Customer Reviews

Seattle: Songs I Love

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

 

 

I had heard rumours that tracks on this album were to be transfered from vinyl....I did not believe them. but, oh yes they did. Although the "Seattle" album is quite crisp it is so evident that the "Songs I Love" album has been transfered from LP. Some tracks are muffled and you can quite clearly hear the clicks from the vinyl transfer.....an absolute disgrace in 2004.....an insult to the Como legacy....avoid like the plague!!!!

Perry's great, but this is a horrible sounding CD. I guess it may be worth it if all you have is an old beat up LP, but this really is a tragedy. Shame on you Collectibles and BMG.

With no disrespect to the other reviewer, I quite enjoyed the CD. It is an interesting combination: one of Perry's lively albums from the last phase of his recording career, and one of his mid-career "love" albums. The great voice works its magic on both types of songs. I thought the "sound" was quite good. Maybe my ageing ears are not as discerning. I bought the CD after much hestitation (having read the other review), and I am very glad I did. I would not want to have missed this. If you like Como, I think you will find this a good addition to your collection.

The other reviewers warn us, and they are all right! Perry is in fine voice, as always, but the manufacturer, OLDIES, and BMG, display their total disregard for quality reproduction here once again. Tracks 18-23 particularly have the worst background hiss of ANY cd l've ever purchased. Perry would rightly be banging on the lid of his coffin if he knew what was going on here. l've emailed OLDIES that l expect a refund( it's no one at Amazon's fault, through whom l purchased it ) , or at least a decent explanation, yet l'm not holding my breath. We'd be all better off if the one doing the remastering at OLDIES would hold there's, and the sooner the better!

This is probably the worst effort ever made by Collectables, the third party budget label who are well known for using multi generational sources and poor mastering.

This CD brings together a somewhat erratic pairing of Perry Como's RCA Victor albums: "The Songs I Love" [1963] and "Seattle" [1969] which are very different musically and technically.

Both albums are clearly sourced on this CD from Records in poor condition. The "Seattle" songs are very bass light and the whole of the second side recordings of "The Songs I Love" are muffled. This is a very crude attempt to cover up poor sources and should be noticeable to all listeners, regardless of equipment used and the listener's observance.

"The Songs I Love" was released by BMG Japan in 1993 to a very good standard, but you will be very fortunate to locate copies of these CD's outside of Japan. "Seattle" however, has yet to be issued in full on a recommendable CD release at all.

What many failed to understand is that the earlier Collectables CD releases of Perry Como (from 2001), represented the best ever attempt made by this budget label. The sources were mainly Original Release Master Tapes. It is unfortunate that the tapes used were worn; but this is not a big concern because the 1st Generation Masters are fully intact in the vaults. It is these original masters which need to be digitally re-mixed and re-mastered. It is the fact that so many complained about the 2001 releases that clearly made Collectables go back to their old ways - using multi generational sources. We as consumers will determine the standard. If we happily except poor quality products without question or complaint, companies will continue to produce such releases. Collectables have little incentive to do better because their main market supports mediocrity, are unaware of sources or simply don't care.

Perry deserves the very best sources and engineering of his entire legacy; as do all artists who's recordings were made to a very high standard - both musically and technically.

Best of the best for Como! His style and equisite voice is pure classic!

Como's 1969 LP opens with a number, "Happiness Comes, Happiness Goes," that suggests the easy listening pop vocalist was late getting to a groovy party hosted by Esquivel. But after only one groovy concoction of fuzz guitars and organ, the album reverts to the light, warm pop that Mister C had been landing on the charts since the early 1940s. The album's hit was a remake of "Seattle," the theme to television's Here Come the Brides. It's upbeat harpsichord, organ and horns cracked the Top 40 and reached #2 on the adult contemporary chart. The album's other period piece is "That's All This Old World Needs," whose optimism was a better fit for August's Woodstock than December's Altamont. Working with RCA staff producers Andy Wiswell and Chet Atkins, Como selected a range of material, including the Brothers Four's melancholy hit, "Turnaround," the cheery, Mitch Miller-y "Deep in Your Heart," and the bluesy "Beady Eyed Buzzard." Como also recorded a pair of tunes from the legendary Cindy Walker, and his work with Atkins in the famed "Nashville Sound" studio gives several tracks a pop-country feel. Como was perhaps the very easiest of easy listening vocalists, but the lack of pyrotechnics in his vocal style made records recorded in his late `50s as smoothly ingratiating as those waxed in his younger years. Don't be fooled by the opening track, this is a solid easy-pop album with `60s pop-country colors. [©2011 hyperbolium dot com]