Surprise, surprise
04/24/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Dinah Shore's early albums, for RCA, were mostly nonentities with vague or nonexistent themes, predictable song selections and uninspired arrangements. Then she went to Capitol, which produced six outstanding albums with her, all terrific. This Reprise collection came later and is the most enterprising project she did. What can you say about an album that ends with, of all songs, "Chloe," and includes Petula-Clarkish-go-goish versions of blues songs? The producer is Sonny Burke, who indeed did some producing for Clark at Warner Brothers/Reprise, and he gave Dinah her most whimsical album. But it's also an album on which she sings with terrific style, grace and invention. Great music and great fun."