Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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43 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dusty Would Be Proud!, January 29, 2008
There are two ways this CD could have gone, and thankfully it's not crap. She's taking on Ms. Springfield like a seasoned heartbroken champ (which of course she is). She does it the way it should be done; every song here is sparse, fully realized and void of emptiness.
The major difference between Springfield and Lynne is in delivery, while most of what Springfield does on record is almost a heartbreaking, soulful coo. Lynne's voice is strongly powerful. Songs such as "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," with its acappella, slightly echoed, opening, tricks the ear as if it's going to break out into the loud ripping rendition that it always gets. But Lynne plays it down, turns up regret and conviction in her voice and it's now a country torch ballad.
"Breakfast in Bed" is still a sultry, slippery ode, but Shelby's vocals are so assured, turning the lyrics almost into a demand and it works.
The show-stopper is her take on "Anyone Who Had a Heart." She keeps this song just under a boil, a languid piano, and vocals just above a drawl; it's perfection .. she plays it soft until her voice just soars for a brief moment, before falling back down to heartache, truly showing off the complete vision of this album.
You can see what Lynne takes from her love of Springfield: both women were and still are under-appreciated vocalists who deserve bigger audiences. It takes guts to take on an artist's most definable material and Lynne doesn't flinch once!
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41 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Quiet Stunner, January 29, 2008
As one of Dusty Springfield's biggest fans, I was both excited about and afraid to hear what Shelby Lynne was going to do with some of the songs most identified with the Great Beehived One. It kind of worried me that Ms. Lynne was going to release a "stripped down" production. After all, Dusty is most identified with what she herself called those "big ballady things," huge, Italian-style production numbers with all the stops pulled out, and the singer at full throttle. On the other hand, it was encouraging to hear that Lynne was not trying to imitate Dusty or invade her territory. Dusty, after all, had turned in the definitive versions of these numbers so, according to Shelby, the job was to interpret the songs in her own way, and as a reminder to her listeners of Springfield's neglected catalog. Today, Dusty's music reaches an ever-widening circle of discerning listeners, and is being rediscovered by old fans and revealed to younger pop music lovers. Yet, for all the burnishing of Dusty's legend, she remains a woefully underexposed musician, often still relegated to the "Oldies" bin in CD stores. Unfortunately, this may because only a handful of her songs ever get heard and are, strangely, somewhat OVER-exposed. About a dozen of her biggest hits get endlessly recycled, while only her die-hard fans know the rest of her 300-plus-song library.
Perhaps the funny name, the cartoon make-up and hair, and the flamboyant ultra-feminine costumes did her in, and without the songwriting talent of say, Dolly Parton, she was not taken seriously. Critics have long sung Springfield's praises, but record sales never reflected her value as a singer, and as an artist who could capture the imagination of the masses. That's okay, of course. There are many wonderful talents out there who never gain widespread fame (and Dusty did have her brief moment in the sun). Shelby Lynne has experienced much under-appreciation throughout her own career. Often compared to Dusty, it then comes as no surprise that Shelby is a fan herself. This is her tribute, and it is a quiet stunner. The biggest surprise, for me, is Randy Newman's "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore," long one of my all-time favorite Dusty songs. Her version still can't be touched, but boy, does Shelby come close! It's different, though. Dusty sounded utterly shattered, Shelby merely heart-broken. Of the other selections, including one fine original, there are few flaws. "The Look Of Love" is perhaps the weakest number, but it was one of Dusty's finest moments; the arrangement here doesn't do the song justice, although Shelby sings it well. If possible, however, Ms. Lynne tops Dusty's version of "Willie And Laura Mae Jones," sounding more natural and, well, Southern, than the English Dusty could, even with all the soulful yearning in her voice.
Most of this CD is very, very good. But I wish there had been a couple more up-tempo numbers. Also, Lynne didn't choose much from what I would call Dusty's "deep catalog." Six out of nine songs here are very well known indeed. I don't mind though, and if this fine, understated (and brief) album causes just a few more hundred people in the world to seek out the original Dusty Springfield recordings, than Shelby will have done her job. And on second thought, perhaps Lynne wanted to keep a sustained mood. Dusty's wonderful albums were all over the place, but her eclectic approach probably wouldn't have worked as well for Shelby. There's some variety of styles, nevertheless, so this collection doesn't become tedious.
A word about the instrumentation: beautiful. Some guitar and bass, occasional percussion and keyboards, and lots of space. This is about the subtle strength of Shelby's sensuous, effortless singing, and the instruments support it, rather than overwhelm it. Yes, I do miss the strings, and the wall of sound that Dusty loved to wrap around herself, like a big security blanket, which allowed her to give her all without fear of exposure. That was another time. Shelby was wise not to go there. I see this highly successful project as a staple in upcoming late nights when I can't, or don't want to, sleep. Sitting in a comfortable chair with a glass of wine, my feet propped up and my eyes closed, this is just that kind of relaxing, dreamy record.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just a little lovin", February 12, 2008
The planets aligned for this one! Wonderful production, tasteful accompaniment, nice natural sound for a cd. Shelby's intimate, soulful, sensual vocals will warn your heart. Buy it, listen and life will seem somehow, better.
Plays like a sweet dream. Yes, I'm in love. Can't wait for the vinyl lp!
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~ Shelby Lynne
~ Allison Moorer
~ Dusty Springfield
~ Shelby Lynne
~ Shelby Lynne
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