Customer Reviews

You're Only Lonely

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Another departure from the Mavericks front man! This time he is delivering some older songs for our listening pleasure.
And a pleasure it is indeed.
Working with Peter Asher and using his own style and wonderful voice, Raul gives us his versions of some great music. I have to admit I was a bit hesitant about this project because most of these songs I love dearly, especiall 'At Last'.
However, I soon realized that there was nothing to worry about. His version of 'At Last' could easily become a classic. It's bare bones subtle, played straight with a lean toward tex-mex/country but not too much.
'You're Only Lonely', a JD Souther classic, 'Feels Like Home', very well done by Linda Ronstadt, and 'Remember' by Harry Nillsson are all great covers. But then this whole CD is done exceptionally well.
'You're Only Lonely' is done on a blue note as it should, with a wistful feeling. 'Feels Like Home' is on here twice. Once solo and once with Martina McBride. This song is easily carried out as a duet, but I prefer the solo version myself. But each are done well. 'So Sad', an Emmylou Harris tune, is carried out very nicely here.
His version of 'Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground' (a Willie Nelson song) is captivating. It starts soft and tender and finishes on a full, gospel style note. But it's his version of 'Remember' (A Harry Nilsson song) that really caught my ear. Raul makes this song poetic, wrapping the words over mental images. He keeps it mournful and romantic where Nilsson took the song into starry skies. 'Tomorrow Night' is an amazing throwback into a country/rock/doo wop mix... excellent!
But it's 'Run To Me' that really stands out here. An older Bee Gee's song (Pre-disco) that is very poingnant, he breathes new life into it. I cannot recall any other covers of this fantastic song and cudos to Raul for taking on that deed. If any song on here should get airplay it is this one.
The key element here is his voice. He has tried his talent at other styles successfully and now is showing that he can do equally well in this arena.
Raul has a timeless voice. Rich, relaxing, comforting and sounding like there is no effort at all to deliver the sound. Eagerly looking forward to his next venture I am already in the process of wearing out this CD. I stongly encourage anyone who's even considering listening to one track to buy this CD. You won't be disappointed.

"Raul Malo sees only a fine line between rock & roll, country, and salsa rhythms. Because he loves all kinds of music and doesn't like classifying tunes into set genres, his music will undoubtedly continue to slip in and out of the various rhythms, crossing cultures, and blurring musical boundaries." Malo bio.

Raul Malo voice on this CD is enough to melt even the most hardened heart. His voice is the melody on wings that flies straight to your heart. "You're Only Lonely" is about "LOVE", old love, new love, the love games men and women play, the pain of love, love lost, love remembered, love found, love songs, and love for a soul mate. It is one of the most romantic of CD's and for new love it is a must. For love that is lost, it is a soulful reflection.

Raul Malo is of Cuban derivation and born in Miami. When he became part of the group "The Mavericks', he brought his Latin roots, country rhythm and bits of rock 'n roll into the scene. They had great success and now Raul Malo is branching out on his own. This CD finds a range of old songs from many well known singers and song writers and one new song that Raul Malo wrote that "will knock your socks off".

"You're Only Lonely" is an old JD Souther song. This song brings the comparison of Malo's voice to Roy Orbison. Raul Malo has a smoother, richer voice and this from, me, a true Orbison fan. The full band brings this song to new heights.

"Angel Flying To Close To The Ground"- Willie Nelson's song has never been sung with such tenderness and love.

"Feels Like Home" Randy Newman's lovely song comes to life with Raul Malo in his single rendition, and then to even greater heights with Martina McBride, one of the magnificent duets of this year.

"So Sad" an old Everly Brothers song of love lost, "So sad to watch good love go bad."

"At Last", "My Love Has Come Along" who could ever sing this song as Etta Kames has? Raul Malo has put a new smooth twist to this song, made it his own, and I just wanted to get up and dance with my man. The full band with the trumpet solo helps to make this song one many will request time and again.

"Games That Lovers Play" was recorded by Wayne Newton and an oldie, Eddie Fisher. Raul's voice gives it a new meaning.

"For You" is a rollicking Latin rhythm that comes out of no-where and knocks your socks off. I love it! It will get you up and dancing around the room. It is a fast paced song that is needed right where it is. Your heart beat speeds up and then returns back to rest, at peace. "I want to be your sunrise, I want to be your blue eyes", I want to be your story, I want to be your glory, the secret you can tell no other".

"Secret Heart" by Ron Sexsmith, a song that has such great feeling. A secret love, you can't go through it alone.

"Run To Me" by the Bee Gees. We can feel their voices all in one with Raul. He is able to carry this song by himself and the melodious tones meld into one.

"Tomorrow Night" how many of us remember this old Elvis Presley tune, also recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis and Etta James. "Will all the thrill be gone?" Raul brings the Elvis tremors with his voice.

"Remember" Harry Nilsson made this tune one to remember. A lovely, sifting sands, soft, dreamy tune. Remember your old loves.

and then the duet with Martina McBride "Feels Like Home' that can bring tears to your eyes. A song that should become a single.

