Customer Reviews

Melissa

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

 

 

Melissa's Gold album is now finally available on CD . The first reviewer complained about the poor sound quality which is not entirely untrue (the 1st track sounds pretty bad but the rest appears ok). Compared to the Japanese reissues and her recent definite collection from Arista, this CD has average quality but I wouldn't exactly call it poor. It is still digital recording and a classic collection.

There are many great collaborations here with Melissa and her good friend Carol Bayer Sager - resulting in some beautiful songs such as the should-have-been-a-hit WE'VE GOT TIME, STEVE'S WONDER, THIS LADY'S NOT HOME TODAY and her big beautiful ballad hit, MIDNIGHT BLUE which was #1 on Adult Contemporary and #6 on Billboard pop. Also included here are some of my many MM's favourites - JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE (#2 AC and #30 POP), written by Melissa and producer Vinci Ponica (a protege of Richard Perry) and I GOT EYES (by Melissa Manchester). Others include the swingy PARTY MUSIC, LOVE HAVIN' YOU AROUND - a soulful Steve Wonder and Syreeta composition, and Randy Newman's I DON'T WANT HEAR IT ANYMORE and ITS GONNA BE ALRIGHT.

This is Melissa's at her peak of song writing and a great debut for Arista. It's a pity none of her Arista albums are released in USA except for this.

Her best album finally comes to CD. This is the first album I ever bought, originally for the hits 'Just Too Many People' and 'Midnight Blue' but I fell in love with all of the songs, especially Randy Newman's 'I Don't Want to Hear it Anymore' and Melissa's 'This Lady's Not Home Today' The quality of the CD is great and they also reprinted the liner notes. I can't wait for the rest of the early albums to be put on CD (finally!)

Arguably her finest album ever, this includes Melissa's remarkable version of Randy Newsman's "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore," Stevie Wonder's "Love Having You Around" as well as Melissa's classic "Midnight Blue," "Just Too Many People," "Party Music," "This Lady's Not Home Today," "I Got Eyes" -- this is one of the singing-est, soulful-est white women ever!

This is my favorite Melissa Manchester album and I still listen to it often because the music is timeless.

Ms. Manchester recorded this album in 1975 and it was her third album to date. She wrote most of the songs in collaboration with such biggies as Carole Bayer Sager and David Wolfer. The songs are classic cuts that defy time and span decades.

Upbeat cuts include: "Just Too Many People," "Stevie's Wonder," "Love Havin' You Around," and "It's Gonna Be Alright." But the best songs are the torch songs that feature Melissa's fantastic voice against a soft or jazzy background, such as: "We've Got Time," "This Lady's Not Home Today," "Midnight Blue," "I Got Eyes" and "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore." This CD will take you from fireplace, to car seat, to beach, to romance but mostly it will serenade you for years to come.

Attending a concert of underground Superstar Ann Dee who should have been as big a name as those whose talent she was put on par with such as Edith Piaf, Judy Garland, and also Barbra Streisand whose "Free Again" was eclipsed by Ann's superior soulful version, we were talking during a break about how amazing Ms. Dee's extraordinary voice was and at that time Melissa Manchester's name came up as someone who one day would be a great like Ann Dee and she happened to be in town!! I wasted no time (probably the next night) and went and fell in love at first sight with the most extraordinarily beautiful singer-songwriter of our generation! Melissa Manchester in concert is an experience and one that I have fortunately enjoyed numerous times. When "Midnight Blue" came out you knew that this is the stuff that legends are made out of!! This masterpiece quickly followed and if your love a package that is full of variety and a total tour-de-force of a GREAT talent, then do not miss this collection!! The opener is the soulfully sung stunner "We've Got Time" and listening to this great ballad your know from the top this is a going to be pure pleasure! Next is the jamming "Party Music" and it is a great up song with interesting tempo changes. "Just Too Many People" is one of my favorite Melissa classics with a great passionate vocal that soars with great beauty. "Stevies Wonder" is a neat tribute to her hero and "This Lady's Not Home" is a soul-deep performance that again finds Melissa at her peak!! Wild and funky is Stevie Wonder's "Love Havin' You Around" and this masterful workout must have blown Stevie away!! Melissa's own "Midnight Blue" is a beautiful passionate vocal on another Manchester classic that is stunning. This great album is timeless and holds up with the test of time. Every song is a winner here and Randy Newman's "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore" is equally brilliant to the great version that Dusty Springfield does on her classic "Dusty In Memphis"! This great collection is an overlooked classic and Melissa has not had her just due in the music industry!! If a male performer does 1/2 of what is here it gets a Grammy!! This is not just and for those who love the GREATS, do not miss this!!! A rare talent...If you can find the Japanese Import of this that is 1st choice as the sound is better than this collection-otherwise grab this while it is still in print or find a mint vinyl version.

