Customer Reviews

Portrait of an American Girl

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

 

 

It is so difficult to discuss Judy Collins without getting mired down in superlatives. Since the 1960's she has graced us with her beautiful voice clear as a Colorado mountain spring and has always spoken out for the rights of all people. Once again she has given us such a fine collection of 12 songs, five of which are her own compositions, and Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait." Some of the songs are humorous--"Sally Go 'Round The Roses"-- there's a love song or two, Judy's "You Can't Buy Love," for example. For the most part, however, many of these selections are spiritual introspections with references to God and the end of life not often seen before in Ms. Collins' music. Not to worry. She apparently hasn't jumped off a cliff and joined a cult. She is I believe a good Episcopalian and actually invokes both gods and goddesses in one selection, a beautiful tribute to her husband, "Wedding Song (Song for Louis)."

"Singing Lessons," the first cut on the CD, written by Ms. Collins (one of my favorites) is a prayer for God to "Teach me how to sing." That prayer obviously was answered long ago. In "I Can't Cry Hard Enough," written by David Williams and Marvin Etzoni, the singer is going to live her life/"Like everyday is the last." In clearly the most poignant selection Ms. Collins sees her "darling boy" in a crowd of strangers "So familiar and dear to me/I run towards you." She strikes a universal chord here as all of us have seen a stranger in a crowd who looks so much like a departed loved one that we almost cry out in anguish. And we are reminded once more that no mother should have to attend the funeral of her child. The Copland "Lincoln Portrait" at first seems strangely ill-selected. On the other hand-- and I certainly don't know Ms. Collins' motive in including this work-- why not include a tribute to our greatest president, someone else so good with words and who also believed in freedom? Certainly we as citizens have a right to hold our 43rd and war president up against the 16th, another war president, and ask how he ranks. This beautiful CD ends with a hymn by the 19th Century gospel and hymn writer/Baptist minister Robert Lowry who wrote "Christ Arose","Nothing But The Blood", "I Need Thee Every Hour" and "Shall We Gather at the River." Ms. Collins sings a stunning a capella arrangement with a backup choir of Lowry's "How Can I Keep From Singing." When you listen to this CD, you have the answer.

Ms. Collins accompanies herself on piano on many of these cuts, reminding us that she was trained as a classical pianist. Apropos of the title "Portrait of an American Girl" there are many photographs included with the notes of Judy as both a very young child and teenager, along with snapshots of her family. Finally, Annie Liebovitz has done stunning portraits of the artist for the front and back of this CD.

This is a required recording for those of us who love Ms. Collins, who have often measured out our lives in listening to her recordings. One could do much worse.

Being a french fan since 1964 I am bewildered by this extraordinary voice. Unbelievable ! How can Judy surprise me after all these years ?
"Singing Lessons" and "Wedding songs" were already in her book "Singing Lessons". The other songs are all perfect.
Judy reaches first class quality with generally the minimum accompanyment.
"That song about the midway" is a good reminiscence of the beginnings of her friend Joni Mitchell.
"Sally go round the roses" goes far beyond the first version.
"I can't cry hard enough", "Liberté" (thank you for the french word) and "How can I keep for singing" are real masterpieces.
All the other songs are great and versatile.
Any frenchman with a good ear to whom we present Judy (not enough known in France) thinks she is a wonderful singer. A rare singer who knows how to sing well.

Please put the front picture with Judy with open eyes instead of the back picture. Judy with her so beautiful eyes deserves it !

Thank you so much, dear Judy.

"Portrait of an American Girl" is a set of new recordings by Judy Collins. Born May 1, 1939, she was 65 years old at the time of this recording. Her crystalline voice is amazing for its lovely quality. This is one of the most beautiful sets released this year, worthy of "best of" lists at the end of the year. She opens with a song she penned, "Singing Lessons," whose lovely melody & her exquisite voice are matched against her piano & lifts the track to a polished performance, "And I heard you say death is just a dream; Make your songs again, you must always sing." When Judy Collins scored her only top ten hit with Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" that went to #8 in 1968, she was one of the first champions of Joni Mitchell's music. Her version in this set of Joni's "That Song About the Midway" is superb as Judy's voice floats high, "Wearing wings, you looked so grand, wearing wings; Do you tape them to your shoulders just to sing?" A girl group from the Bronx called The Jaynettes had a #2 hit with "Sally Go Round the Roses" in 1963. Judy makes this sound like a long-lost folk tune rather than an early-60s rock hit, "The saddest thing in this whole wide world is to see your baby with another girl." Bruce Cockburn recorded "Pacing the Cage" for his CD "The Charity of Night"; and it was also recorded by Jimmy Buffett. When Judy sings, "I've proven who I am so many times, the magnetic strip's worn thin," we feel a sense of tiredness in her expression, although it's never hinted at in her voice. "I Can't Cry Hard Enough" was recorded by Victoria Williams whose high-pitched vibrato embraced the tune on her 1990 "Swing the Statue" CD. With Judy Collins, it packs an elegant punch. Train's "Drops of Jupiter" may seem like an unusual choice, but like the classic song stylist she is, Judy makes it fit her like a glove. Collins' "Voyager" is a lovely song with her elegant piano, "Morning came today and you are here." "Portrait of an American Girl" is a gorgeous set, a cause for celebration for Judy Collins fans old & new. Bravo!

