Customer Reviews

Unforgettable

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

 

 

I knew some day Merle would record a big band album and i have been waiting for it.
He can't hardle do anything bad as far as music is concerned. If you are a "dyed in the wool" Merle Haggard fan as I am you will buy this album. The four songs that make it worth the purchase are, "I Can't get started" "Still missing you" "Going away party" and my most favorite of all, "What love can do"
This Man is a GREAT artist!

As usual, merle turns in a great performance, but this disc is copy protected, and plays with clicks on both my phillips 963 players, like a long scratch on an lp.The phillips was produced in the last 2 years. On my older jvc, and older toshiba, i hear a buzzing twang in parts of some songs.It does play allright on my 7 year old sony cd changer.I will have to copy it using analog jacks from my sony to my cd recorder.It seems as if the music industry is trying to drive away the last of us paying customers

Merle has probably been more celebrated for his songwriting than his singing over the years, but this CD shows why so many of us love this mans' singing voice. Wow! 67 years old, and he could never have sung these songs better. Merle may be accused of jumping on the pop standards bandwagon, but he's had these songs in the can for awhile, and has recorded many pop songs (in this style) over the years. The choice of material is outstanding (although "Cry me a river" isn't as suited to his voice, and "Unforgettable" is just too associated with The King (Nat, that is). His readings of "The Gypsy", "Stardust" (man! What a song, what a version), "I can't get started", "I'll get by", and "You're nobody 'til somebody loves you" are beautiful. His original, "What love can do" is as nice as anything on here (who else has the talent to write a new song to go with this level of material?). This version of "Goin' away party" is now the definitive one, and what a great song it is (it was on the last Bob Wills album).The musicianship is great (and, as always for Merle, in good taste). I know this won't sell like the (gasp) Rod Stewart abominations of standards, and what a shame that is. As much acclaim as he has had, I still feel that somehow Merle is still underappreciated and underrated. He is absolutely one of the greatest musical artists this world has seen, and there are no more Merle Haggards' coming down the road. Buy this CD, pour some wine, and listen to it with someone you love. Long live the Hag!

How many albums have (or don't have) the title "Unforgettable"? Better for Hag to stake out his originality rather than associate himself too closely with Nat, Bing, or Sinatra. Listening to this recording with these other singers in mind is an invitation to disappointment. Most noticeable when mining this musical territory is an inconsistency in Merle's vocal timbre and diction. He hasn't learned which vowel sounds require alteration for the sound to resonate or, for that matter, how to switch dynamic levels without altering the basic texture of his voice.

On the other hand, comparing Merle to numerous "legit" singers who have attempted to go "pop" or, for that matter, to Willie Nelson or Rod Stewart produces a far more favorable assessment. In fact, the reading of "Stardust" on this album strikes me as more deeply felt, affecting and natural than Willie's version. This is an album that kind of grows on you--not quite 4 stars but, in anticipation of playing it some more, I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. Moreover, he's revived at least a couple of good old songs--"I'll Get By" and "The Gipsy"--that even Sinatra never got around to doing.

I'm a big fan of Merle Haggard the country singer-songwriter-musician. I wasn't sure about Merle Haggard the classic crooner, but it actually works out pretty well on this album. Hag seems to have found a solid middleground between faithful recreation of old arrangements and mangling things up by attempting to countrify this stuff too much. Clearly, this is Haggard... but it's a different side of Haggard that we've only seen at intervals in the past, in songs like "Always Wanting You" and others of that ilk. It's an interesting listen, and a good holiday purchase for anyone who likes either the old standards or Merle, as both are equally represented here.

Merle has always done good concept albums. Among them are the old tribute to Bob Wills, the recent "Roots, Vol. 1," and now "Unforgettable." I loved Roots. I still think that is one of the best albums ever. I wouldn't quite put "Unforgettable" up on that same plateau because Merle doing Lefty songs seemed so natural (the likeness, vocally, is remarkable), whereas Merle doing songs that were popularized by Nat King Cole and others is conceivable but not exactly intuitive. He does the songs extremely well, and the nature of this project (covering pop standards rather than country standards) will probably allow it a much broader fan base than "Roots," but I found "Roots" remarkable whereas this outing is merely fantastic.

This is an adventuruous and deft move for Haggard, but he's always been an adventurous sort of guy, so it's nice to see that he's not settling down or growing complacent as his years advance. As Merle sings his way through old classics, some forgotten gems, and a few new songs, the thread that holds the album together is the love of the music that pervades all of these performances... a love of ALL music, not just the country music that Haggard has defined, defended, and revived for the past sixty years or so. Highly recommended.

Count on Merle Haggard to give us a beautiful Christmas present -this beautiful, lush album of pop standards. His voice, after all these years, still swoops and soars and floats through these songs. Each number is gorgeously arranged - Johnny Gimble, Redd Volkaert and other greats contributed here so you know the music is utter perfection. Merle's song "What Love Can Do," co-written with his wife Theresa, proves that his songwriting prowress remains fully intact - as if we needed proof of that after "Haggard Like Never Before." What a miracle that this man is still not only in such fine voice, but also still writing songs that can make you cry.

Buy copies for everyone you love.

This cd is like a good cigar. It has a great start, and a silk smooth body, but kind of a bland finish. It is worth owning just to here Merle sing the classicis, he has that drop off of the table base in his voice, much like Bing Crosby, a very good effort by Mr. Haggard.

Always considered Merle as a great musician until this. Sings out of tune so much it is embarassing. Merle stick to what you konw! What amazes me is hoe someting this bad got released. It is so out of tune it is embarassing.

I own just about every album/tape/cd Merle ever made. I am a die hard Merle fan...BUT....Merle, you are way too mellow on this one. This to me is a cross between smooth jazz and lounge music. Not COUNTRY!! I'm sorry!! Whenever you come to our state I go to see you but if this is the future, I'll need lots of coffee to stay awake while you do this segment of your performance. Sorry "HOSS", get back to basics.

I mostly listen to two kinds of music - country and jazz. Guess what - they don't cross over. I will never play this album again.