Customer Reviews

Reveries

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

 

 

Though I heard Paolo Conte on th radio, it wasn't until the Best Of album that I became a serious listener and admirer of the Lawyer - Singer from Torino. He combines very interesting melodies with beautiful orchestration, a masculine voice and lyrics that make you think. As another reviewer suggested Reveries might be an even better album than "The Best" from 1998. It features re-structured and orchestrated classic hits from Conte's long career like "Dancing", and my personal favorite "Aguaplano". Indeed, I recommend getting the album for that song alone. I also love the melancholic "Paris" and "Chiamami". I've owned this album for over a year and enjoy it every time I listen to it.

There you are with the latest Conte on the player, relaxing in the recliner, with the headphones on, grooving to Paolo's raspy voice in your ears, and then.....the kazoo cuts in. Instant grin material. Was first introduced to PC on an all jazz FM station when they played Lemon Gelato. Next step was to the library and I was hooked. He is a TALENT! And for those into good performers try Mariza, an upcoming Portugese Fado singer. Another great voice/performer. Happy listening.

My boyfriend surprised me with Conte's new CD; I didn't even know it was released. It's more mellow, more melodic than the best of, which I love to play in the car while I'm driving around. It's wonderful to sink into the rich melange of tango, Rota, klezmer, and lots of other eclectic sources. I'm still suprised how little known in the US is this composer's work.

A delightful followup to his previous American release (1998's "Best Of" collection) which shows Conte's continuing playfulness, passion and original and engaging musical arrangements. An immensely appealing performer, whose work is surprisingly and consistently enchanting. Recommended!

Excellent. Not a torch singer or boulevardier as I normally think of one. In no way debonair--less suave, more American. Think Jean Paul Belmondo or Jean Reno. Looser and less midstream pop. Variety of Latin rhythms. European cabaret/Cirque du Soleil settings with just enough dissonance to stay out of trouble. Gravelly, gruff, tough, cool, world-wise, and playful old guy declaiming as much as singing. Stand-outs: tr 3-Dancing (electric tensions hold several layers in sync); tr 15-Diavolo rosso (klezmer cattle drive) [69:04]

This one, for my money, is even better than Paolo's "Best of", which is excellent in its own right. Besides wonderful songs, in a great variety of styles, and his individual voice, this disk has a veritable cornucopia of instruments. The first three tracks have baritone sax solos, a greatly underused instrument in my opinion.

The list of instruments used here is: piano, guitar, double bass, drums, percussion, synthesizer, soprano, alto, contralto, tenor and baritone saxophones, trombone, trumpet, oboe, French horn, clarinet, flute, violin, viola, cello, electric guitar, electric bass, ukulele, accordion, bandoncon and kazoo! Whew! I've never heard of a contralto sax before.

I took me some time to get beyond the first three tracks, which are individually excellent. When I did venture further, I found many other gems. I cannot say there is a single track that is not worth listening to, which I find highly unusual. I tend to listen to the whole album, which is not my usual approach when playing CDs

I guess you could say I like this CD!

Better, by far, than the "best of", this CD has a lot of songs I've only heard him perform live. Get it. Now. No, seriously. Go ahead.

You can get lost here in Conte world. Beautifully recorded with a very intimate sound that has the power to transport you smack in the middle of a Fellini movie. A good Felinni movie. I need to meet this man.

Unfortunately the case was broken on one side. The CD works fine. But I am old style and like to have the whole thing.
brigitte

We first heard him in a restaurant background in tuscany and immediately went to the manager and said "who is this" and he looked disdainfully and said "Paolo Conte" as if, who else?? His music is full of wonderful instruments, rhythms, musical jokes, sorrow and hearbreak. Simply incomparable, in the truest sense of the word, and this album is my favorite, I go humming it around all the time. The first cut on the album is so remarkable that it is hard to describe - a whole life of longing in his talking voice, with a baritone clarinet backing him up and just leads on through the rest, he has great musicians, is a great writer/arranger, and can't imagine what it would be like to hear him in Italy - and it will have to be there since he doesn't seem to leave. Why should he? He is a national treasure.