Customer Reviews

Matters of the Heart

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I saw Ms LuPone's cabaret "Matters Of The Heart" in London in August this year, and bought the CD the following day. The star of this album is not Ms Lupone though, it's definitely the composer John Bucchino who is represented by three songs; "Unexpressed" (a beautiful song about having no one to give your love to) "This Moment" (a poem dedicated to exactly that) and the funny, and extremely moving "Playbill", an affectionate Sondheim-pastiche about a (possibly middle-aged)woman having met a younger man in a bar after seing "Passion" and now turning herself inside out thinking about what she thinks he thinks of her. This song, alongside "Shattered Illusions" & "I Never Do Anything Twice", was the best number in the show, and is on the the recording as well. Matters Of The Heart introduced me to Mr Bucchino and anyone interested in a composer/lyricist who combines both heart, brain, humor and a terrific sense of style should definitely get this CD. To top it all off Patti LuPones humor is sharp a knife and her voice is one of a kind.

Patti Lupone can be loud and brash...just listen to her "live" recordings...but thankfully, she has taken a new approach to Matters of the Heart. First of all, she has selected material that thankfully is not a self-promoting rehash of roles she has created on stage. She has chosen new songs from largely ignored songwriters...most notably John Bucchino. (Why hasn't he achieved the status he deserves? ) Beth Nielson Chapman's simple "Sand and Water" is perhaps the best cut on the CD. Even the showtunes (Not a Day Goes By, The Boy Next Door, Hello, Young Lovers) are delivered in a thoughtful, understated style. The only song that flaws the CD is "Shattered Illusions". Like most comic songs, it's funny the first time, but gets tiresome with any subsequent playing.

This gifted theatre singer originated Evita and Norma Desmond onstage, and its easy to see why she can tackle the characters with big voices and vocally showy songs. Its quite a change to hear a studio album from LuPone after her previous live albums (Live at Carnegie Hall and Heatwave: Sings Irving Berlin at the Hollywood Bowl). The good news is, she sings just as good in studio as when she sings live -- a true mark of an authentic singer. And although she sang songs from Randy Newman, Lennon & McCartney and other contemporary songwriters notably the cabaret songwriter du jour John Bucchino, her debt to theatre is still evident, like "Not a Day Goes By" which still sounds affecting after numerous recordings of that song. Her take of the raucous "I Never Do Anything Twice" exploited her comedic skills at employing sudden stops, trill-like explorations and still not sound breathless. This is an album that can be played like a pop record at home because of the combination of delicacy, intelligence, choice of material and just plain good ole singing merits.

WOW! Patti LuPone is, as always, spectacular. Everything she does is gold...no platinum! The selection of songs on this album show, in full glory the range and power of her incomparable voice. From Ms. LuPone's always amazing, brassy belt as heard in,"Not A Day Goes By",to her touching rendition of,"Sand and Water", Ms. LuPone will leave you mesmerized by her version of,"The Air That I Breathe". Matters of the Heart, is truly a must have! Ms. LuPone, please for our sake keep the music coming!

This is without a doubt the best album that Patti Lupone has done to date. Those who are used to hearing Patti Lupone with a full orchestra and bombastic arrangements will no doubt be suprised. The arrangements are sparse on most of the songs. It is simply the singer and the songs. My personal favorite on this album is the track The Air That I Breath, next is the Medly that includes the songs My Father, Look Mommy No Hands and my Son, Ms. Lupone performs as she never has before. Other standout tracks include Real Emotional Girl and Shattered Illusions. This CD is a definite MUST BUY.

The name of Patti LuPone is hardly unbeknown to the musical theatre aficionados all over the world. For the last 25 years she has been one of the ultimate divas in the genre, memorable both to the American and London audiences and cast recordings collectors as the big, passionate and brassy voice of Evita, Norma Desmond, Fantine, Reno Sweeney or Mrs. Lovett.

