Customer Reviews

The Unplugged Collection

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This collection may be the last of John Denver's recordings to have been released. Although none of the songs are new, they are all marked by a maturity of voice and expression which sets them apart from prior versions. John once remarked that he was surprised by the fact that he could find new meaning in songs he had been performing for 20 or more years. Even though we've heard the songs many times, these performances are enlightened by a freshness and vitality and honest emotion that make them sound new. It's as if John is saying, "Here's where I've come to, after all these years. What do you think?"

The quality of the recorded sound is outstanding and deserves special mention. It's among the finest I have heard. It's almost like he is sitting on the other side of the room from you.

If you believe that John's voice got deeper, richer, and better with age then this is the CD for you. Often I wished for John to rerecord some of his earlier hits with the more mature voice that he developed over the years. That is exactly what he did with the Unplugged Collection. This album has most of your old favorites sung with a passion that was not as evident in his earlier recordings. A must have for any John Denver fan!

This recording, from 1996, is a great collection for those who remember Denver from the '70s but are unfamiliar with his work in the '80s and '90s. It includes acoustic re-recordings of songs originally released either on RCA or on his Windsong label. It is important to note that "Unplugged" is the same as "A Celebration of Life" except "Unplugged" includes four more songs: Annie's Song, Seasons of the Heart, For You and Thank God I'm a Country Boy. For me, this definitely makes this import worthwhile. If you like this I also recommend the album Earth Songs which is a similar album (re-recordings, mostly) from, I believe, 1990.

On a comeback trail that promised an eagerly awaited new album, John Denver's life was tragically cut short ironically by his most favourite of pastimes - flying. The 'Unplugged Collection' represents a completely new insight into some of JD's classics, that still sound as good as ever with his more mature and deeper voice. It's such a shame that JD was taken at such a young age, just as he was regaining some of his credibility as an outstanding artist.(In my opinion, he never lost it) Of the few recorded works of JD in his 50's, this is as good as any previous ones, BRILLIANT!!!

I thought I had heard the absolute best of John Denver - I'm a huge fan, and have pretty much everything he has recorded. This CD almost replaces them all - all of the songs have been rerecorded and updated, and his voice has never been more powerful. And I thought "Windsong" couldn't get any better! This recording is NOT live, like the title on the web page says, and is not just John and his guitar...there are plenty of songs with an orchestral background. This version of "Annie's Song" is just gorgeous, and "For You" has much more piano than the original recording. "I'm Sorry" sounds so much fuller with the addition of bass and drums. I know it sounds corny, but this CD will bring you to tears - it's simply that beautiful. What a huge, huge loss when we lost John Denver. If you're a fan, you cannot miss this one - he has never been better.

I've loved John Denver since I was a kid. I'd listen to him on my parent's 8-track and watch for him religiously on The Muppet Show! This album has to be his finest. I have several of his CDs and it is a treat to listen to his early stuff and then to put this one on. His voice has a richness and purity to it that only comes from wisdom and experiences (not to mention decades of singing). The maturity of his voice and his emotions in this one just go right through you. Especially in "For You." It's just heart-breaking that there won't be anything new from him ever again. He is one that will stand the test of time.

This is by far my favourite JD CD. There's no electronic frippery, no cast of thousands arrangements. Recorded in Nashville, it is a mature work that showcases what John did best - his songwriting and his singing. "Perhaps Love" in a simple, acoustic arrangement is the highlight for me.

I'm a big Denver fan, but the original recordings to me were near perfect. I purchased this because everyone gave it such rave reviews. Yes, his voice is strong, but it also seems more forced - like he was trying to prove how well he could sing. Several of the recordings reminded me of someone trying to sing them in a choir, with vibrato and vocal tricks.

Call me stubborn, but I think that only seriously serious Denver fans need this cd in their collection. If you like comparing one recording to the other, then by all means, buy it. If you want memories, stick to the originals.

There is nothing better than an accoustic c.d. to show us the quality of a singers voice and material. This is my favourite release of John Denver. I miss him. Gayle.

John Denver is one of my favorite musicians. A lot of times when musicians go "unplugged" they change the songs so much there is no point in listening to them. This album is great because it is different then the greatest hits, has a lot of his really good songs and I definitely give it a thumbs up. You should own this cd