Customer Reviews

Make Way for Dionne Warwick

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

 

 

I hate to review this wonderful Dionne CD with only three stars, but the sound quality of this leaves something to be desired. It's not so much that some of the tracks are hissy, low-volume and have that spacey 1960s-era stereo sound. What is really upsetting, is that it is clear that some (if not all) the tracks on this 2007 CD were mastered from an old vinyl LP. On some of the tracks like "Wishin and Hopin", the clicks and pops in the old vinyl are clearly audible. This is very disturbing. It seems unlikely with material as popular as Dionne Warwick, that original master tapes would not be available, and regardless, mastering from vinyl in this digital age is something that should clearly be mentioned on the CD cover. This is a disappointment.

Musically, anyhow, this is a great Dionne Warwick album. It has the hit "Walk on By", as well as "Reach Out For Me", also a wonderful original version of "Close to You" (later made famous by The Carpenters). The amazing original version of "A House is Not A Home" (later made famous by Luther Vandross) is a highlight, as well as "Never Get to Heaven" and "Land of Make Believe", among others. Wonderful album for the Dionne/Bacharach fan, or even the casual music listener.

Make Way for Dionne Warwick

I never thought I would find another copy of the original album, so I digitized the remains of three of the same from wax. I was naturally overjoyed when I purchased the CD. (Until I heard it) My copies sounded better than the purchased one.

This is getting to be a growing problem. The "Come To My Garden" CD by Minnie Ripperton has the same problem only worse. That album has drop-offs and sounds warped.

With all the high tech gadgets in the marketplace,the industry had better take note, Older music is sellable, but they've got to clean up their act.

Make Way For Dionne Warwick, Scepter Label originally released September 1964, most recently on the Collector's Choice Label.

12 Tracks.

9 TRACKS COMPOSED BY BURT BACHARACH & HAL DAVID

(In alphabetical order)

TRK# TITLE

01 A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME

10 I SMILED YESTERDAY

05 LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE

06 REACH OUT FOR ME

04 THE LAST ONE TO BE LOVED

03 (THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU

08 WALK ON BY

09 WISHIN' & HOPIN'

07 YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN IF YOU BREAK MY HEART

3 TRACKS BY VARIOUS COMPOSERS

(In alphabetical order)

TRK# TITLE/COMPOSER

11 GET RID OF HIM

Greenfield/Miller

12 MAKE THE NIGHT A LITTLE LONGER

Goffin/King

02 PEOPLE

Styne/Merrill

THREE 45 SINGLES

Scepter 1274 WALK ON BY/ANY OLD TIME OF DAY

Released Apr. '64

Scepter 1282 YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN IF YOU BREAK MY HEART/A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME

Released Jul. '64

Scepter 1285 REACH OUT FOR ME/HOW MANY DAYS OF SADNESS

Released Oct. '64

This is a 5-star album with a 1-star sound quality. Usually, the record companies digitally re-master classic recordings like these from the original master tape recordings, and we get a CD with a very clean sound. Not so with this CD. The pops, crackles, and hisses on the tracks makes it very obvious that they simply copied the songs from a scratchy old vinyl LP.

Dionne Warwick's vocie is so right for the times of the 1960's and than some. This a great collection of tunes by Bacharach and Davis and the great voice of Dionne Warwick. I have had this recording years ago in a LP but since the CD format has arrived I am hearing this album for the first time. I love it. I love all the songs and quality of this Compact Disc is top grade. Thank You, Alex Riddick

Got it on time and in good order.

I am enjoying it.