Heart and Soul: New Songs from Ally McBeal Featuring Vonda Shepard [SOUNDTRACK]

Ally McBeal TV Series Soundtracks, Vonda Shepard

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 1, 2008)
• Original Release Date: November 9, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
• ASIN: B0012GMYRI
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #238,929 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It's got to be a bit strange for Vonda Shepard. This is her album--she sings and writes the songs--and yet she takes second billing to the TV show that features her as the singer in the unnamed bar. Granted, Shepard had released many solo albums on her own before Ally made her a known commodity, and the songs here are geared to mirror Ms. McBeal's many moods. Here, Shepard is helped out by an impressive cast. Her backing band includes drummer Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello), bassist Davey Faragher (Cracker), and guitarist Val McCallum (Peter Gabriel), and her guest vocalists include the Reverend Al Green for a stunning duet on Lulu's To Sir, with Love," and the Indigo Girls' Emily Saliers on "Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow." Rounding out the anthemic originals are covers of Don McLean's "Vincent," Peter & Gordon's "World Without Love," and the Isley Brothers' "This Old Heart of Mine" that unfortunately serve to insinuate that Shepard is not a singer-songwriter but merely a cover girl. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another winner for Ally or Vonda fans, November 16, 1999

By	John Jones "Musician" (Chicago IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Heart And Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal Featuring Vonda Shepard (Television Series) (Audio CD)

Though not as overly catchy as the first "Ally McBeal" soundtrack, which boasted superb remakes of "Walk Away Renee," "You Belong to Me," and "Tell Him" (the latter of which proved to be a fan favorite at Vonda concerts), "Heart and Soul: New Songs from Ally McBeal" proves to be another pleasant listening experience. Remakes of the Supremes' "Someday We'll Be Together" and Don McLean's "Vincent" are standouts, and a remake of Lulu's "To Sir With Love" (here, a duet with Al Green) is worth the price of admission all on its own. Another bonus is a complete reworking of "100 Tears Away," a song from Vonda's 1991 sophomore release. Unfortunately a couple of really great covers made for the show were overlooked (the Pointer Sisters' "Fire" and Carly Simon's "Anticipation") and three songs from Vonda's last release, "By 7:30" is a bit much for fans who already own that work. Still, after she spent years recording and performing great music to little acclaim or attention, it's great to see Vonda Shepard still riding the crest of her much-deserved popularity.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of 3...., May 25, 2001

By	L. Quido "quidrock" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Heart And Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal Featuring Vonda Shepard (Television Series) (Audio CD)

I go way back with Vonda Shepard, and I started watching "Ally" when I read an early piece that talked about her music and the old pop standards favored by David Kelly. "Heart & Soul" was fine, and the 3rd CD is just starting to grow on me (Sting & Al Green on the same CD? How could it fail?). But this is my favorite and the only one I rate a 5. The "soul" of the pieces drills through the whole effort, with the key songs being "Crying" (better than Don McLean, not quite up to Roy Orbison's falsetto) and a new effort, "Baby Don't You Break My Heart Slow" with heartbreaking harmony between Vonda and Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls. Woven together well, a collection of old songs made new by Shepard, with her lush voice and excellent song backdrops. Great CD for a long trip!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific CD, November 18, 1999

By	Thomas Rotella ([e-mail]) (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart And Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal Featuring Vonda Shepard (Television Series) (Audio CD)

Fans of Motown - particularly The Supremes - run, don't walk to buy this album. Vonda's version of "Someday We'll Be Together" totally ROCKS! You won't be disappointed.