Search - Gino Vannelli :: These Are the Days

YES ! (but only for die hard fans, or as starting point)

Torquemada | Atlanta, Georgia USA / Madrid, Spain. | 03/27/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Greetings and congratulations to all the (good) music lovers and the Vannelli fans ! here is the new harvest from his majesty Gino ! Having all he has released and many of the things he has collaborated on, you could call me one of Gino Vannelli's fans. So when this cd came out, I did not have to hesitate too long.



As I am writing, I am asking myself what Gino and the record company were trying to do. If you read the inside of the booklet, you will see that, initially, this was supposed to be a greatest hits (yet another?) compilation made by Gino himself. He goes on saying that he got an old guitar out of the closet and started composing a bunch of songs. The result was a "balanced" album with 7 new songs, and 7 old ones.



So where's the problem, why 3 stars ? Well, as I said, this is sort of an inconsistent project. Either you give us a new album, either it's a best of. But here we're sort of halfway, so none of the two. And as for me, the seven remastered songs don't add anything to my collection since I have the 3 cd collection (that is a true gem) where all those songs are already featured. I personally would have liked a (daring and innovative) different version for songs 8 to 14. Gino does that so well (been to 3 concerts, each time saw different interpretation of his songs) that this was a disappointment. Besides, haven't we already heard "I just wanna stop" over and over and over on local FMs ?



Having said that, out of the seven new songs on part one of THIS cd, 5 are fabulous. As said by other reviewers, they are in the line of Slow Love, but when you listen several times and look for details (Gino's music has always been detail and quality oriented), you will find it is a nice blend of his earlier style (his first four albums), his mid career (Nightwalker, Black Cars, Big Dreamers and Unconsolable man), and his jazzier side (Slow love, Yonder Tree). My two favourites are Venus Envy and Eastwest world, two very powerful tacks.



In short, excellent purchase if you don't have the ultimate collection 3 cd set or if you want to start listening to this unique voice and talent. Otherwise, it falls a bit short with just 7 songs...









"

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Mark Thompson | LA, CA | 05/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, I can hear the complaints now. Why include seven old Gino classics and not make room for seven other new tracks? I agree. Like most of you I have every one of Gino's CDs, and to add ANOTHER semi greatest hits package to the collection is tedius.



However, I gave this CD five stars because of the seven new tracks that are included here. I fell in love with the Gino sound back in the late seventies, and this CD is the truest to that form that I have heard from Gino in years. I loved 'Slow Love' and even 'Yonder Tree', but found that Gino was taking me on a new path of his which was a bit more jazzy than I was looking for. I can't say that I'm a fan of 'Canto', but at the same time, appreciate his need and desire to stretch. I give him that. I'm a true fan.



But these seven new tracks are his very best I have heard from him in years. It's the 'pop' Gino that I love. 'Venus Envy' is probably my favorite up tempo track on the CD, but he decided to give us possibly the greatest ballad he has ever written in 'Great Divide.'



Yes you have to fork over the money for seven old Gino favorites to get to some of the best NEW Gino he has blessed us with in maybe two decades."

Gino's latest...... " These Are The Day's "

Jack W. Brown Jr. | Lancaster , S.C. USA | 03/20/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album was released in fall of 2006 and for me I have been playing it every day. The first half of the CD - 7 tracks - is new material and show Gino's range of writing skills, just like his last album Canto from 2003. The reason that I gave it 4 stars out of 5 is I was disapointed in the second half of the album. They are older songs from past albums which would have been OK had he put a new spin too them. I know from watching a DVD about the last album Canto and his mind set about what all the album was too be about, that he had a slower version of "I Just Wanna Stop". It was live on stage with the full orchastria and showed his openness to rethink a song in his past and make it sound new. So I was hoping this would be on the CD but sadly it was not to be, but still a good listen of your time. I have been a dedicated fan of his work since 1976 when I saw him live and I have every album and half of his concert tour DVD's, so I know a little about his unique sound."