Customer Reviews

Just for a Thrill

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD is a major departure from Ronnie Milsap's long list of country hits. The good news is... his voice has never sounded better. I love the brassy, big-band accompaniment on "I Don't Want Nobody to Have my Love but You" and "My Babe." Just like he does on all his country love songs, Milsap brings true romance to songs like "Teach Me Tonight."
I understand this CD is up for a Grammy. I hope Ronnie Milsap wins!

'Just For A Thrill' is an album that has been 15 years in the making. Some have said it is Ronnie's best work to date. This album is a selection of some of Ronnie's favorite songs from the American Standards. He had been compiling hundreds of songs, just waiting for the opportunity to record an album. That dream became a reality and the long-awaited album was released to incredible reviews in September of 2004. Some old favorites that can be found are "Cry," "Bewitched," "Haunted Heart" and "But Not For Me" along with 10 other terrific songs. It was recorded live in the studio with the full instrumental backup. No pre-recorded parts that have been pieced together for the final cut. Even those that normally won't listen to this style of music will love this album with Ronnie's distinctive voice and style making it a pleasure to listen to.

Ronnie's smooth voice accompanied by the great arrangements of some of the finest orchestras in America make this a classic recording. This album was produced by Rob Galbraith, and when
Milsap teams up with Galbraith the result is always spectacular.
If you like standards and big band sound, this one's for you.

I am just amazed by Milsap's enduring talent. He's still got it! His diction, phrasing, timing, rhythm and confidence really shine through. He is 60+ years old and his voice is still so strong and controlled. You might expect someone's voice at that age to quiver, splatter or falter, but his never does. The orchestra on this CD is fabulous. It is one of my treasured CD's. I know I'll enjoy listening to it for many years to come.

There are so many standards albums that glut cd bins these days, most artists releasing standards albums are those that enjoyed a glorious past in the pop world; artists as Michael Bolton, Rod Stewart, and Boz Scaggs. What sets those artists apart from this standards release is they restrained themselves to the songs original arrangement, not willing to break the songs apart and make them their own. The point being that until now if you heard "Bewitched" once you've heard all versions of it. Ella Fitzgerald nonwithstanding. Ronnie actually makes all these standards interesting again and his breezy, effortless singing suggests that the songs were written just for him. Almost all of the songs are arranged Big Band, which suits Ronnie's full-voice performances. My favorite track? I have to say Ronnie's treatment of the obscure gem "Cry;" the chord progression is chilling. Pun intended, this album sets the standard.

With this compilation of songs, Ronnie Milsap takes his place with such musical legends as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Milsap's strong powerful voice and his emotional interpretation of the words makes these standard songs his very own. Ronnie's rendition of "Bewitched" and "In the Wee Small Hours" makes these often recorded songs new again. The less familiar "Jess for a Thrill" could become a new standard.

The thought of Ronnie Milsap performing standards is definately different from his normal country format. But, as usual Milsap scores once again with what I call a perfect cd. It seems he makes the songs his, and the arrangements fit his voice perfectly. My favorite track has to be the contemporary arrangement of "Since I Fell For You", with it's particular vocal excellence by Ronnie and the climatic finish, with a string score reminiscent of Paul Buckmaster. This cd is definitely a must buy - 5 stars.

Ronnie Milsap's glorious voice and remarkable versatility put him in a much higher class than most mainstream country music artists. Just for a Thrill is an album project that is long overdue because Milsap's stunning vocal abilities have been overlooked and underappreciated by too many people for too many years. Just for a Thrill is his first non-country album in over three decades. It is a CD that simply proves Ronnie Milsap isn't limited to country music...he is any type of singer he wants to be at any given time! With a soaring vocal range that rivals Roy Orbison and remarkable versatility that only Linda Ronstadt can match, Milsap stands as one of the most formidable vocalists of ANY music genre!

Producer Jerry F. Sharell approached Milsap with the idea for this project, and it was a definite step in the right direction. I've always felt the restrictive country music format has hurt Ronnie more than helped him to a degree because it has prevented much of the music world from realizing just how musically diverse Ronnie Milsap is. After all, we are talking about a man who was recording mainstream rhythm and blues in the 1960's while playing shows with James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and others! It is sad that only diehard Milsap fans like myself are even aware of that fact.

Listening to this impressive CD, it is truly remarkable that a guy who is supposedly a country singer can croon a jazz/pop standard with the very best of them. Ronnie sounds nearly as convincing on these songs as Tony Bennett or Nat King Cole would! He soars on "Cry" and "Since I fell for you", and his beautiful voice is smooth as silk on "Teach me tonight" and "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning".

The highlight here for me is Ronnie's punchy, vibrant version of the blues standard "My Babe" which he delivers with as much gusto as anyone could. You wouldn't expect a man in his 60's to sound this strong and vital, but Ronnie's voice is as rich and pure as ever. The whole album is exceptionally produced with big and brassy musical arrangements. Ronnie sounds right at home in this lush setting full of strings and horns.

I would have never bought this particular CD if it had been recorded by any other artist since this isn't my favorite style of music. However, Ronnie Milsap is one of those great singers who can raise nearly any song to a whole new level and make it more appealing. It is a rare gift called "MILSAP MAGIC". Just for a Thrill is surely one of Ronnie Milsap's finest efforts, and was nominated for a grammy for best traditional pop recording of 2004.

As a long time Milsap Maniac I have all of Ronnie's country albums, CD's etc. I saw Ronnie in concert with my daughter about 4 years ago and he performed "My Babe". The crowd went nuts for it. I guess this has been in the works for quite a while.

Personally, I have not heard most of these songs done before, but I must say that Ronnie's voice and energy are a great match for the lyrics. My favorite song on this CD is "Bewitched". Wow!!! A great tune to sing along with and get lost in the lyrics with.

Hope to see something new from Ronnie soon!

I am a avid Ronnie Milsap fan. I chose this album for the simple reason that I didn't own it. It is a whole different sound for Ronnie. The songs are familiar and he does a terrific job with this album. This was a whole different project for Ronnie, but as usual he took it on with perfection. I hightly recommend this to any Milsap fan. It lacks that country sound, but I think it is terrific.