"Together/Keeping In Touch are the two best kept secrets in Anne's career. Songs Part-Time Love, Everything Old Is New Again and Dancin' All Night Long are the standouts. The duet with her brother Bruce is also amazing. Anne's cover of Sweet Music Man is an improvement on the original. Thanks EMI/Canada for releasing the Anne Murray Signature Series. All the volumes have been the best gift to Anne's fans."
Two hidden diamonds
04/29/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These are two of Anne Murray's best albums, with divine ballads, hearty rockers, country rambles and some real grit. Brother Bruce joins her on "Player in the Band" and "Dancin' All Night Long" is one of the truly memorable Murray ventures. These are albums which stand the tests both of time and listening again and again. They're fresh and sassy--don't miss 'em."
Lovers of Great Music Rejoice
Claude Bourggeois | Moncton, Canada | 06/23/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Lovers of great music rejoice. These two almost impossible to find albums are out as a twofer. They are loaded with gems that never quite got the attention they rightfully deserve. One of the finest vocal performances ever in my opinion is Anne's version of "Carolina Sun"-so bluesy, heartbreaking and painful yet so smooth and refined. Another fine ballad "A Million More" is simple in its lyric yet complex and warm in its longing emotion. Vegas style sophistication take over with the fast-paced and irresistable "Blue Finger Lou" (a vocal masterpiece) and "Everything Old is New Again" brings you right back to the era from which the song was born. Beautiful, perfect voice...This twofer also features the late, great Dusty Springfield on backing vocals, most notably on "Sunday Sunrise" (pop perfection like only Anne & Dusty can deliver). No one sounds like Anne or ever will. Listen to "Things", "Caress Me Pretty Music" etc... and you'll quickly see that the music world is a much better place because of Ms Murray's wonderful contributions such as this treasure."
Mid seventies overlooked gems
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 03/06/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These two albums, produced by Tom Catalano in 1975 and 1976, are among the least well known of Anne's vast number of albums. Tom came in after Anne and her previous producer Brian Ahern decided to go their separate ways. Brian achieved immediate fame as producer for Emmylou Harris. Anne faded, temporarily, into obscurity, before changing producers again and hitting the big time with You needed me. Yet, the two albums which make up this twofer should not be overlooked.The first album, Together, includes many original songs, including two by Gene MacLellan who wrote many songs for Anne, including Snowbird. Here he contributes If it's all right with you and The call, although Anne had previously recorded The call for her Honey wheat and laughter album of a few years earlier. There are also covers of Sunday sunrise (a song I first heard on one of Brenda Lee's country albums of the seventies, though I'm not sure who recorded the song first), Everything old is new again (Peter Allen) and Part time love (Bread).
The second album, Keeping in touch, contains another mix of originals and covers, but the covers here are generally better known. They include Things (Bobby Darin) and Sweet music man, a song written by Kenny Rogers but covered by Waylon Jennings and also by some of the finest ladies country music has ever known - Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Dottie West and Reba McEntire among them. Anne's version is as good as any of them, though I think Tammy did the best version of the lot, perhaps because of her experiences with George Jones.Both these albums, while generally mellow, show that Anne can pick up the tempo when required. The music is of a consistently high quality. While none of Anne's famous songs are here, her fans will enjoy this."
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1