Customer Reviews

Closer Than a Kiss: This Game of Love

5 star:		(2)
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The other reviewer (K. Winter) mentions that this was her favorite album on LP. Well, that doesn't help me much, because this CD contains not one, but TWO of Damone's original Columbia albums. I wonder to which one she is referring...

In any case, first comes Closer Than a Kiss (1958). This one was arranged by Frank DeVol, the same arranger who did much of Dean Martin's best work in the 1950s. It's a ballad album, with tender and intimate renditions of classic standards. It utilizes the full orchestra, but does so sparingly, so you get an intimate feel. It's not a gloom-and-doom ballad album. It's more of a love song collection to be enjoyed in the bath with your hunny.

While that was a pretty good album, the real gem in this collection is the second album, The Game Of Love (1959). Arranged by Robert Smale, this is the one and only complete album of Vic Damone recording with a small jazz combo. It has a very intimate feel, and at the same time, can be snappy and smart without taking itself too seriously. Wonderful ballads, light up-tempos, and breezy mid-tempos fill this album, all giving you a nice after-dinner kinda feel.

Both albums are presented here in their full stereo glory, and sound fantastic.

This is one of the best albums Vic Damone recorded. I've clung to the original LP since it was released. Now I'm so excited to have the CD to play this recording. In those days, we girls thought he looked and sounded "dreamy".