Customer Reviews

Songs of Love

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

 

 

It would be hard-pressed, if not impossible, to find faults with Matt Monro's delivery of love songs in this box set. He has a distinctive style that is a class of its own, an emotional content that is precise yet expressive. Perhaps it is just as well he was not as widely successful as he should have been. For us his die-hard fans we'll always take pride in that we are in the minority that know and appreciate his contribution to music and songs the way they are meant to go together.

Matt Monro was England's gift to the world of pop singing, and is one of my very favorite singers. His smooth, slightly smoky sound, his amazing breath control, perfect enunciation, and classic interpretations with no vocal gimmicks, make him a master of the ballad, and an incomparable singer of love songs.
This 3 Disc collection spans the years 1960-1980, with every number a gem, except for "And You Smiled" on Disc # 2 from 1973, which is the only song of the 44 presented that sounds a little dated.

Some of the best songs throughout the years have been written for film, and Matt sings many of the best, like "From Russia with Love" which he sang in the 1963 James Bond film, the gorgeous "Speak Softly Love", from Nino Rota's score for "Godfather I", and one I adore, Michel Legrand's "I Will Wait for You", from "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg".
The big band arrangement of Irving Berlin's "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is fabulous, and will make you want to put on your Fred and Ginger shoes, and his phrasing in "Autumn Leaves" is simply astounding.

There are also many songs from Broadway shows, like "Somewhere" from "West Side Story", "Hello Young Lovers" from "King and I" and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" from "My Fair Lady".
Other highlights for me are Jimmy Webb's "Didn't We", and a song that is not sung enough by contemporary singers, "Love is a Many Splendored Thing"; a real treat, sung in heavily accented Spanish, is a marvelous rendition of Jaques Brel's "If You Go Away" ("No Me Dejes"). Matt was very popular in South America, and listening to this track, one can understand why.

Matt had a hard early life, growing up in the East End of London, and even did a stint as a truck driver, until George Martin (who produced The Beatles) heard him and was instrumental in putting him on the road to fame, with songs like "Portrait of My Love" which was a Top 10 hit in the U.K. in 1960.
Matt's health was compromised by his drinking habit, and unfortunately he passed on of liver cancer in 1985 at the age of 54; fortunately his recordings live on, to be heard for all time by those who appreciate the finest in singing.
The fold out inserts only have a song list, and no acknowledgements are made for the arrangements, but I would assume most of them were done by Johnnie Spence; the sound is good and total playing time is: Disc # 1, 51'52. Disc # 2, 51'41, and Disc # 3, 59'37.

This CD has provided me with countless hours of listening pleasure. What a shame that Mr. Monro was contemporaneous with Frank Sinatra and was borne in England for it could have been him with the highest reputation. Sinatra was great but Monro was not even a step behind perhaps even better. I highly recomend this CD. "Walkaway" must be one of the greatest songs of all time and yet very unappreciated.

If anybody ever looks blank when you mention Matt's name, just point out that he immortalized the Theme Song for From Russia With Love. If they don't recognize the man's brilliance immediately as in "Oh him... amazing voice" they are either too young or have no musical taste whatsoever.

This is a classic selection of Matt's work and absolutely ridiculous value at the price Amazon.com are offering. Pick any song at random and you will realize that this man was literally second to nobody in this world. Like Jack Jones (another of my fave singers) Matt was his own man and never walked in anybody's shadow.

Who knows, maybe if he'd been born on our side of the Atlantic, he could have soared even higher, but as other fans have said, it is actually very gratifying to know that we always knew him for the genius that he truly was.

I wish we in this country had the opportunity to share his music as much as his fellow brits. What a marvelous talent. He left us much too soon. How fortunate that his best work has been preserved.

There never was anyone as good Maatt Monro and never will be. and that's including Old Blue Eyes.

His voice is among the best of the best, in fact, MATT MONRO IS UNRIVALED. If you are or have been in love, wish to be in love, or loved and lost, there is something meaningful for you in this collection of 54 songs. Matt's voice evokes emotion and is meant to be felt as well as heard, it is warm, passionate and slightly haunting, and he seems to be singing, "to you alone." He sings from his heart, his delivery is distinctive, voice lush, the warmth of his emotive voice touches my heart and it's sure to touch yours too.
Phyllis Dugas-Kaye

I love Matt Monro. He sounds just like Frank Sinatra. He has many wonderful songs in this set. Love it!

Yes, the magnificent Matt Monro distinctive sound is slightly lacking, but the price for this great collection makes it worth it. I have been a MM fan for well over 40 years so I know the best MM sound. I do not know why these CD's are not perfect, ie. careless recording, old masters, etc. I am happy nonetheless. I now think that I have all of his recordings. My guess is that a perfect CD set (3 CD's) of this music would cost between 5 and 10 times the Amazon price. I ripped this music onto my computer at the highest quality and it is just fine to listen to. I highly recommend these CD's to all MM fans, but act quickly, Amazon only has a few left. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

There's something wrong with this Amazon page. This item is listed as having three discs (as is confirmed by one of the reviewers) yet only 12 songs are listed. And, when you listen to the samples, this is NOT Matt Monro's voice - or maybe it's his voice at the wrong speed! Amazon is doing this item and this great vocalist a disservice by not correcting this page and making the appropriate adjustments...Richard Dinsmore