Customer Reviews

Lazy Afternoon

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4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Barbra Streisand was one of the most popular and successful personalities in entertainment by the mid-1970s, managing both music and film careers with the greatest of ease. With her keen eye for material that suited her talents, a Barbra album was more than likely to be both innovative and enjoyable. While her careers may have been moving full steam ahead in the success department, on record, Barbra seemed more in reflective mood on 1975's LAZY AFTERNOON.

Indeed, this album is definitely one of Barbra's most sedate, with ballads reigning supreme, playing to her strengths as a torch singer for the modern day. This is also surprising considering her main collaborator on LAZY AFTERNOON. Songwriter/co-producer Rupert Holmes was just appearing on the scene, his debut album about to hit the market. While he would have success with more quirky material like "Escape [The Pina Colada Song]", "Him" and "Answering Machine", Rupert shows off a different, soul-stirring side to his talents in his work on LAZY AFTERNOON.

"My Father's Song" is clearly one of the most personal songs Barbra ever sang, given that her own father died when she was still a child. She demonstrates her uncanny ability to make another songwriter's lyrics (Rupert's) sound like hers. That is perhaps the true test of an interpretative singer, and Barbra has always passed with flying colors.

"By The Way" features a rare co-writing credit for Barbra that she claims came about by accident, but resulted in her first original English-language tune. For someone who envied the work of female singer-songwriters their knack for writing their own material, this somber ballad proves that Barbra can indeed work magic with a pen when the inspiration comes.

"Letters That Cross In The Mail" sounds like one of those typically quirky songs that Barbra often included on her albums (just consider "Honey Can I Put On Your Clothes"), and is definitely something you'd expect Rupert to conjure up. But the more subdued mood of LAZY AFTERNOON turns this into a borderline-heartbreaking song that shows how communication is both important and a hinderance on the path to true love. I think this song would have benefited from a more upbeat and humorous atmosphere.

"Widescreen" originally appeared on Rupert's debut with lyrics that wanted to linger in the dream world of motion pictures and the mystery it embodied. However, Barbra didn't exactly feel the same way, and asked if Rupert could slightly change them towards the opposite. While this frequent occurence in Barbra's career is often named by her detractors as proof of her perfectionism, Rupert understood and revised his lyrics towards those that embraced reality more than fantasy (particularly the line "let the movie end").

For the non-original tunes, Barbra proves once again her ability to know exactly what her strengths are and, if possible, discover some hidden ones. The title track was from a moderately successful Broadway musical called THE GOLDEN APPLE, and Barbra thought the song deserved a revival. With the languid atmosphere on the album, this was a perfect choice for the title track.

Paul Williams' "I Never Had It So Good" was not one of his more popular songs, but Barbra has always been a seeker of the best if not well-known works in a songwriter's output, and this song about disbelief in how well things are going in your life is par for the course. Barbra had been inspired by Kris Kristofferson's performance of the song at a party to record her own version (Kris had done it a few years earlier).

Stevie Wonder had a fervent fan in Barbra, her having recorded "All In Love Is Fair" earlier on. So she returns to the well for "You & I", which contains probably her best vocal performance on the album, soaring to the heavens in a way that had to have inspired mutual admiration on Stevie's part.

An American Songbook standard was expected from Babs sometime on the album, and here, it's "Moanin' Low", a torch song if ever there was one. Featured prominently in the classic movie KEY LARGO, the tune has the right amount of bump-and-grind to make it more than your average "my-baby-done-me-wrong" sobfest.

"A Child Is Born" had originally been written for Barbra's 1972 film UP THE SANDBOX, but didn't make the final cut. She loved the song enough to ask her friends, lyricists Alan & Marilyn Bergman, to write lyrics. Barbra was right in saying that the spare piano accompaniment worked better than the orchestrated one that had also been recorded. Such a tender lyric would have been too sugary with so much sweetening.

LAZY AFTERNOON's sole sign of spring in its step is Barbra's cover of the Four Tops' classic "Shake Me, Wake Me [When It's Over]". It was this song that encouraged me to pick up the album because it is one of my favorite Tops songs. Disco had not yet become the way of life it would soon be thanks to SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, so the fact that Barbra practiced it before it was cool shows how visionary she is. While I still prefer the Tops' version, Barbra's gives LAZY AFTERNOON that added hint of lightheartedness to prevent it from being completely introspective.

