Leah Kunkel [Import, Original recording remastered]

Leah Kunkel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 3, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rev-Ola
• ASIN: B000FJHW98
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #274,292 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Step Right Up

2. Under the Jamaican Moon

3. Souvenir of the Circus

4. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You

5. Down the Backstairs of My Life

6. Losing in Love

7. Step-Out

8. Don't Leave These Goodbyes

9. I've Got to Get a Message to You

10. Fool at Heart

11. Let's Begin

12. The Only Man on Earth

13. Temptation

14. Hard Feelings

15. Never Gonna Lose My Dream of Love Again

16. Someone on Your Mind

17. Dreaming as One

18. Heart of Stone

19. Fast Asleep

20. I Run with Trouble

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Remastered... from VINYL :-(, August 30, 2006

By 

EurovisionGS (Providence, RI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leah Kunkel (Audio CD)

I have been waiting for the release of this music on CD for 25 years and was thrilled to see it was coming out as a 2-for-1 CD. I just received it today and while I am happy to have these tunes in digital format, I am also disappointed because, even though the CD was co-produced and annotated by Leah herself (practically a neighbor of mine in Massachusetts), the original master tapes must still be locked in the Sony vaults, since the "remastering" has been done from mint vinyl albums. The re-creation of the sound is quite good and there are no noticeable drop-outs or pops, any listener with headphones will be able to tell that this vinyl copy was the only audio source available to the producing team. I spent a good amount of money to obtain a (now) very rare Japanese original SONY CD of the first album (Leah Kunkel) that was issued a while back but went immediately out of print, as is often the case with these catalogue re-issues. Comparing the sound quality from that CD to the version on this most recent one gave me a pretty good idea of how well the engineers worked to make the vinyl sound good but it is clear, especially in the vocals and the distorted rendition of the sibilants (s-sounds), that this long-awaited and wonderful music still needs its definitive digital version to be issued at some point, with the assistance of the owners of the original master tapes at Sony/Columbia. Mind you, this is better than chasing down the super-rare vinyl LPs for exorbitant prices, and having these 20 tracks available on CD is long overdue, but we still have to petition the powers that be to give Leah Kunkel the royal treatment she deserves and release the REAL version "remastered from the original master tapes" on CD for all of her fans to enjoy!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasant Surprise!, August 10, 2006

By 

EnchantedPRL (Quinebaug, CT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leah Kunkel (Audio CD)

I'd heard of Leah (Cohen) Kunkel for years,....having loved her sister's (Cass Elliot) music, and had seen her in many photos with her sister over the years. I knew she married drummer and musician Russ Kunkel, she was a recognized session singer, and she had written some beautiful music, but never had access to it.
Had hoped to link up with some of the music from her group (The Canyon Sisters?), but could never find any. So the release of not one but two of her solo efforts on one cd was a treat for me!
For those of you who loved Cass Elliot, you can detect a similar vocal quality with Leah's voice, but there's a deeper texture in her voice,....more of a blues and jazz quality.....lending itself more to ballads and other types of music besides pop, though she can sing pop as well.
Leah Kunkel's music stands up well over time. For the life of me, I don't understand why Leah and her music did not score big in the late 70's and early 80's when the albums were released. ....a shame,.....but am enjoying the music now. Have only listened to the cd twice so far,.....am looking to more.
Would like to be able to find some of her group work.....and some things she might be doing presently,.....if she's still recording. Can't go wrong with this purchase!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars UNSUNG HEROINE OF THE 70'S RENEWED!, April 4, 2007

By 

M.R. "keyboardmi" (Kalamazoo, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Leah Kunkel (Audio CD)

I have been into this great lady since first hearing her with Art and James. Her great background vocals and counter melodies always made their songs special. What a treat to see her get her shot at a solo career. Finding out she was the great Mama Cass Elliot's younger sister was just icing on the cake. Alas, like so many great artists of that time period, she was all but ignored by the PUNK revolution. Had sshe been there just a few years earlier, I am sure she would've been enjoying the sucess of Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, Carol King and others. My personal favorite is "Step Right Up" which gives a contempory feel to something her sister might have done. "Run With Trouble" has you believing this lady really lived through some rough moments. Check out her new CD THE COYOTE SISTERS, "Women and Other Visions" Available here at Amazon. Also if you need a good lawyer, she is one of those too. Truly a remarkable woman!