Yet this 1999 studio recording of her solo concert performance entitled "Matters of the heart" is a bit different from those larger-than-life tunes and characters we've usually associated with Ms. LuPone. This recording is actually one big, gentle story about love. The whole idea was to give the listener an insight into all sorts of different emotions that reside under the word `love' through the carefully selected set of love songs. Accordingly, these songs on this CD show love in all its variety: young, pure and idealistic ("The boy next door, It's for you"); hopeless ("The air that I breathe"; "Sand and water") eternal ("Not a day goes by"); scheming ("Shattered illusions"), obsessive ("Back to before") and even parental and child love ("My father/Look mummy, no hands"; My son").

The orchestra here is appropriately small, consisting of a string quartet and a piano, thus allowing Ms. LuPone's vocals to be in the centre of the story. The thing that will most certainly surprise those already accustomed to Patti's voice is how sweet, gentle and quiet does it sound in some of the tracks. That doesn't mean that this CD lacks her full-lunged and overpowering renditions: Sondheim's Not a day goes by and Rodgers and Hammerstein's A cock-eyed optimist are the best examples. My own personal favorites lay in the gentler tunes, such as Air that I breathe, probably one of the best here; It's for you, a rather obscure Lennon & McCarthy song done here only in half, Sand and water and Real emotional girl.

It is quite obvious that with this concert recorded as CD in a studio, Ms. LuPone wanted to show her versatile ability of an artist who is able to transform himself in a best possible way, that is, from larger-than life heroines of the stage to a tender and quiet love storyteller. A very successful transformation indeed!

In the end, this is one of those CDs that will be in your CD player quite often. The warmness in Patti LuPone's voice, the charms of the orchestrations and, of course, the fact that it involves the most noble of all human emotions as its subject matter, are more than enough to ensure this. Brava!

I purchased this album with some misgivings, given some of the negative reviews already posted here. One listen, and I'm in love with it. Matter of taste, probably; I find the albums of many vocalists overproduced. (I liked Michael Feinstein better when all he had was a piano, instead of a huge band backing him up.) But if your taste runs to a superb vocalist with understated (but sophisticated) arrangements, then you should love this album.

Those of you who think you're familiar with Ms. LuPone's work will undoubtedly be surprised by "Matters of the Heart", her latest solo offering. Not only does she provide intelligent interpretations of each lyric on the 20-song set, the songs themselves tell a story of love. Whether coming to terms with loneliness ("Sand and Water") or delicately affirming youthful passion ("Hello, Young Lovers"), Patti's first-rate vocals soar. Of course, those of us familiar with Ms. Lupone's belting broadway diva persona will feel right at home with her powerful renditions of "Not A Day Goes By" and "Back to Before". There are also a few selections from lesser-known composers that stand out, such as "Unexpressed" and "Playbill". Don't hesitate purchasing this CD...it will be a classic!

Patti LuPone, just the name made me want to buy the album. The first minute of the first song I was already captured by the sweet, soft vocals of "La LuPone". There is something about her voice that pulls you in and keeps you amazed for the duration of the album, the show, the performance. On this album she sings a collection of songs from love ballads to funny, upbeat theatrical songs. She begins this beautiful album with "Storybook/Love Makes the World Go Round". And ends with "Love Makes the World Go Round/My Best to You". In the middle of the album she does a wonderful interpretation of "Air That I Breathe". There are also the upbeat songs such as "Shattered Illusions" which she makes hysterically funny using that amazing voice of hers. In "I Regret Evereything" she dishes out a very realistic french accent and uses her wonderful voice to make the song fun. She also uses her enormous vocal power to belt (AND I DO MEAN BELT!!!) out "Back to Before". My mouth dropped open and fell to my feet after that song.Anyone who is in love with Ms. LuPone's vocal stylings (like I am) should DEFINATELY buy this album. Two enthusiastic thumbs up! GO PATTI!!!

Patti LuPone is wonderful as always. Her selection of material is wonderful too. Her voice is addictive.