Tom Andersen, acclaimed as one of today's ''exciting new songwriters'' by Matthew Gurewitsch in The New York Times, is releasing his latest CD, ''Who Knows?'' This astonishing album combines acoustic pop, country and swing... more », and features four of Andersen's finest original tunes (co-written with Tim DiPasqua and Ian Herman), such as ''Then Again'' and ''Another Tuesday'' (a touching story song about a mother who finally hears from the son she gave up for adoption). ''Who Knows?'' also includes his country swing version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ''A Lovely Night'' from ''Cinderella'' and his heartwrenching reinvention of Patsy Cline's classic ''I Fall to Pieces.'' Plus, there are two terrific new songs, ''Ghost in This House'' and ''Once I Was,'' from Grammy nominee Hugh Prestwood, who has written for Kathy Mattea and Trisha Yearwood. The CD is being distributed by Original Cast Records, and Show Business Weekly has named it ''The Best Male CD of 2003.« less
Tom Andersen, acclaimed as one of today's ''exciting new songwriters'' by Matthew Gurewitsch in The New York Times, is releasing his latest CD, ''Who Knows?'' This astonishing album combines acoustic pop, country and swing, and features four of Andersen's finest original tunes (co-written with Tim DiPasqua and Ian Herman), such as ''Then Again'' and ''Another Tuesday'' (a touching story song about a mother who finally hears from the son she gave up for adoption). ''Who Knows?'' also includes his country swing version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ''A Lovely Night'' from ''Cinderella'' and his heartwrenching reinvention of Patsy Cline's classic ''I Fall to Pieces.'' Plus, there are two terrific new songs, ''Ghost in This House'' and ''Once I Was,'' from Grammy nominee Hugh Prestwood, who has written for Kathy Mattea and Trisha Yearwood. The CD is being distributed by Original Cast Records, and Show Business Weekly has named it ''The Best Male CD of 2003.
CD Reviews
Love it.....
01/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"....Tom's voice, the arrangements and the storytelling. There's a welcomed intimacy to the lyrics in Tom's ballads, and the listening experience is enhanced by the (brief) CD jacket notes on each selection. Corny as it may sound, the whole package feels almost like having his cabaret show in my living room. Another Tuesday, When I Reach The Place I'm Goin' and Breezin' Along With The Breeze are my favorite cuts on this CD.Took me a few listens to appreciate A Lovely Night, since at first the jazzy tempo shook me from the contemplative mood the previous songs inspired. After a few run-throughs though, I'm now enjoying the variation."
Andersen's made another amazing masterpiece!
12/19/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"To quote a song on Tom Andersen's new CD, ''Who Knows?,'' I fall to pieces when I hear his mesmerizing tenor voice whether he's crooning pop, country or rock. And this astonishing album has it all. I didn't think he could top ''Far Away Places'' or ''The Journey,'' which are both phenomenal. But ''Who Knows?'' is superior in every way: Andersen's singing, songwriting, arrangements, the whole package. One minute was I was tapping my toes to his swing version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ''A Lovely Night.'' Next, he touched me with ''Another Tuesday,'' a beautiful song he wrote about a mother who gets a letter from the son she once gave up for adoption. Then Andersen rocks out with ''Breezin' Along With the Breeze.'' And that's followed by his heartbreaking reinvention of ''I Fall to Pieces'' that rivals Patsy Cline's. ''Who Knows?'' is an emotional roller coaster of a CD, and Andersen makes every second and every note on every song count. Comparisons of his work that of Johnny Mathis, Jane Olivor and even Eva Cassidy are too easy, and ultimately misleading because Andersen is one of a kind. He has grown so much as a singer, songwriter and artist, and ''Who Knows?'' marks the maturity of a voice for the ages. His own song ''Then Again,'' for instance,'' is a gorgeous love song that belongs on a movie soundtrack. Like his previous albums, this is a CD I'll be playing again and again and again!"
WHO KNOWS....WHY I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT HIM SOONER
W. Budris | Rosedale, NY | 01/13/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The latest from Tom Andersen is a joy to listen to, though a bit short time wise (just over 31 minutes total). So what? When you are listening, it seems longer...in a good way. The title track starts off the flow of the album, which this time is more of a pop country set. I FALL TO PIECES would make Patsy Cline cry. This caberet-style ballad version is breathtaking and would be an experience in concert. A LOVELY NIGHT from Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cinderella" takes on a new dimension as well & to me, mixes a lot of genres. Knowing the title, I immediately reflect to Lesley Ann Warren's performance in the 1965 CBS special. I was surprised that it was not similar here, but the greater surprise was how much I liked this version. It has the country bounce, the celtic-band sound like the Sterage Band on the Titanic soundtrack, and the vocal like Fred Astaire from a 30s musical. The entire album blends well & is very welcome listening. Programs like this should be topping the charts vs. most the garbage that does these days."
Tom comes through for his fans again
W. Budris | 12/20/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Who Knows? is such a beautiful addition to his earlier CDs. It's a mix of songs by Tom and other great songwriters, all wonderfully arranged and sung magnificently (as always) by Tom. I was so happy to find that he had chosen to record songs I'd grown to love in his concerts (such as "Ghost in This House" and "Another Tuesday") but I was also introduced to songs that I had never heard before, such as "When I Reach the Place I'm Goin'." I couldn't get straight through the CD the first few times I listened because I had to keep replaying songs that I loved. If you love Tom's work, you'll love this wonderful new CD!"
On the best songs, Tom Terrific does it again
Reviewer123 | 11/02/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Tom's two previous albums, The Journey and Far Away Places, are among the most listened-to albums in my collection. So I was really looking forward to "Who Knows?". The good news: on the best songs, Tom is in a class by himself. The bad news: it's a little uneven. I will focus initially on the good because it's great. First, a wonderful new song, Then Again, that portrays the end of a good relationship - the choices between recrimination and forgiveness, the realization that one can't have back something that has disappeared. Second, a rip-roaring version of "Breezing Along With The Breeze" that will have you singing along. Third, a couple of beautiful ballads, Another Tuesday, a classic Tom story-song (slightly marred by cliches) and Before We Say Goodbye. Fourth, an inventive, swinging new version of Lovely Night, from Cinderella. The not as good: The more "country" portion of the CD (When I Reach The Place I'm Going, Once I Was) is less appealing to me because it doesn't seem of a piece with the rest of this CD, though I do love his version of Ghost in This House. And the new song Who Knows is a little too relativistic in its outlook to appeal to me. But back to the good, saving the best for last: I am absolutely blown away by his version of I Fall To Pieces. If you can hear this and not feel your heart torn apart, when he gets to the end ("but each time I go out with someone new..."), you aren't alive. It takes real guts to tackle a song so familiar, and so strongly identified with another great singer (Patsy Cline), but Tom's version is something new altogether. Dazzling, heartrending, and possibly his greatest performance on CD. As for the CD being only 30 minutes, Tom is all about quality, and that's all that needs to be said about that. So I'm happy to report, that yes, Tom Terrific has done it again - another must-have CD."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1