The producer on this CD, Peter Asher, had one trait Raul Malo particularly appreciated. "The most interesting thing I noticed in working with him was that he didn't really let anything get in the way of the vocals -- of a vocal line or a phrase. Everything the musicians played -- every riff, every drum fill, every little chime, whatever -- was tailored around the vocal. It was an interesting way to work, because what happens, I think, is that your ear starts to focus on the vocal, and whenever there's a little riff or a little lick, that becomes part of the hook, part of the arrangement, rather than just another fill." from a CMT interview.

This is a CD for lovers, and those who love and those who remember love. A CD that brings out memories and longing. A CD that urges you to get up and dance with your loved one. A romantic CD that will keep your eyes shining and your heart humming. Love is like a tiny bit of the universe that has shifted into place. Highly Recommended. prisrob 8-06-06

Take the earthy hunkiness of Elvis, add the intelligent sensibilities of the Beatles, the white-hot cool soul of Orbison, and top it off with Latin passion, and you have a man named Raul Malo. Since leaving the Mavericks he has shown his prowess in a variety of musical genres and this record gives us his sultry interpretation of many "old" favorites. You will never get glassy over-produced sound with Raul Malo, instead you will get the combination of technique and humanity that defines music! Working with Peter Asher, he has created a set of recordings of talented musicians so precise sometimes you can hear them make eye contact with each other. Any recording from Raul Malo is worth its weight in gold. His voice never disappoints~!

This CD should come with birth control!!! Long awaited by Malo fans, he delivers. The ultra-talented ex-Mavericks' frontman steps way, way out and leaves everyone else in the dust. Dare I say better than Orbison....there I said it (I don't regret it!!!). This one will not gather dust in your CD cabinet. Malo's delivery, especially on You're Only Lonely and At Last (that great Etta James chestnut), is something to behold. I even like the duet with Martina McBride (not usually a favorite). When you listen to this kind of music and then have to sit in silence for several minutes when its over, you have experienced greatness....no question....A must for serious music lovers and the mood music crowd!!!

Sadly, the Mavericks are no more. Eddie Perez is delighting Dwight Yoakam fans with his well-placed guitar licks; Paul Deakin and Robert Reynolds are also involved in other projects. The Mavericks were warmly embraced in 2003 after a five-year hiatus pursuing solo outings. Theirs should have been a permanent reunion but growth spurts and a limp marketing campaign helped snuff out that possibility.

Record company snafus also held up Raul Malo's second solo recording, "You're Only Lonely," for a year after it was completed. (Besides his involvement with Los Super Seven's last two recordings, Raul added his vocals to Nashville Acoustic Sessions, mostly Americana covers of old and new folk and rock songs, and has contributed to various tribute albums throughout his career. Not to mention producing Rick Trevino and KT Oslin.) In the interim, impatient listeners have been gobbling up an indie-produced live release featuring the very talented Robert Cheverier on piano, only available at Raul's performances.

Raul released "Today" in 2001, a collection of Cuban-flavored English and Spanish songs, with a couple of standards thrown in for good measure. This outing, "You're Only Lonely" features mostly selections by other songwriters that Raul gives his signature stylings to. For those who love the Cuban influence, one original, "For You" is a dervish of a dance tune that highlights Raul's broad strokes on love.

On this album, Raul does some genre-hopping in the songs he chooses to interpret. While "Feels Like Home" and "Remember" don't really test his enormous vocal range, they stick in your heart quietly, longingly. Although the title tune is not one of my favorites, I give credit to Raul for taking on a different set of "standards" than you normally hear this generation of velvet-throated crooners warble through.

Not one to disappoint anyone, in concert, demands for Mavericks hits, 60s standards, and off the wall novelty songs are met with grins and 30-second snippets dissolving into laughter from both band and audience. Raul's band includes Robert Cheverier, Jay Weaver on upright bass, and, on drums and occasional cowbell, Tom Lewis of Heybale fame (an Austin country-roots band that includes Redd Volkaert who worked with Merle Haggard and Earl Poole Ball from Johnny Cash's stable).

Raul has a fierce legion of fans who admire and support him. Everyone who comes in contact with him and his music is bowled, then won over. Raul deserves a wide audience and the world deserves to know him.

Before "You're Only Lonely" I've often wondered why I have to explain who he is (Ever heard of the Mavericks? He was the lead singer...) whenever I was asked who some of my favorite singers are.

But with "You're Only Lonely" Raul proves two things...Sometimes less really is more AND this guy could sing ANYTHING and make it an instant classic.

While the delay in getting it out may have been excruciating to his fans, the final product has proven to be more than worth the wait.

Three songs - At Last, Games That Lovers Play, and For You - have been "available" for sometime to fans who checked out the myspace.com website and Games is probably still my favorite from the album but despite listening to it countless times the rising and falling background matched with Raul's steady yet determined vocals is hypnotic. Think any of the great rock and roll ballads from Roy Orbison, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Harry Connick, Jr or any of the other great American balladeers. At Last is similarly well-done while For You is more of the quick, Latin-tinged, Big Band type numbers (picture a full dance floor of fast stepping salsa dancers with great strings highlighting all the action).

