Customer Reviews

New World

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have had Karla's New World CD for a couple of years and didn't realize that other examples of her work were available, so now I've ordered three more Bonoff CD's.

The simplest way to say it is that Karla Bonoff is in a class by herself.....she IS the top of the class! One other reviewer noted here that Linda Ronstadt was in a sense the mouthpiece for Bonoff's great writing.

The truth is that Karla Bonoff's songwriting AND singing together are beyond any level I've ever heard! Her voice is similar to Ronstadt's, but Bonoff's is much clearer, cleaner, and so totally......AWESOME!

This New World CD is a 10 on a scale of 1 to 5, and if any of the other three Bonoff CD's I've just ordered are half as good as New World, I'll be extremely pleased...

I can't imagine anyone listening to Karla Bonoff without being overwhelmed by her beautiful voice and incredible song-writing. She reminds me of Kate Wolf, the talented folk singer who is no longer with us. Both are beyond comparison and yet neither has the wide audience they (and the audience) deserve....

This is the last studio project Karla did as a solo performer in the late 80's and I believe her best. Just listening to all these songs year after year its hard to believe this project hardly even got noticed, but its well worth checking out. Karla has a "Reserved Parking" spot for anyone who searches out insightful lyrics and her melancholy voice and delivery no one can touch all these years into her career. Its no wonder so many top women recording stars (Bonnie, Linda, Wynonna) have chosen to cover Karla's songs, it just makes their album collections deeper with her words. Very under-rated artist and hopefully she will be back. Its nice they've included "Standin right next to me", an adult contemporary hit during the 90's and "Nothing love can do", a sample of work with her side project recording group "Bryndle". Nice percussion work from Deborah Dobkin (Bonnie Raitt) and Mark Goldenberg (multi-instramentalist), even Peter Frampton guest solo's on the "Tell me why" (hit for Wynonna) This project should have been a transfussion for all those out there who love great songwriting, a time when Tracy Chapman, Toni Childs, Sinead O'Conner, even Bonnie Raitt soon blasted off, but Karla's great music got left behind. Highlights on this "Mary", "Standing right next to me", "How Long", "Way of the Heart", "Still be getting over you". A nice remixed "NEW WORLD" with some extras!

I first discovered this album (on vinyl, nonetheless!) in a bargain bin in the late '80s, back when I was a starving college kid. I bought it for the song "Goodbye My Friend"--which is a masterpiece--but I never dreamed that this album would become a vital part of my music collection. Fourteen years after purchasing the album for the first time, the CD is still on regular rotation in my stereo.

Karla Bonoff is best known for her early '80s hit "Personally," but her songs have been recorded by the likes of Linda Ronstadt ("All My Life," "Trouble Again," "Goodbye My Friend," "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me") and Wynona Judd ("Tell Me Why"), but Bonoff's recordings are the real deal--always brimming with deliciate expressiveness, eloquence, and respect for the listener.

On this CD, Bonoff's songwriting is invariably intelligent and expressive, and her voice is smooth and engaging (and she interprets others' songs with admirable panache). This is an excellent CD by a truly underrated, albeit supremely talented, performer! From the rhythmic pop of "Oh Mary" to the fragile heartache of "All Walk Alone," this CD is a thoroughly satisfying pop music experience. Add this CD to your collection today--you will be grateful!!!

Karla Bonoff's career as a top notch singer-songwriter was clearly established, albeit primarily through the recordings that graced Linda Ronstadt's classic "Hasten Down the Wind" and Bonnie Raitt's breakout "Sweet Forgiveness", by the time she released "New World". As one who has been fortunate enough to see Karla live 3 different times in different venues over the past 20 years, I have long been convinced that she has few rivals in penning heart-wrenching ballads about lost loves. This, her fourth solo album has its share of her trademark ballads ("Goodbye, My Friend", "All Walk Alone" and "Oh, Mary" come to mind), but it is also the project that showed Karla's maturity and (gasp!) a bit of optimism as a songwriter. Once again, she provided terrific arrangements of soon-to-be classics, including the country-rocker "Tell Me Why" (Wynonna)and the incredibly romantic "All My Life" (Ronstadt, again, with Aaron Neville), both of which were made significant hits by others. However, as gorgeous as those songs are, what makes this album special is the uncharacteristic upbeat messages delivered by "New World" and "Nothing Love Can't Do". The latter is a bonus track on this rare version of the release in which Karla collaborates with Andrew Gold, her old Bryndle bandmate. With "New World", Karla Bonoff really shows off her craftsmanship as a gorgeous yet haunting singer, a quality pianist and guitarist (don't try those chords at home, kids!), and naturally as one of the finest pop songwriters of the 70's and 80's. The production of the album, though intentionally a bit more polished than her earlier 3 efforts, is delicious. I once heard Karla kiddingly say the reason she didn't put out more albums is that she gets writer's block for long periods. Here's hoping for the rest of us that she has less frequent bouts in the future, but in the meantime treat your ears to this incredibly underrated gem!

