Special Album!!!
D. Murray | Fishers, IN | 07/08/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I buy a lot of CDs from artists who have a great sound....but its an extra bonus for me when I find myself thirsting for more. I found this with this album that salutes great songwriting.
I've purchased all of Monica Mancini's CDs. I've enjoyed them all and this latest one "I've Loved These Days" is no exception.
I'll give a highlight of my favorite selections...
God Only Knows....Terrific version of this Beach Boys classic with Take Six and Brian Wilson as backup.
Blame it On the Sun...with Stevie Wonder on Harmonica....haven't heard this one for awhile.
Joy .....from Janis Ian.....simple and lovely.
and the best for last....
The Ballad of the Sad Young Men......from Tommy Wolf and Fran Landesman. Not a tune for a pick me up, but one that I found beautifully crafted and interpreted. I found myself wanting to hear more Landesman lyrics...and Monica gives a gorgeous rendition. I was frankly amazed at this tunes' beauty. I found myself wanting to learn more about this lyricist.
Jorge Calendrelli's orchestrations are excellent.
A great CD.
Doug Murray
Fishers, IN"
Worth the wait. Superb
Rob in Santa Monica | Santa Monica, CA USA | 07/08/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Monica Mancini, a singer who can be compared to Rosemary Clooney and Shirley Horn (alas, both now gone) in terms of standing alone, has added another 5 Star album in 2010 -- Loved These Days. Here's what I posted on her own website: I've been patiently waiting for over a year for "Loved These Days" and purchased it a few weeks ago. It matches the extremely high quality and creativity of your other CDs, and adds to my "Desert Island" list of favorite recordings. I can now program at home the original versions of (Roberta Flack's) Sad Young Men, (Jackson Browne's) These Days, (Paul Simon's) American Tune and (the Beatles) I'll Follow The Sun, followed by Monica Mancini's insightful and sensitive versions. It's stunning. My God, don't take another eight years (!) to release your next album! Your father is smiling down upon you."