Search - Various Artists :: Sentimental Journey: Pop Vocal Classics, Vol. 1 (1942-1946)

Fine compilation CD that leaves you wanting more...

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 05/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first volume in the Sentimental Journey CD series is a strong one with lots of fine music from a wide diversity of artists. I really like the music on this album. The sound quality is really rather good considering the age of these recordings; and the artwork is very tastefully done. Great!



Doris Day starts the CD off with the title track, "Sentimental Journey." Doris sings this like the fine songbird she always was and the big band style arrangement is wonderful. Doris never sounded better and her excellent diction improves her performance considerably. I really like "Sentimental Journey" and I predict that you will enjoy this number, too. Bing Crosby also sings a big hit for him, "Swinging On A Star." The backup vocalists are great but make no mistake about it--this is Bing's number and he sings this flawlessly! Bing's voice is also in excellent form and this impresses me very much. In addition, Dick Haymes & The Song Spinners perform "You'll Never Know;" this charming love song really sounds very sweet despite a bit of surface noise. Dick Haymes could really sing out a tune even though sadly he doesn't get the recognition he deserves these days.



Dinah Shore sings "The Gypsy" with panache and this tune was always one of my very favorite pop vocals. Dinah's voice is very vibrant and the music that accompanies Dinah is very pretty but very wisely the arranger made sure the music would never drown out Dinah! "Paper Doll" by The Mills Brothers also amazes me with its natural beauty; The Mills Brothers were born to sing numbers like this and they handle the tough tempo changes like champs!



Judy Garland sings one of her signature songs, "The Trolley Song." This sounds like the soundtrack version from the movie Meet Me In St. Louis but in any case Judy sings this with lots of positive energy and you're bound to love this tune! Helen Forrest also gives "I've Heard That Song Before" the royal treatment as she sways and swings gently to deliver this number with heart and soul. In addition, Andy Russell's "Amor" is a stunning love song that moves me with its natural charm; it's a mystery to me why Andy Russell isn't more remembered than he is--he was such a fine singer!



Lena Horne sings the definitive rendition of "Stormy Weather;" and this really is in and of itself quite a treat. Frank Sinatra sings "Night And Day" to perfection; and the CD ends wonderfully with The Nat King Cole Trio performing "I'm Lost." "I'm Lost" isn't a number I've heard before but it really is a very fine tune and it makes a perfectly fitting ending for this CD.



Despite a few tracks that do have some surface noise, I still heartily recommend this CD for people who like classic pop vocals and the artists who sing on this CD. It's a solid first CD installment for this CD series.

"

Rhino's compilation series satifies!

Gary Gardner | Ellsworth, ME United States | 11/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The four-volume "Sentimental Journey: Pop Vocal Classics" explores the best of America's finest vocalists. Most of the selections are very well known, but Rhino Records likes to throw the occasional curveballs, too. The unforgettable sway of the title track made Doris Day a star, and is still the best version ever recorded of this song. A great many of the sixteen tracks were songs that appeared in feature films of the era: Bing Crosby's popular kids' tune "Swinging on a Star", Judy Garland's "The Trolley Song" and "Laura", featuring the Woody Herman Orchestra, are the ones most identifiable. As it stands, these soundtrack tunes are blessed with pristine production values that have held up for almost sixty years. Some songs on this volume suffer badly, such as Billy Eckstine's "A Cottage For Sale", which sounds like it was recorded off a 78 record left in the Sahara sun for hours; the wow is terribly unpleasant to listen to. Lena Horne's classic, "Stormy Weather", fares much better, but the crackles on the high notes offend the ears slightly. Still, the majority of the selections have held up quite well. There is a nice balance between upbeat dance numbers and poignant ballads. The former includes the swinging "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" by the hyper Betty Hutton, the latter Martha Tilton's "I'll Walk Alone", a great wartime weepie if ever there was one. Besides the aforementioned "Cottage For Sale", a few other surprises are here. The King Cole Trio, featuring Nat, weigh in with "I'm Lost", a relative unknown the features Cole's soothing piano. In this series, you'll be delighted to know that full liner notes, recording dates, and musicians' credits (when available) are all here, making this one sweet package. This volume would be rated higher if the sound quality was better, but only a few tracks are really below standard. Hats off to Rhino for releasing this wonderful treasure. Oh, and make sure to listen to Frank Sinatra belting out "Night and Day"; this is the crooning Sinatra here, and you may have forgotten he used to sound like this!"