Customer Reviews

Keeper

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was given this CD at Christmas. Of course I knew the Cheers song, but I had never heard him sing anything else. Well, I have listened to this CD every day for the past month and I think I am addicted to it; I can't get enough. The songs are unreal. Every one of them shines. The lyrics are insightful and refreshingly honest, and the melodies haunt me when I'm not listening to the CD. And Gary Portnoy has one of the best pop singing voices I have ever heard. This is a CD for anyone who loves great songs without a lot of smoke and mirrors. Just great!

I will not take away stars because of the packaging as so many cds now come in this rediculous packaging. They say it's safer for the enviroment, well I never intend to throw away my jewel cases. Make them strong and durable, and save the trees, and keep my cds from getting scratched while you are at it. That being said, I purchased this to have a physical copy of the Cheers theme. Cheers was always my favorite show since it aired, I was 11 when I first saw it, and have loved it ever since.I never get tired of it, and the theme song is one of the most memorable of all tv history even people who were not fans of the show knew the words. I was pleasantly surprised by this album though. It isn't say a comfortable fit in today's musical landscape it seems like it's a throwback to the siger/songwriter songs of the 60's, 70's and early 80's. But that isn't to say it's bad, just that it's for a more musically open-minded audience. Besides, even if you don't like the rest of the album it's worth getting even if you just put the cheers theme on repeat:)

I don't have enough good things to say about this CD. Every song on it resonates with something in my life- past and/or present. (I have had five or six different "favorites" so far in the month that I have been listening to it.) And his voice is a pleasure to listen to no matter what I'm doing or what mood I'm in. Highly recommended!

Wow, people.
Who looked into my life and picked up on all these feelings that I've been having? Who read my mind? Whoever wrote the lyrics on this album seems to know me.
The lyrics are amazing. The music is perfect.The songs are great.
The singer could be me if only I had a voice.Ah but I do have ears, and I love this album. Bravo.

I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Gloria Nissenson and Gary Portnoy when they were writing in Nashville.
If I had 3 wishes:
1-They would still be here
2-I would be writing with them
3-I would have co-written some of the great songs on "Keeper".
Hey, guys, congratulations on a fine album.

Let me start by saying I never get tired of hearing "Where Everybody Knows Your Name", especially the long version that appears on this CD. It may have started out as a TV theme, but it has long since become a part of Americana. It is just a great song- with or without a show attached to it. It says in the booklet that comes with this CD that Gary Portnoy never got to release an album back when Cheers was a hit. Well, this one was well worth the wait. The Cheers theme fits in seamlessly with all the new songs which (as per the booklet) were written and recorded over the course of this past year. Portnoy chides himself for not being able to hit the high notes like he used to, but in fact his voice sounds just as warm and vibrant as it always has. One thing the intervening years definitely did not adversely affect was his songwriting. There is no mistaking that this material is the work of a gifted and seasoned adult artist. These songs, co-written with Gloria Nissenson, deal with love found ("Simple") and lost ("Exitwounds"). They wistfully reflect on the past ("What Day") and poignantly celebrate the present ("The Best Days") through the eyes, heart, and soul of a grown-up making peace with his life. The tracks are compelling and they sound like 2004, but there is no trace here of the nasty, edgy stuff that abounds on contemporary radio. In fact, one of the other reviewers here had it right- there is nothing at all cutting edge about this CD. But to me that is its great selling point. For this is a truly timeless work with depth of feeling behind it and a richness of melodic expression from a singer/songwriter in his middle-age prime. If you are of a certain age, time, or place- it will hit you right where you live. (And you get to hear "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" over and over!) A great CD. Five stars all the way.

In all honesty, I was directed here by a friend so I could download an MP3 of the Cheers theme. But after that I found myself listening to the other songs on this CD here and at his website- GREAT STUFF!

Kudos to "Keeper!"What a good album!
Each song is a gem.
This is so unusual when I so often find an album that has one terrific song and the are rest "fillers" There's not a filler song on this album.
And how great to hear this version of "Cheers".
This CD is a spirit lifter, even when Gary is singing a sad song, like "Exit Wounds".
The song "Keeper" is amazing.
I'm not sure which song is my favorite. I keep changing my mind, but what fun and how nice to feel this way about a collection of songs.
I wish I had found this album before Christmas so I could have given it to everyone I care about as a Christmas gift, but better late than never.
Thanks for singing and writing these songs.
You're a Keeper!

Where has this guy been for the past twenty years? I bought this CD because I always loved the theme from Cheers and could never find the long version on a CD. I wasn't really expecting anything much from this CD beyond that. What a nice surprise to discover the freshest sounding pop record I've come across in a long time. Portnoy is a really good singer, but he is a great writer. I loved all the songs here immediately except one, which I have now come to like from listening to the CD in my car every day for the past two weeks. These are real songs with insightful adult lyrics and haunting melodies. Nothing cutting edge, but they get under your skin (in the best way) and stay in your head all day. "Simple" is a beautiful love song with a bit of a Latin feel. "Yes" is pure pop magic with a killer chorus. "I Love Today" lifts my spirits ever time I hear it. "The Best Days" sounds ready for pop radio. I could go on and on since there are no clinkers here. My only criticism is that it would have been nice to have a couple more up-tempo songs mixed in with the beautiful ballads and mid-tempo songs. Still, there is a continuity of feeling from one song to the next that takes you on a great ride. I would recommend "Keeper" to anyone who appreciates great songs well sung from the heart.