Barbra Streisand certainly had no reason to be down in the mouth in real life during the time of LAZY AFTERNOON, but for the sake of artistry, she maybe could afford to create such a deeper album. By collaborating with someone like Rupert Holmes, who was just on the cusp of stardom in his own right, Barbra demonstrated her wish to stay ahead of the curve in whatever she did, something that has not changed in her career. True, LAZY AFTERNOON may not be the album one will enjoy on first listen, but it's certainly one of Barbra's works that reveals its strengths after a few listens, particularly on lazy afternoons.

What has always interested me about "Lazy Afternoon" is that it was released several months after the soundtrack to "Funny Lady." Where the "Funny Lady" soundtrack was a potent reminder of Streisand's reputation as the Platinum Pipes Diva carrying on the Broadway legacy during the emerging disco-oriented, Me Decade, "Lazy Afternoon" provides us with an alternate portrait of Streisand: earthy, youthful, unaffected and, at times, even effortlessly vulnerable and delicate. On "My Father's Song," her tradmark belting never indicates show-offy iron will but rather mournful, cathartic longing for a lost father figure ... knowing that her father, in real life, died when she was young makes it all the more heartbreaking to hear. And, on "A Child is Born," Streisand's restrained delivery adds nuance to the simple, straightfoward and poingant lyrics. In Streisand's hands, the song seems not so much a stock declaration of joy at the prospect of parenthood, but rather a quietly sad (perhaps even skeptical)portrait of a mother bringing a child into a chaotic world. And then there's the personal favorite of mine, "Letters That Cross in the Mail" (written when story songs like "Cat's In the Cradle,""Angie Baby,""The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia," and all of Cher's hits were thriving on the charts). When she sings the lyrics, "I wrote I'm glad that we're through / Full of hate I mailed it / But then in a week / A letter arrived /With love did it speak," I'm always amazed how within a mere few lines, her tone switches from bitter to defeated to incredulous to regretful. On songs like these, Streisand makes evident her sterling ability to break down lyrics word for word and discover nuances that most singers would ignore.

Producer Rupert Holmes succeeds largely at providing Barbra with diverse musical atmospheres to work with, weather it be the feverish disco of "Shake Me, Wake Me", the light country/ pop balladry of "I Never Had It So Good," the brash big band sound of "Moanin' Low," or the swirling synthesizer landscape of "Widescreen." Though occasionally the diversity prevents it from being a wholly coherent work, the evident joy Streisand had in making this album makes it all forgivable.

Although many critics and "I only loved Streisand in the 60s" fans are quick to dismiss the 70s as an artistic low point for Streisand, "Lazy Afternoon" is a strong reminder to fans that Streisand could imbue the words and music of Holmes and Stevie Wonder ("You and I") with beauty and depth, as she did with the songs of Arlen and Styne a decade before.

When this gorgeous set of great songs came out in the mid-70's it was such a relief after the uneven "BUTTERFLY" as it was a return to great form plus a new depth in Barbra's interpretations. From the hauntingly beautiful opener "LAZY AFTERNOON" to the soulful closer "WIDESCREEN", its clear that BARBRA had reached a new level of artistic growth and these performances are timeless classics that hold up beautifully with the passage of time. Soul deep performances such as "MY FATHER'S SONG" becomes a deeply moving experience and the pensive self-penned "BY THE WAY" is dark and moody. A Motown classic "SHAKE ME,WAKE ME" is a rhythmic cooker that BARBRA has fun with and the beautifully sentimental "I NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD" is another winning vocal filled with heartfelt emotion. RUPERT HOLMES and BARBRA really connected and were a musically inspired pairing and "LETTERS THAT CROSS IN THE MAIL" is a magically haunting vocal that goes deep inside these unique lyrics that tell a fascinating story. A definitive version of STEVIE WONDER'S "YOU AND I" make one wish that BARBRA would do the STEVIE WONDER SONGBOOK and a classic torch song "MOANIN' LOW" becomes one of the most electrifying performances ever from BARBRA and it is a thrilling ride on a soaring voice. Soft and warm is the glorious "A CHILD IS BORN" while "WIDESCREEN" is a dramatically intense tour-de-force classic that becomes a sweeping mini-epic that is stunning and completely original as it transforms one back to that special time of getting lost in and growing up at the movies. "LAZY AFTERNOON" stands the test of time and is one of the really brilliant classics from this gifted singer who is an original classic who is second to none...do not miss this tremendous masterpiece if you want to experience vocal artisty at its finest and thank you BARBRA STREISAND!!!! This is a timeless and wonderous collection and oh so very satisfying...