Those three however, are just a start!

The title track again proves the adage of "less is more" as a minimal amount of keyboards, percussion, bass and guitars allows Raul's voice to fill in all the emotion. Everybit as enjoyable as the JD Souther original. Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground does more than re-create the Willie Nelson classic with some great gospel-like background vocals. Two versions of Feel Like Home - one with Martina McBride and one without - are also featured. To be honest, I never "got" McBride truly before this song. I'd always appreciated her craftsmanship but never went out of the way to listen to her. After this song, I have to go back and check her music out again. Her and Raul together really are THAT good!

A special pleasure for me on this album is So Sad. One of my all-time favorite Everly Brothers songs, Raul takes the pace down to a crawl and by doing so makes it that much more dramatic and enjoyable. Did I mention "less is more"?

And along those lines, one Raul proves more than equal to the task of three Gibbs on the Bee Gees classic "Run To Me". Two songs I had not known of "Secret Heart" (Ron Sexsmith) and Tomorrow Night (Sam Coslow, Will Grosz) are also featured and equally well-down.

As he's done in the past - both with the Mavericks and as a solo - Raul also features a dream-like lullaby of a song with his version of Harry Nilsson's "Remember". Gordon Mote's keyboards and lilting orchestration, as they do throughout this album, add the perfect contrast to Raul's flowing, seemingly- effortless, cascading vocals.

This album is as close to a vocal masterpiece as we may see in our lifetime.

If you have any familiarity with Mr. Malo and his vocal stylings, you will not be dissappointed here. Yes the comparisons with Roy Orbison, Elvis and numerous others arise from time to time, and the influences are clear, but this is something entirely different and exciting. Raul is something unto himself, and it is a pleasure to witness and hear.

The freedom to pursue the music he wants to sing has allowed Raul to express some of the most accessible "ear candy" to date in his career. Forget all the pretenders you might hear today who they promote as the next big thing in the music industry. Raul is already here and showing everyone why he is truly one of the best singers around, bar none.

If you have any doubt in your mind, don't just buy this album buy "Today" as well, you will be exposed to some unique Latin sounds which will knock you out. Or better yet try to catch him in the live setting in your town, you will be in the presence of greatness.

The only problem with this record is that it took too long to be released! His previous releases usually spend months in my CD player and never get tired, I don't expect this record to be the exeption, and now that it is here it can be thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Anyone familiar with Raul Malo already knows that he is probably one of the best singers in the business. Now that he has disbanded The Mavericks, he is free to indulge his musical whims without trying to appease band members or fit into any preconceived image.

While The Mavericks were known to cover a lot of musical ground, left to his own devices, Raul tends to favor more mellow territory and this CD is fairly dripping with beautiful songs.

The sparse arrangements and Peter Asher's production allow Raul's voice to take center stage and enables the listener to hear the joy in Raul's voice as he sings these special songs.

And make no mistake, this is a singer's album. While Raul is no sloutch in the songwriting department, with the exception of one co-writing credit, he has decided to cover songs from other writers ranging from Randy Newman to Harry Nilsson. This is an exceptional singer, singing the songs he wants to sing.

The only misstep, if there is one, is the reprise of Randy Newman's "Feels Like Home" as a duet with Martina McBride. While there is nothing wrong with the performance, Raul pretty much does a definitive version earlier in the disk making the encore sound a little forced and un-necessary.

Yes, cover albums are all the rage it seems but I'm hard pressed to think of one as pure and powerful as this one.

The title of one of the songs on this glorious CD is aptly titled, "At Last", since Raul Malo fans have been waiting some time for the release of this one. And, believe me, it is worth the wait. What this voice can do with just a ballad is more than other singers could do in all kinds of music. On some songs, it is as though his voice has so much power that he could easily blow the speakers out. But, on the track "Tomorrow Night", for instance, the subtlety and joy in his voice are palpable. "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground", a Willie Nelson cover, is a departure in a different direction, feeling more like blues to me, my personal favorite genre. I never thought I would say this about a mostly ballad CD, but when you start listening, you find yourself stopping whatever you are doing and just listening. It demands your attention. This is NOT background music. Treat yourselves and you will be hooked on Raul Malo, and you will enjoy every minute.

I truly hope this cd brings Raul the recognition he so rightly deserves! So many beautiful songs on this cd. "So Sad" is heartbreakingly beautiful. "Run to Me" outdoes the original, and I am a fan of the BEE GEES. Prefer Raul's solo version of "Feels like home", rather than the duet. I love to listen to " For You" while I am driving! Will probably cause me to get a ticket! I also found on Itunes, that they have a diff version of this cd, with the song "Unbreakable", that is worth the download, would have preferred that this was left on the cd rather than the duet with Martina. Raul has such and outstanding voice and he gives such a great performance. If you get a chance , check out his" An Evening with Raul Malo" cd. I got mine when I saw him at the Ramshead Tavern in Annapolis, Md. Will be there again when he performs in August! Just can't get enough of this guy!