Customer Reviews

Widescreen

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

 

 

It didn't come as any big surprise to me that Rupert Holmes moved from music to writing books. Every song is a story in itself.

"Brass Knuckles" is a Chandleresque tale of a gumshoe set out to restore the honor of a fallen partner.

"Letters that Cross in the Mail" talks about relationships dying via the foibles of communication. It's still as droll as it ever was.

"Psycho Drama" uses the voices of Radio Mystery Theatre players to recreate the long-dead radio play.

The music's definitely dated, but the themes are not. I love Holmes' wry humor and humanity. This is my favorite of his music and often revisited.

I've always considered this to be one of the great albums EVER, but oh wowo zowie - this is such a treat. The remastering is masterful; the musical nuances are clear at last. The additional tracks are wonderful, but especially terrific are Rupert's liner notes detailing the making of "Widescreen" in 1973-74. NOW I know how they made "Letters That Cross In The Mail" sound so unique..! Listening to it is still one of the most memorable musical experiences ever recorded. I can't recommend this CD highly enough.

When this album was first released on Epic Records in 1974, I thought it was brilliant. I still do. I was delighted when it was reissued on CD in 1995 on the Varese Vintage label. The album is a true blending of music and cinema...of the mind. The songs truly are movies unto themselves, short stories set to music, brilliantly written, arranged and performed. The "hit" was "Our National Pastime," wherein our hero meets a girl at a baseball game and attempts to seduce her to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner." "Letters That Cross In the Mail" (later covered by Barbra Streisand on an album Holmes produced), "Terminal" and "Second Saxophone" are all surprise-ending stories with great melodies. "Widescreen" and "Bagdad" set distinct moods in surround sound before surround sound was invented. "Talk" is one of several songs on the CD that use bittersweet humor to express universal feelings and experiences. "Phantom of the Opera" and "Soap Opera" are both truly movies-on-CD, the first a beautiful and sad plea for love, the second a very funny satire on TV's "daytime dramas". The last track, "Psycho Drama," is just that; a short spoken play with incidental music and sound effects, and guest voices like Ed Herlihy and Will Jordan (whose characters are takeoffs on Peter Lorre and James Mason). The original CD version contained two bonus tracks from other Holmes albums, "Deco Lady" and "Brass Knuckles." but that version went out of print. Now it's back with even MORE bonus tracks! What are you waiting for? BUY IT!

I stumbled across this guy by accident, and had I known he was responsible for "Escape" (The Pina Colada Song) I would have written him off immediately. But his body of songwriting is a very different story.

I was so impressed with this CD that I sought out and purchased "Cast Of Characters: The Rupert Holmes Songbook", a box set that contains just about every song he wrote and performed as a solo artist. The songs are melodic, entertaining, and thought provoking. During that era of disco and clubs and chic affectation, I was listening to "serious" rockers like Neil Young, Dylan, etc. Ironically, I think Holmes music holds up (it's admittedy different) much better for me, in it's sophistication and themes than the "rock" I was listening to then.

I view Rupert Holmes as a "lost" yet essential artist from that era. Instrumentation is often complex, the lyrics tell stories and actually challenge you to think about your life.

Great songwriting is a lost art in the era of hip hop and rap. If you like Burt Bacharach, Barry Manilow (I know what you're thinking but check out "Here At The Mayflower"), Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonalds best work, you should like "Widescreen".

Beautiful melodies, great lyrics, interesting arrangements well played. I really miss this type of craftsmanship and artistic reach in popular music.