Search - Linda Ronstadt :: Covered By Linda

A DIFFERENT SLANT ON THE OLD HITS PACKAGES

Terry D. Robertson | Asheville, NC USA | 08/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Linda Ronstadt completed her great contract with WEA due to pressures and unsolicited advice on what to record. Always a pioneer of many genres moreso than any of her peers, the crass commercialism of the music industry drove her to releasing a slew of recordings in less than two years and drove her into semi-retirement--a fate that befell many great singers of her era. Here is a nice collection of somewhat off-beat songs. Some are hits, some are Lp cuts which makes this far above the average hit collections. Linda works for smaller labels and continues to explore new musical avenues. It's unfortunate she does not have the mass distribution WEA gave her. And since this is such a different collection compared to so many reissues it rates 5 stars for interest alone."

Repackaging...why? Buy her other albums.

A. John Gironda III | No Virginia, USA | 02/16/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"With several greatest hits collections and at least two box sets, why send out a repackage and put only 11 songs on a CD? As for the songs being covers of others' works, that's what she does. Really good cover photo though :-)



Heat Wave was a hit for her, as were Tumblin' Dice, Tracks..., and Love is a Rose. So they are available. She does do a great job with Desperado, but why not include "Love Has No Pride" of the same album---way more power and emotion there. And, before Whitney Houston, Linda Ronstadt did a, IMO, superior version of "I Will Always Love You" (more straightforward, not self indulging, and arguably much better vocals and emotion).



I'd recommend treating your self to the pre-Spanish, pre-Operatic albums of the 80s that contain these songs, especially Prisoner In Disguise, Hasten Down the Wind, Don't Cry Now, Living in the USA, and Cry Like a Rainstorm... As a bonus, get "Trio" she did with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton. If you have a few $$$ extra, get Simple Man, Simple Dreams, Mad Love, and Get Closer (the latter two which her singing is incredibly strong/powerful in many of the songs). Oops, forgot Heart Like a Wheel--the album that solidified her position in rock music and really launched her career.



A genre she did that appears missing from the above albums is her series of old standards like "What's New" and other hits from the 30s-50s that she did with Nelson Riddle--a complete departure from Country/Rock that to anyone who has the bulk of her work, but does not have the Riddle work, they songs would sound like new releases. Check out a review by "e dwayne" of her 'Round Midnight album that's available on Amazon.



Having been a fan for a loooong time (still am), having seen her in concert, having included her in my prayers for her battle with cancer, I'm a fan who's really enjoyed her work. But, having lived through multiple repacking by RCA of Elvis, I've no patience, especially with such a gifted performer as Linda Ronstadt. If she's low on material, and if she's within the reach of this website, see if Peter Asher and Randy Newman have time and material...Mr Asher produced her the very best (and the best records for her), and she interpreted Mr Newman's work so very well."