I admit I haven't been listening to Judy much in recent years. My tastes changed & the compilations seemed to signal the end of her recording career, though she still performs constantly. This is a pleasant surprise and a delight for the most part.

Standouts are That Song About The Midway and I Can't Cry Hard Enough. Those and Pacing The Cage are pure classics. Judy is better using her chest voice and the mix on these songs with her head voice is perfect.

I was afraid of Sally Go 'Round The Roses but what a great vocal arrangement!! Is this an old folk song or a 50's oldie? Can't Buy Love is an overdone theme. She might have saved it with a full band though.

I wish she had followed Lincoln Portrait with her rendition of America The Beautiful. (At least the synthesized orchestra here is well done) There is some puzzlement from other reviewers about the Lincoln Portrait. Listen to Abraham Lincoln's words...they are a totally current message about the state of our country, war, and a message for our current government. I think Judy is making a great statement with it!

Beginning the album with Singing Lessons and ending it with How Can I Keep From Singing is another statement. Judy is humble but not about to stop--a testament to a very long career that is not over.

This collection won't disappoint Judy Collins fans who've been waiting a decade for an album of new material. Five of the songs were written by Ms. Collins, and all thirteen are decidedly "Judy Collins songs," forming an up-to-date self-portrait of this American girl. Though there is heartbreak in the lyric and yearning in the voice on many of the songs, as always, the lasting message is one of hope and optimism, the resilience of the human spirit, and the transformative power of song. In her long career, Judy Collins has created a large musical legacy, but never has her voice and music been more moving than on Portrait of An American Girl.

Judy Collins at her passionate best. Such a set of poignant songs, beautifully presented. Soul-touching and heart-rending. I had just seen her in concert and she is better than ever, and this album reflects that.

It has been several years since Judy Collins has produced an original album, but Portrait of An American Girl is worth the wait. It is a hauntingly beautiful album that is contemporary in its content and classically Judy Collins in sound and feel. That Song About the Midway, I Can't Cry Hard Enough, and Pacing the Cage are standout tracks in their own right, but following her son's suicide, Singing Lessons, Voyager, and Checkmate are personal introspections that let us into Judy's thoughts and help the listener reflect on his own. Lincoln Portrait is a beautiful recitation based on Lincoln's words, and it is a powerful statement about the state of our world today.

Although every singer's voice changes over time, Judy's voice sounds as clear and radiant as ever. I don't know of any other singer who has been producing music for as long as Judy and whose voice has remained so pure. Some production tricks give us Judy harmonizing with herself and the sounds of an orchestra or single instruments that aren't really there at times, but these effects complement the arrangements rather than detract from them, and I'm glad these choices were made to make the most of these songs and Judy's voice using today's technology. Throughout the album, her own piano playing accompanies most tracks beautifully.

Any Judy Collins fan should listen to this cd, and anyone who wants a comforting and empowering album should give it a try. Judy has a remarkable way of turning her difficulties and sorrow into hope and inspiration and sharing it with her listeners. That is what she has done again with Portrait of An American Girl.

Judy Collins returns with a CD that is one of the year's most pleasant surprises. While very few people could disagree with the claim that Collins possesses one of the best voices in all of popular music, the fact that she was able to produce an album that is as fine as any collection she's delivered in her 40+ year career, is welcome news to adults still in search of a beautiful melody and intelligent lyric. "Portrait of An American Girl" doesn't contain any filler. Highlights include "Singing Lessons," Joni Mitchells's "That Song About the Midway," Bruce Cockburn's "Pacing the Cage," and, what may become Judy's next signature song, "I Can't Cry Hard Enough."

The best song in the collection, is the self-penned "Checkmate"-- a haunting song that deals with the loss of her son.

In a time when contemporary music has evolved into nothing more than a cesspool, a musical continuum polluted and poisoned by endless talentless deadbeats( take for example muscele-headed rock,the worthless world of Rap =all of who make sick religious fanatics appear sane)who have contributed to the decaying musical landscape that has become nothing more than a filthy toilet.Going along for the ride, has been such magazines as Rolling Stone Magazine that are nothing more than journalistic septic tanks.Among all this, however, there sometimes comes a recording of music by a genuine artist who has not forgotten and still has the ability to wrap beauty,love, empathy and intellagence into a song. JUDY COLLINS is one such artist-her new CD "potrait of an american girl" is one of the greatest recordings that has come along in YEARS(arguably her best work since "True Stories And Other Dreams").Ms.Collins CD musical recordings in the past have often lacked direction and concept.Her CD's have often been nothing more than a beautiful photo with just a collection of songs sung with her beautiful voice.Whatever the case,"potrait of an american girl" is a musical masterpiece, that like a Van Gogh painting takes time to get acquainted with.Each song is filled with integrity and originality. Her voice(unlike so many other artists from the 1960's) has only improved over the years.On this CD her voice melodically sooths the listener like a quiet wind over a country field on a summers day. Leaving each listener in a musical state of self awareness and self -reflection. Above all though, Ms. Collins reminds us, that there is no fence or hedge around time.You can go back and remember what you like-that's if however,you have the courage and sensitivity to recall it well enough.

This album is new material, and it sounds wonderful. I had sworn off any more Collin's compliations, and this was a real surprise. It's heart felt, too. In some previous albums, her terrific saprano belted away emotion, but not here; this is really one of the best things she has given us in a long time. Avoid the spoken word tract, everyting else is a gem.