Search - Various Artists :: 20th Century Blues: Noel Coward Songs

Ghastly covers

ssmithee | Redondo Beach, CA United States | 07/29/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Twentieth-Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward



Oh, my, this is awful. I'd hoped that a recording of Coward's songs done in the 1990s would have the "uncensored" lyric version of "Mrs. Worthington" -- it doesn't. If you liked what Sheryl Crow did to "Begin the Beguine" in the Cole Porter bio "De-Lovely," you'll probably enjoy this CD. If, on the other hand, you thought that rendition a butchery of a fine tune, you'll feel much the same about the offerings on this CD. Except for the peerless Marianne Faithfull's version of "Mad About the Boy," and, to a lesser extent, Bryan Ferry's "I'll See You Again" and Robbie Williams' "There are Bad Times Just Around the Corner," the rest is just the worst sort of '90s drekcess. As it ground toward the end, I saw that the last song would be Elton John singing "20th Century Blues" and I thought "well, at least that's bound to be good." WRONGGGG! I don't know who's to blame for the arrangements on this CD, but Sir Elton was working against what sounded like a low-end Las Vegas lounge orchestra, and he himself was apparently channeling a finger-snappin' shiny-suited Bobby Darin IMITATOR.



Some awful music, like that of Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, is sublime and even brilliant. This collection isn't in that category. It is, rather, more a matter of "get the Faithfull tune on the iPod and then Frisbee the CD at the dumpster!" Can't even think of anyone to GIVE this one to."