This is another beautiful, smooth, effort by one of the most under recognized talents out there. Many know her songs as performed by other artists. For me her music contains many many memories that only her songs can recall to mind. Any ways I recommend it highly for shure

I originally posted a review based on my vinyl recording (posted to the "reissued" 2000 recording thread).

I recently purchased this recording in CD form, the 1995 version.

What a gem.

I had never heard the additional two songs that are featured on this recording, "Standing Right Next To Me," and "Nothing Love Can't Do."

SRNTM has a very pleasant melody and outstanding lyrics.

NLCD is now one of my all time favorite KB songs. It is an example of the brilliance of her songwriting ability. The song is a classic example of great melody, great lyrics, great production quality, and a great hook for a chorus. The presence of Andrew Gold's voice (the only time a male voice appears in solo) was at first a bit jarring (given that previously all that was heard was Bonoff's voice!), but his vocal quality was pleasant, and when his voice is eventually blended with Bonoff's, it is magic. In fact, this song is an example of what some of the Bryndle sound was. The song features backup vocals by Wendy Waldman and Kenny Edwards, who were members of the group along with Bonoff and Gold.
I remember seeing Bryndle in concert many years ago. I don't remember them singing this song, but I do remember them performing a wide range of styles, from more raucous rock to the more sedate ballads. At the time, I didn't know what to make of them, given that some of their songs and sound were to raucous for me, while others I really liked.

I am convinced that if Carol King and James Taylor performed "Nothing Love Can't Do," it would be a monster hit.
When I heard Bonoff and Gold sing this song, I thought of King and Taylor EASILY performing this song at least as beautifully as Bonoff and Gold. Because they don't have the name recognition for the mass audience, a King and Taylor duet would bring a greater audience.

The company that put this CD together did an excellent job of keeping the emotional theme by selecting the final two songs which capture the romantic and loving nature of the songs.

The only song on the CD that didn't grab me was "Oh Mary."
The songs I felt were classics, among Bonoff's best include "How Long," "New World," "All My Life," "Goodbye My Friend," and "Way of the Heart." I mention these songs, because they are timeless.

"The Best Part of You," has very thoughtful and reflective lyrics.

"All Walk Alone," performed with just a piano backup has a potentially classic melody which is abbreviated with some pop chord transitions which keep it from expanding into a more elaborate classic melody that could be performed by more seasoned jazz and contemporary ballad singers. I mention this because there are some chord and phrasing transitions that are typical of the Bonoff songwriting style that keep the song limited to this genre. I felt that it approached exceptional songwriting and pulled back to stay within this genre of music (that of pop ballad).

Two songs that are very "up" songs and have very catchy hooks and lyrics are "Tell Me Why," and "Still be Getting Over You."
There are elements in both of these songs that are unique to the Bonoff sound, particularly the way she plays with the vowel sounds in the word "why" and extends it playfully with the "why-aye-yi-yi" sounds. For this genre, these two songs are very good and enjoyable on repeat listenings.

The CD comes with an attractively packaged booklet which includes lyrics to all songs, description of the musicians for each song, and a picture of a beautiful young Karla Bonoff. (I still don't get why some reviewers compare her to Linda Ronstadt. They both can be appreciated for their unique talents and attractiveness. I always found KB strikingly attractive.)

My first exposure to Karla Bonoff's music was by way of her debut album, the sound of which seemed so unique and emotionally striking. The nature of the lyrics of songs on that recording are of a qualitative difference from that featured on "New World," which seem to reflect a more mature Bonoff.

What is noteworthy for this recording, is the presence of the choice of an organ sounding voice for the keyboard in the opening two songs, "How Long," and "New World." The choice of this sound creates a more ethereal, magical, and softer sound than one would be used to coming from her other recordings. The rest of the selections on this CD feature more traditional sound qualities from the keyboard and other instruments.

This new purchase makes this one of my favorite "pop" CDs.

(Note: there are three different recordings of the original vinyl record "New World," each containing the core group of songs, with the 1995 version featuring two additional ones, including the Bryndle selection, while the "reissue" from 2000 features the additional "Standing Right Next To Me," also featured on the 1995 CD.)

For anyone who is a Karla Bonoff fan, I think you will love this CD as much as I do.