This is my all-time favorite Melissa Manchester CD (album). In addition to the huge hits, "Midnight Blue" (the public's introduction to Melissa) and "Just Too Many People," every song on here is a winner, from the danceable "Party Music," the up tempo "Love Havin' You Around," to the soulful "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore" and "This Lady's Not Home Today." Over the years, whenever I played the album and heard the first notes from "We've Got Time," I knew I was in for a treat. Melissa is and always has been a talented singer/songwriter. A Grammy win for "You Should Hear How She Talks About You" in the early 1980s seemed to be a belated nod for her previous phenomenal output.
A perhaps underappreciated talent, she is at her creative peak with "Melissa," and even if a fan owns one of the greatest hits collections (e.g., "Essence"), this CD is a must-have. You will not be disappointed! Enjoy!

Melissa Manchester's cd, is one of her good ones. She co-wrote 8 out of 10 songs, was a pianist on all 10 songs. And is one of the best vocalist via Arista records. The melodies are great, the songs are great and WE'VE GOT TIME for some PARTY MUSIC. So let's get going and buy this cd. There's JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE, MIDNIGHT BLUE, STEVIES WONDER, IT'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT, are just a few of the songs. And yes, I want to smother my bad-ass lover with long wet kisses to make him wise, in I GOT EYES. Written by Melissa herself. I cannot say that I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT ANYMORE, and that THIS LADY'S NOT HOME TODAY because she truely was home today. The cd is good. We love havin' her around. An A++++ on a job well done.

During my college days in the mid-70's, I was a HUGE fan of Melissa. I had all her early vinyl records and played them constantly. While browsing through a CD store, I came across two of Melissa's early albums on CD (this one and "Don't Cry Out Loud"). Since there were only two available, I purchased them both.

Another reviewer complained about the sound quality on this CD. I've got to agree. I had to deduct one-star because the sound quality is so poor. Some of the tracks sound flat and in non-stereo. I was somewhat disappointed by it.

Nevertheless, I'm glad this early record of Melissa was released on CD. I almost forgot how much I liked "This Lady's Not Home Today," "Midnight Blue," "I Got Eyes," and "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore."

I was a college student at the time this album came out, around 1975 I believe. I along with 5 other guys shared a big house and the thing I remember most is how this album was received. Everyone in the house loved it and it was interesting how on some evenings you could hear it blaring out of the windows as you pulled up to the house along the street. We were just six African American guys who were studying hard, partying hard and listening to good music. This album more than any other (and there was great music during that period (Parliment, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder)-really great music) set the pace and is a reminder of those times. I think from the beginning to the end this album catches your imagination and the smooth, sultry and energetic voice of Ms. Manchester, along with her words, forces you listen to the music and appreciate the message she is delivering. This is a really great album with no song that is not worth listening to. It should be in everyone's record selection.

This work from the mid-70's is full of powerful vocals most of them writtem by Melissa herself. The productions and the arrangements are perfect. These songs are infused with soul and inspiration. Every one is a true treasure from the funky, spirited "Stevie's Wonder" to the classic "Midnight Blue". Some vocals are full of torch and others really do cook. Thank you Melissa! Your talent shines like a beacon.