"By The Way," "You and I," and "Widescreen" have become three of my favorite Barbra songs of all time. And that's saying a lot, because I love many of her songs. I first became aware of Ms. Streisand in the late '70s, when I was in junior high school, you know, the "Main Event," "Enough Is Enough" period. So, emotionally, I identify more with this period of her career (the 70s). I felt that technically she could vocally do what she could do when she was in her 20s, but their was an added richness and depth that comes with age -- There were vocal nuances and subtleties that only come with years.

As a liner-note, it's interesting, I thought that her foray into disco began in 1979 with "Main Event." However, "Shake Me, Wake Me" could be considered early disco. It's a likeable, infectious song.
-Thanks

Though it just missed the Top Ten upon release (it still peaked at a very respectable #12), the Gold-selling LAZY AFTERNOON is Barbra's best contemporary pop album of the seventies. Producer Rupert Holmes gives the album a unusual sound that feels both mellow and urgent at the same time. Barbra's performance perfectly complements this unique mood, most notably on the haunting title track and the sparse "A Child Is Born." The somber tracks "By The Way" and "I Never Had It So Good" feature two of Barbra's most beautifully nuanced vocals, while the bluesy "Moanin' Low" and the Stevie Wonder-penned "You And I" give her the chance to really belt it out.

"Letters That Cross In The Mail" and "Widescreen" (both taken from Holmes' debut album) are vividly brought to life through Streisand's intense performances, while the bittersweet "My Father's Song" (which was written especially for Streisand by Holmes) brings out lovely melancholy in Barbra's voice. Even the disco reworking of the Four Tops "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" lays down seamlessly into the set. Consistent and cohesive, LAZY AFTERNOON is an undervalued gem in Streisand's massive catalogue.

This Cd Finds Barbra Streisand In Glorious Voice! The Painted Beauty Of The Title Track Is Beyond Words. Every Song On This Cd Is Stunningly Sung,My Personal Favorites Are: "By The Way"-The Lyric & Melody Are Perfect For One Another. "I Never Had It So Good"- One Of Barbra's Best!!! "Letters That Cross In The Mail"- Should Have Been One Of Her Greatest Hits, The Lyric Is Sweeping, Moving & Breathtaking All At Once!! She Will Never Be Replaced As The Greatest Singer Of Our Or Any Time!!! A National Treasure!!

This was the album that introduced me to Barbra, way back in '76. I listened to it in detention, of all places, junior year in high school. It and she transformed my life. So this remains a very, very special album. I think it is among her top ten and the best of her pop albums. All the songs are wonderful, her voice is strong and smooth, and she sounds like she enjoyed making it. You will not go wrong buying this beautiful cd!

The beautiful song, 'Lazy Afternoon', is just about the best reason to buy this album. I have listened to this one song over and over for many years, and it sounds so heavenly and peaceful, and it makes my inner soul cry with joy. Stevie Wonders hit, 'You and I', is magnificent. In fact, all the songs here deliver with almost perfection, if there is such a thing. Buy this album and you won't be able to turn it off. If the song 'Lazy Afternoon' doesn't make you feel wonderful, nothing will. Enjoy!!!

This is one of those Streisand albums that just shines out between the others. Her working with Rupert Holmes was certainly one of the better things she has done (and a shame she hasn't recorded another album with him since - pls note Streisand fans - that Barb's second B'way album had to be with him and she recorded several songs in 1988 - including a gorgeous "How are things in Glocca Mora"). "Lazy Afternoon" is such a well chosen song project that Barbra can still sing contemporary material and yet not sacrifice herself in the process. Mostly ballads, laidback, beautifully arranged are sung like all us Barbra fans dream of. "Moanin low" brings back memories of the younger Streisand (and make us wish she should pick more material like this she can belt out!). A really lovely album, though it is sometimes forgotten when Streisand's major albums are mentioned.

Simply magnificent -- that angelic voice would pierce anyone who has a soul. My father, who doesn't like Streisand said, "there may be reasons to not like her, but her voice isn't one of them." I grew up on her voice and I'll die listening to it.