked forward to receiving "The More I Know You," the primary hit of Montez' career, to give as a special gift, that track was virtually not listenable. Neither my wife nor I could understand the lyrics. This was a real disappointment. (I was appreciative of Amazon's returns policy so I could hand it back.)

What can I say? Either you love the guy, or hate him. This CD has his most popular A&M recordings, and some that were not often heard. If Chris Montez is your singer, this CD works!

Great CD. It was beering drinking music during the 60's! The CD captures Chris's voice in all its somewhat basic, electronically unenhanced, glory! "Another You" is probably the anthem for all those missed romantic opportunities and memories of "wonder what ever happened to" the 60's, you had to be there, generation.

I have been looking for this song for years now but could never find out who sang it. There are other artists who have sang this song and I have a couple, but this is the one I was searching for. I was disappointed to learn that this cd was out of print for awhile but Amazon was able to find a seller listing again. Good job Amazon.

I've been waiting for Chris's A & M hits to come out on CD for years.
Even though he may not have had the greatest voice in the world, he had good material and style. I'm glad Herb Alpert was able to persuade him to change his style from rock and roll to the soft smooth sounds that he became so noted for. As is the case with most of these anthology themed CDs, this is an import.

I purchased this because I couldn't get the "good" Chris Montez's songs individually on either iTunes or Amazon MP3 downloads. The CD came quickly and definitely was brand new. I've been enjoying it since!