Customer Reviews

En Espanol/ Hoy

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

 

 

1972's "En Espanol" was Vikki Carr's first album in Spanish, and it pretty much reshaped her entire career. It was in the early '70s, when most easy-listening singers (Steve & Eydie, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett, etc.) seemed to be losing their direction and their audiences, at least in terms in record sales. Vikki seemed to be fading, too, when this album became a big seller. Not only did it re-introduce her as a Latin pop star, it established her as someone the Mexican-American community took to its heart. Even today, she is one of our most beloved performers.

The disc is still a fine one: Torchy and romantic, with a good number of contemmporary standards. Vikki's intense, stormy style always seemed a bit overblown in English, but it works perfectly in Spanish-language melodramas. "Somos Novios" and "Grande, Grande, Grande" are still widely associated with her today. "Hoy," which followed in 1975, was less successful, but is still a fine production. By the mid '80s, Vikki's transformation was complete -- more people knew her for her Spanish recordings than her English ones. This is where it all started.

En Espanol and Hoy on one CD -and worth every penny! These two spanish
albums are probably my very favorite Vikki Carr spanish albums.
I truly love every single song! And with such great songs as "Hoy", 'Hasta Que Vuelvas", "Y Volvere", and "Voy A Esperar" who can blame me? I have played this CD over and over and over again and I never get tired of it. On the contrary, I love it more and more each time I listen to it. If you don't already own this one, do yourself a favor and buy it. You won't regret it!

This cd was a Christmas gift for my Dad that is 81 yrs young. He LOVES Vikki Carr and said this one is excellent.

I like Vikki's songs very much and have almost CDs of her. Especially I love Spanish songs. Above all, this CD is splendid!

My son and I thought this was a really good cd......I turned him on to Vikki Carr years ago by giving him her english tape.......now he wants her spanish cds..........Her songs are just beautiful and her voice is so rich........

Musically, this is pretty close to perfect. Two great albums by Vikki Carr on one disc. The first, "Los Exitos de Hoy y de Siempre," was a huge seller at the time and pretty much dominated Spanish-language radio for a while, with such gorgeous tunes as "Somos Novios" and "Grande, Grande, Grande." "Hoy" was less popular but is still an outstanding album, with Vikki's intense reading of "The Way We Were" being a standout. And her version of "Hasta Que Vuelvas" can send chills down your spine.

Great to have these on CD finally -- "Hoy" has never been available before -- but why are the liner notes only presented in English? And it's rather insulting to the Spanish-language audience that misspellings pop up in the liner notes on some of the song titles. Even the great Alan Bergman's name is spelled wrong. Did anyone proofread this? The presentation should have been as classy as the music. Still, I've been playing this CD ever since it was released.

Vikki Carr's first Spanish album on Columbia redirected her career, lifting her from the pack of standout pop artists into a stands-alone category. This ravishingly gorgeous album was unsuual in that it focused on contemporary material rather than the expected Spanish standards. The arrangements are superb and Carr's singing never less than thrilling. "Hoy" was a beautiful followup. Together, the albums are sublime.

"En Espanol" was a ground-breaking album when it was released. But Vikki's second all-Spanish LP, "Hoy," was even better and it is those songs that make this double-CD an extra-special treat. Vikki is so expressive when she sings, you do not need to understand or even like Spanish to be touched by these songs. EDITED TO ADD: I have been listening to this CD over and over since buying it, and I must say that "Hoy" (the second half of this 2-album CD) is probably the BEST album Vikki has released...ever!

When I think of Spanish music of the 70's, no one comes to mind like Vikki Carr and her music! I can remember when I would watch the Tonight Show and Vikki would also be hosting the show. She always knew how to please a crowd and what a voice!
I like Vikki's Spanish version of "It's Impossible" that is Vikki's song! We can't forget "Grande Grande Grande" actually I think every song was a hit for Vikki since her LPs stayed on the Latin Billboard charts for over a year, her webmaster Vito Cifaldi stated in the liner notes. This is a special CD for Vikki Carr fans and I am so glad they have finally released these classics on CD together. Vikki...we love you! Thanks to Collectables for a fine job with this CD release!

Vicki Carr displays her incredible talent to interpret classic love ballads in Spanish on this "two-fer" CD. This "two-fer" CD contains all the tracks from two of Vicki's record albums entitled En Español Los Exitos De Hoy Y De Siempre (The Hits Of Today And Always)/Hoy; and there's hardly a dud in this lot. Oh, sure, not everyone will understand the Spanish lyrics, but when Vicki sings you can instinctively understand the universal human emotions of which she sings. As a Spanish student, I understood the gist of what she sang; and I was overwhelmed by her panache and flawless delivery of these fine numbers.

The CD opens with the track set from Vicki Carr's LP entitled En Español Los Exitos De Hoy Y De Siempre (The Hits Of Today And Always). The title track has a rich musical arrangement that complements Vicki's vocals perfectly as she sings of how she will return to her lover someday. The second song, entitled "Somos Novios (It's Impossible)," displays Vicki at her finest; she performs this masterpiece without a superfluous note. Excellent!

Other gems from the first LP track set include "Historía De Amor (Love Story)" with its haunting refrains; Vicki uses her excellent diction and timing to infuse "Historía de Amor (Love Story)" with a degree of sensitivity and quality control that I rarely hear. "Ahora Que Soy Libre" gives Vicki the chance to sing about being single again after a love has gone awry; her voice is rich, warm and vibrant and the musical arrangement makes good use of the strings and percussion. "Pero Te Extaño" offers an exotic musical flourish at the beginning; Vicki sings about how she misses her man.

The second LP track set then begins with "Hoy;" this song has a rich musical arrangement. However, the second song, "Sin Saber Por Que (The Way We Were)" really knocks you out with its beauty as Vicki delivers it magnificently. "Hasta Que Vuelvas" has a lovely Latin beat with an early 1960s flavor to it; and Vicki delivers this beautifully as she sings of how she is spending time apart from her man.

"Te Amo" starts with a strong musical flourish, too; and Vicki sings this with all her heart of how she loves her man. Excellent!

The liner notes contain a great essay about Vicki Carr by Vito P. Cifaldi, III; and you get the song credits and recording dates, too.

I highly recommend this CD for Vicki Carr fans; and persons who enjoy Latin easy listening music will flip over this CD! We are much better off for Vicki Carr's sharing her great talent with us; you don't need to understand all the words to appreciate the singular beauty of Vicki Carr's talent!

Bravo, Vicki!!!