These Are the Days

Gino Vannelli | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hip-O Records
• ASIN: B000E0LM2G
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,326 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars YES ! (but only for die hard fans, or as starting point), March 26, 2006

By 

Torquemada "dunlopilo" (Atlanta, Georgia USA / Madrid, Spain.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: These Are the Days (Audio CD)

Greetings and congratulations to all the (good) music lovers and the Vannelli fans ! here is the new harvest from his majesty Gino ! Having all he has released and many of the things he has collaborated on, you could call me one of Gino Vannelli's fans. So when this cd came out, I did not have to hesitate too long.

As I am writing, I am asking myself what Gino and the record company were trying to do. If you read the inside of the booklet, you will see that, initially, this was supposed to be a greatest hits (yet another?) compilation made by Gino himself. He goes on saying that he got an old guitar out of the closet and started composing a bunch of songs. The result was a "balanced" album with 7 new songs, and 7 old ones.

So where's the problem, why 3 stars ? Well, as I said, this is sort of an inconsistent project. Either you give us a new album, either it's a best of. But here we're sort of halfway, so none of the two. And as for me, the seven remastered songs don't add anything to my collection since I have the 3 cd collection (that is a true gem) where all those songs are already featured. I personally would have liked a (daring and innovative) different version for songs 8 to 14. Gino does that so well (been to 3 concerts, each time saw different interpretation of his songs) that this was a disappointment. Besides, haven't we already heard "I just wanna stop" over and over and over on local FMs ?

Having said that, out of the seven new songs on part one of THIS cd, 5 are fabulous. As said by other reviewers, they are in the line of Slow Love, but when you listen several times and look for details (Gino's music has always been detail and quality oriented), you will find it is a nice blend of his earlier style (his first four albums), his mid career (Nightwalker, Black Cars, Big Dreamers and Unconsolable man), and his jazzier side (Slow love, Yonder Tree). My two favourites are Venus Envy and Eastwest world, two very powerful tacks.

In short, excellent purchase if you don't have the ultimate collection 3 cd set or if you want to start listening to this unique voice and talent. Otherwise, it falls a bit short with just 7 songs...

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Return to form, May 19, 2006

By 

Mark Thompson (LA, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: These Are the Days (Audio CD)

Yes, I can hear the complaints now. Why include seven old Gino classics and not make room for seven other new tracks? I agree. Like most of you I have every one of Gino's CDs, and to add ANOTHER semi greatest hits package to the collection is tedius.

However, I gave this CD five stars because of the seven new tracks that are included here. I fell in love with the Gino sound back in the late seventies, and this CD is the truest to that form that I have heard from Gino in years. I loved 'Slow Love' and even 'Yonder Tree', but found that Gino was taking me on a new path of his which was a bit more jazzy than I was looking for. I can't say that I'm a fan of 'Canto', but at the same time, appreciate his need and desire to stretch. I give him that. I'm a true fan.

But these seven new tracks are his very best I have heard from him in years. It's the 'pop' Gino that I love. 'Venus Envy' is probably my favorite up tempo track on the CD, but he decided to give us possibly the greatest ballad he has ever written in 'Great Divide.'

Yes you have to fork over the money for seven old Gino favorites to get to some of the best NEW Gino he has blessed us with in maybe two decades.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mellow fun tunes, January 7, 2007

By 

B. Dodds (Southeast U.S.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: These Are the Days (Audio CD)

Finally something new from one of my favorite artists. The new stuff is quite good, kind of jazzy and fun, but still not as great as some of my earlier favorites. Generallly upbeat, great vocals. Should be liked by most Gino fans.