Search - Sian Phillips :: So It Goes

Sian Phillips' "And So It Goes" GET IT if you can!!!

J. Martin | Seattle, WA USA | 07/31/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SIAN PHILLIPS is one of the UK's finest actresses. If you're familiar with British film or television, you've seen her play everything from grand matriarchs and villainesses to suffering mothers and doting grandmothers. While the latter in particular may be not so flattering, onstage her repertoire as an actress is even more extensive. Prior to this recording she had a hit as Marlene Dietrich in MARLENE in London and New York, not so much imitating as EVOKING the essence of the legendary Dietrich. Sian Phillips, with her deep, sultry vocal quality, was perfectly suited for the role. One thing leading to another, a cabaret repertoire followed the success of her singing all those Dietrich songs.

Here we have a vast array of covers for music lovers--numerous musicians and lyricists from the thirties to pretty much now. And the music all fits seamlessly together with a string quartet, upright bass, and piano accompaniment--SUPERB! We get Rodgers and Hart, Hoagy Carmichael, Kurt Weill, Lerner and Strouse, Harold Arlen, Noel Coward, even a couple of Jacques Brel and Pete Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone." The title track, surprisingly, is a Billy Joel song, and one of THE most inspired covers is Joni Mitchell's "From Both Sides Now." I'll just end with saying that this is an album of an actress-singer, who is fully an actress singing these songs as only a great actress can interpret with justice. The songs Sian Phillips touches with her unique voice are performed here with genuine sincerity and style. This record is not to be missed!"