Great new songs arranged brilliantly and sung with feeling.
Edward L. Steinfeld | Hackensack, NJ | 10/31/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Julie's voice is clear as a bell with a terrific range. Each word can be understood and she has a great feeling for lyrics. I especially loved the track called Little Friend. It is a song that has deep meaning. Also, it is refreshing to hear so many new songs that have not been recorded by other artists."
EXCELLENT REMASTER - AMAZON NEEDS TO FIX TRACK LISTING
W. Budris | Rosedale, NY | 03/26/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I wanted to be sure that this was the release that several sites were talking about...Julie's 1971 RCA album, and not a reissue of the 1993 Julie Budd CD that was issued on OC. The RCA album, being a personal favorite of her entire recorded history, is a superb example of Pop Vocals, and well worthy of a remaster and CD release.
Amazon needs to correct their error by listing the 1993 Julie Budd OC CD above vs. the tracks on this CD. The correct tracks are:
Don't Take Your Love Away
I Don't Know How To Love Him
Touch Me
Just Say Goodbye
I Love Your Kind Of Loving
The Long And Winding Road
You've Got A Friend
West Side Apartment
Marie De Vere
How Can I Be Sure (Of You)
Call Me
Arranged, Conducted and Produced by Tony Hatch (prolific writer and collaborator on many hits with Petula Clark, and tracks for Jackie Trent), this album soars from beginning to end. There are many covers of songs from the period, but Julie makes them her own. The originals by Tony Hatch are very catchy (especially TOUCH ME and WEST SIDE APARTMENT). Julie's cover of a Petula album-track JUST SAY GOODBYE makes you say, "Petula who?". It is a stunning performance.
This is definitely one for your collection. Grab it now while you can. An absolute must for any Julie fan."
SUBLIME VOCAL MAGIC~BRAVO JULIE BUDD!!!
Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 09/16/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Julie Budd started in the great musical sixties as a pre-teen on television shows such as Merv Griffin and blew everyone away with the magnificence & power of her amazing voice & released a number of excellent lp's on MGM. Turning eighteen, a more mature sounding Julie signed to RCA and recorded this vocal classic that is a brilliant showcase of this wondrous singer's unique talent and listening today it seems impossible that Julie was only eighteen when these richly varied and seasoned electrifying performances were recorded.
Julie went to famed Pye Recording Studios in London with Tony Hatch who arranged, conducted and produced this superb collection of songs of the day plus a few Tony Hatch/Jackie Trent originals all to great effect.
Starting off with an exotic sounding original "Don't Take Your Love Away" which in better musical times than the vocally bland 70's singer/songwriter era when it strangely was no longer considered "cool" by radio programmers to have a great voice, this stirring & soulful winner would have easily gone Top Ten! Sadly radio would not program great singers during this musically stale era so many incredible vocal giants like Julie moved to the Cabaret Club scene to continue working but records became fewer and further between to the disappointment of lovers of great singers and this sad state of musical affairs continues to this day and while this trend keeps industry control of the airwaves it has caused a massive number of people to lose interest in music and go off to other things...hence closure of most major music outlets such as Tower, Virgin, Wherehouse,etc.,etc. and when will they ever learn that a house built on sand never stands and with no strong foundation of talent today in the music world there is not much to excite & create a strong & lasting fan base as corny trendy fads are programmed with a computer entry coast to coast and it is easy to see and hear this in no way is based on talent.
"I Don't Know How To Love Him" has never been sung finer and Julie's glorious voice is vocal perfection on this Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber gem and a "Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice Songbook Collection" from Julie would be a musical fantasy...check out "The New Classics" for a stunning update from this great singer and don't miss "Defying Gravity" which is a mind-twisting vocal from "Wicked". Another engaging Hatch/Trent tune "Touch Me" sounds like it would have been a perfect radio treat in 1971 that would have sold lots of copies of this masterful collection and another stand-out written by Tony Hatch/Petula Clark "Just Say Goodbye" is a riveting tour-de-force performance that Julie turns in to a complete anthem turning this gem inside out with a stunning vocal that is one of her finest ever and this glorious classic would have gone to #1 had it received airplay! Fun & funky dance hall arrangement make "I Love Your Kind Of Loving" rhythmic and engrossing while "The Long And Winding Road" is simple & pure and beautifully sung & one of the finest versions ever. Carole King must have enjoyed this gorgeous & hypnotic "You've Got A Friend" for its pure vocal beauty with a soft flowing arrangement.
Each song in this masterful collection stands on its own and the remainder are Hatch/Trent magnificent originals that Julie should have had great success with but once again radio programmers did not rise to the occasion of this tremendous release but thankfully this beautifully remastered Import version is now available for lovers of a great voice to savor and enjoy over and over again. "West Side Apartment" is soulful with a catchy arrangement, "Marie De Vere" is a ragtime dance hall old English Classic while Julie hits tremendous vocal heights in a brilliant way making "How Can I Be Sure (Of You)" a riveting tour-de-force vocal & emotive performance that only Julie could achieve...stunning!!! Closing this treasure chest of outstanding vocals with the Tony Hatch standard evergreen "Call Me", this fresh and original version that a zillion singers have sung is one of the best ever and completes this must-have collection of glorious and gorgeous vocals...once in a lifetime voice & bravo Julie Budd!"