Regarding Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable"....If memory serves correctly there's not one note of harmony throughout the song. Maybe the producers made their point but it's not a song that I enjoy listening to for just that reason. I could also make the same claim for "Whenever You're Away From Me" by Olivia Newton John and Gene Kelly from Xanadu. Not one note of harmony that I can remember but I liked the song. Reckon because it hearkened back to an earlier style. You know....ancient....
At least Hank Williams Jr. sang "You were on my lonely mind" in harmony with Hank Senior on "There's A Tear In My Beer"!!
Another's opinion. :-)
Martin
-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tom Fine
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2014 6:55 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Barry Manilow's "My Dream Duets"
One man's opinion -- given Barry Manilow's Holiday Inn on US 1 karaoke night style, it's particuarly cheezy, and somewhat morbid. Can't he just coast on his dull 70's hits? Won't living people sing duets with him?
I've never liked the idea of "dueting" with tapes of dead people. I didn't even like it with Natalie Cole, who probably had the most legitimate claim on the genre. Let the dead rest. It's bad enough that modern reissuers throw in all the rejected takes, studio banter and cutting room floor scraps, with no input from the now-dead artists who didn't approve any of it for release on the original album. All of it is disrespectful, in my opinion.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Cartier" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 9:25 PM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Barry Manilow's "My Dream Duets"
> Hello ARSC,
>
> David Byrne recently wrote a brief essay
> <http://thetalkhouse.com/music/talks/david-byrne-talking-heads-talks-barry-manilows-my-dream-duets/>
> for The Talkhouse. In it, he thinks about human reproduction, sound
> recording, and Barry Manilow's new album "My Dream Duets"; it's an
> interesting read.
>
> The AllMusic.com review
> <http://allmusic.com/album/my-dream-duets-mw0002740392> of the album isn't
> favorable and, halfway through listening to Manilow's album, I'm inclined
> to agree with the review.
>
> What do you think of this album/concept? Is it simply recorded duet
> karaoke? A touched-up 21st century mashup of sorts? Some new old crooner
> sampling genre?
>
> In sound,
>
> Eric Cartier
> Digital Librarian
> University of Maryland Libraries
>
>
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