Customer Reviews

So Smooth / We Get Letters

5 star:		(5)
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A quality transfer. For those who missed the Japanese Cd releases this a golden opportunity to hear Como at his very best! Don't assume the other Cd's from Perry on "Collectables" are of the same standard, some are quite poor.

Another one of my Dad's favorite vinyl LP's he bought in the early 60's that became scratched and almost unplayable. This is a quality CD release and the album speaks for itself as being "SO SMOOTH" and IS the best album by Perry Como. Every person I have had listen to this album, who has all kinds of music tastes, can't believe this is Perry Como. Another one of my FAVORITE ALBUMS OF ALL TIME.

The ultimate in easy listening. "We Get Letters" is particularly interesting in that Como foregoes the big band backing for a smaller, tighter ensemble. Absolutely wonderful, you can't take this away from me.

As RCA's cleanup hitter of the day, Perry had to cover the hits of his contemporaries on other labels. Fortunately, I don't recall his doing Peggy's tunes other than "It's a Good Day." He does several covers of Frank's Capitols here, very well. Perry's weakness in this role is that his emotional range is limited (you can't be noncommital about "hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate") in addition to which the Ray Charles Singers springing out of the closet at the climax of that ultimate expression of aloneness "In the Still of the Night" is downright grotesque.

I've compared the small-group recordings of "We Get Letters" to Dean Martin's "Swingin' Down Yonder" to Dean's considerable advantage. Perry's great in the grand settings in which his hits, from "Temptation" on, were scored. I'd rather direct new listeners there.

Two albums on one disc. So Smooth has some good small group tracks. The winner is We Get Lettera. Como in a small group jazz setting.with Boomie Richman, Mel Davis and Tony mottola adding great support. Wrll worth the pric, and thew usual great service.

I have been a Perry Como fan since the late forties. I had a record entitled So Smooth,released in 1955. It was destroyed in a house fire in 1992 and I have not been able to replaceit. I believe it was released on a CD in May 2001 and I would like to have it. FROM WHOM CAN I ORDER IN SOUTH AFRICA & CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME IDEA OF THE COST
Kind regards,
Buddy Chamen

This CD from Collectables consists of Perry Como's first 2 12'' RCA Victor Albums: "So Smooth" [1955] and "We Get Letters" [1957]. The former was released in the UK under the title "We Get Letters - Volume 2" as a follow up to the 1957 album.

The sources of this collection are Release Master tapes and this is another good effort from Collectables. Many are unaware that the 1st Generation Masters for both of these albums are understood to be STEREO. "So Smooth" was in effect recorded as 3-track STEREO. Perry's vocal was recorded after the Orchestral accompaniment which on it's own was 2 Track STEREO. The same effect from the "Saturday Night With Mr. C" album should be possible from the "So Smooth" recordings. "We Get Letters" was recorded, at least partly in BINAURAL STEREO. It is clear that the album developed over a long period of time and some of the recordings stretch back to the year before (1956). This is another example of the importance of getting back to the 1st Generation Masters, as well as having them digitally re-mixed and re-mastered by competent engineers.

This Perry Como release from the original Collectables series of 2001 again, represents very good value for money and the best effort that this budget label has ever made.