Karla must have lost someone close to her leading up to the recording of New World. While her style is never trite, her pain is obvious but still not depressing. Songs like, New World, We All Walk Alone and Goodbye My Friend explore the sorrow of death while giving us hope for some type of afterlife. "Still Getting Over You" is classic Karla always seeming to look at the right person at the wrong time. "All of my life" should be played at every wedding for the rest of eternity as her version is more soulful and passionate than the Ronstadt/Nevell cover. Listening to Karla Bonoff is just like curling up with a good book and fans of hers know just how realistic her "stories" are. Having spent most of her career being dubbed simply as a writer, "New World" showcases her performing talents as well.

"How Long" and "So Long My Friend" are excellent and the rest of the tracks are all above average. What a singer! Bonoff's voice goes straight to your heart. She sings about what matters in life....love and loss.

Yep. I rated this recording with five stars due to the strength of the songs, "How Long," "New World," "Tell Me Why," "All My Life", "Goodbye My Friend," and "Way of the Heart." These songs are among the best soft-rock pop ballads ever written, and when sung by the clear pure voice of Karla Bonoff backed up by musicians that make that distinctive sound, they override whatever mediocrity follows them on the recording.

"How Long," is the only song on this recording not written by Bonoff, but its melody and lyrics fit right into everything else on the recording.

These songs have great melodies, great energy, great delivery, and a unique sound, as we Bonoff fans know from her other recordings.

I am reviewing this recording from the vinyl copy I have, not from either of the CD versions made. I don't know if the reissue is a remastered copy or just a copy of the original with a slightly different artwork on the cover.

The four other songs on the recording, "The Best Part of You," "Still be Getting Over You," "Oh Mary," and "All Walk Alone," are decent songs, for the genre they reside in, but the lyrics, melody and energy are not on the same level as the other songs.

Bonoff has a magic way of using chord modulations to surprise us and enhance the melody to an even more intriguing level, but in the case of "All Walk Alone," the song gets really sluggish, and some of the lyrics are borderline cliche. The repetition of the words "finally find," in "Still be Getting Over You," for some reason don't have the same aural appeal to me versus the sound and repetition of "How Long" in the song "How Long." Could be the consonant thing or in combination with the melody.

When I first heard the opening numbers on this recording (and on the vinyl, Side A runs from "How Long," to "Goodbye My Friend," with side B beginning with "Way of the Heart"), I felt that Bonoff had brought some new magic into her writing. I was blown away by "How Long," and thought "New World," was absolutely magical, ethereal, and gorgeous. "Tell Me Why," impressed me as pop genius. "All My Life," and "Goodbye My Friend," impressed me as two of the most thoughtful and touching pop ballads for this genre I had ever heard.

"Way of the Heart," seemed like a more normal pleasing pop ballad, and the remaining songs, for me, were little more than acceptable songs.

Given the exceptional nature of the first six songs, I could not give this recording a rating of 4. It's worth getting for the first six songs, and with music taste being subjective, you may enjoy the other songs more than I did.

The sound mixing on the vinyl copy was good, and the sound I associate with Karla Bonoff music was captured in this recording. The vocals are excellent, with occassional vocal overdubbing by other voices to enhance the lead voice of Bonoff. For the most part, what is heard is the clear, pure voice of Bonoff. When she hits lower notes, her vibrato disappears and her phrasing seems to end prematurely (giving her style that unique sound), but when she hits higher notes, her emotion and expressiveness comes through in a way very different from that of Linda Ronstadt. Some reviewers compare her with LR saying that LR has a better voice. I would say their voices are simply different, both good, and that we can appreciate each in different ways. I enjoy the voice of Linda Ronstadt, but there is something very unique about the sound of the voice of Karla Bonoff that makes her just as appealing if not more and her recordings extraordinary in their own way.

And in closing, I hadn't heard this recording in years, and many years older (me), I enjoyed the music just as much if not more (I enjoyed the songs I thought as average, more this time around.).

I have seen KB in concert many times, including a performance that predated her Live recording (same songs), and I'd say that "New World," features some sound mixing that is fuller than what you will hear on the Live recording. I'd say both are worth getting so as to capture the fuller studio sound and the simpler live performance sound.

Hadn't thought of her in a while. I bought this album many years ago when it first came out. The first song and the memories of first listening to it, are etched in my heart, a period in my life where I was, what I was, and she spoke to me.
How Long and New World are the best cuts, and the album is inconsistent in production. The songwriting is a five aLL THE WAY THROUGH. I saw her live in a little club in Davis California about the time of this release. There are no artists like her these days, and she is one of a kind in a cookie cutter world. Wish she would look inside herself and write another record. so gifted, soooo slow in output.