Half a Book

Cheryl Wheeler | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: North Star
• ASIN: B000003LT7
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #204,124 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Emotional Response

2. I Don't Have the Time

3. I Don't Reach You Anymore

4. Tell Him Goodbye

5. In Your Heart

6. Rainin'

7. Half a Book

8. I See Your Eyes

9. Thinkin' of Leavin'

10. Summer Fly

11. Piper

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On her sophomore album, singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler fails to deliver the coup de grâce her debut hinted lay straight ahead. Instead she continues to learn both songwriting craft and how not to produce an album. Like her debut, most of this disc suffers from overly sweet adult-contemporary production touches such as saxophone solos and busy drumming. Songs such as "Tell Him Goodbye" and "In Your Heart" show the fledgling folkie trying hard to perfect a middle-of-the-road rock style. "Emotional Response" reached that goal, climbing to No. 24 on the AC charts. But in this album's final pair of songs, "Summer Fly" and "Piper," Wheeler's gift for melody and strong voice finally takes over and shows what she can do. --Robert Baird

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Half A Book: Not Half Bad, October 21, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Half a Book (Audio CD)

Most people familar with the full body of Wheeler's recorded work agree that she is at her best when her producers and studio musician take the day off and her vocal craftmanship and guitar skills are left to shine through. Unfortunately the producers and mixers had a heyday on Half a Book resulting in an overly slick production just doesn't hold up as well as her other albums.

First-time Wheeler listeners would be better served by "Circles and Arrows" and "Sylvia Hotel," both outstanding efforts.

As good as Wheeler is on CD, don't miss a chance to see her in person. She's a superb performer.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Her Best, March 31, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Half a Book (Audio CD)

This was my first Cheryl Wheeler CD. I was hauted by this melodic CD AND the production values. Perhaps the other reviewers here prefer guitar and stand-up bass as the basis or "pure" folk oriented music, but it is the song that shines through. Kenny White plays piano beautifully and In my opinion, the arrangements are superb. I dont understand the mediocre reviews of this CD. If you have seen Cheryl in person, her voice is beautiful, but she talks too much and is too politically bitchy. She would be better off singing and more of this type material would be welcome. Cheryl must not think much of this CD either, since she does not perform songs from it in the 6 concerts I have seen her in.