Search - Mandy Patinkin :: Mandy Patinkin

Just "Mandy" redux

08/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After spending months asea in the joy of the Wild Party CD, Mandy my favorite, but enjoying all of the artists, the lyrics and the music, I came up for air and went back to listen to the Mandy that brought me here in the first place. This man has a beautiful voice. But that is not enough. A lot of people sing beautifully. I luxuriate in the sound of an artist filled with passion who can sing sweet songs like Over The Rainbow or Pennies From Heaven, then move into the more intense numbers like Brother, Can You Spare A Dime, a war classic, which somehow sounds more frightening, urgent, and contemporary than ever before, then switch gears and move me to tears with Sondheim's Pretty Lady or Sonny Boy. It is tough to explain because most of these songs (other than Sondheim) and the rest on the CD are not part of my generation's repertoire, and even though they were familiar, I was never moved or excited or filled with my own sense of connection to the writers of these works before. I suppose I just need to conclude by saying that despite the comments of those who find Mandy over-the-top or too melodramatic, I find everything he sings touches my heart, and makes me feel in a profound way: anger, tension, love, joy. The passion this man brings to his work overwhelms me at times but that I believe is a wonderful thing and I admire him for his intensity and humor and love and desire to be his true self, rather than play to the room: sing the songs that might get more radio time or less criticism. He is his own person and those listeners like myself who love his talent so much are lucky to have access to it, not just when a concert or a play comes around, but any time we want to slip in a CD and listen. His critics hurt me (I can't speak for how/if they hurt him) with their sarcastic analysis of passion undefiled by cynicism or sarcasm (though some of his songs are witty or humorous or...) and I wish they would listen to this first solo CD again with fresh ears. If you love Mandy as I do, go back to this one and remember how moved you felt by a song with an incredibly bad title: Anyone Can Whistle. What? But didn't it touch your heart by the end? If not, you need to spend more time with it and maybe it will soften your heart and deepen your soul. Feel lucky to have that opportunity."

He is a genuis.

Alison Ward (bward@iol.ie) | Athlone,Ireland | 11/11/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just recieved my Mandy Patinkin CD today and have not stopped listening to it infact i'm listening to it as I type. It is a total wrok of art. Every song on the album is just fantastic. My favourite if I had to pick is "Coffee in a Cardboard Cup". It sounds as if he put every fibre of his being into every song. His voice is amazing and I will never stop listening to this album. I would give it ten stars if that was possible."

Schmaltzy but good....or is that good and schmaltzy?

F. J. Weiner | Philadelphia, PA USA | 02/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a Johnny-come-lately Mandy Patinkin fan in terms of his singing; it was only after I re-watched my videos of CHICAGO HOPE that I realized just how good a singer he is. This album from 1989 is exuberantly excellent. Mandy saturates some of these songs with heartelt emotion--the kind that some people dislike--but I liked it a lot, especially "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby", and "Sonny Boy." Oy, that boy can wail! P.S.>> If you don't understand "schmaltzy," then Mandy may not be your glass of tea."