Melissa Errico - Blue Like That by Melissa Errico was purchased on a whim. I usually don t buy cds unless I know that I like at least a few songs. I heard a small sample on a tv show and thought I would take a chance and purchase the cd. The cd was one of the best purchases that I have made in quite awhile! Melissa Errico s voice is very soothing, smooth and clean! I look forward to the release of the her latest Lullibies and Wildflowers to debut soon, if it isn t out already. If you haven t sampled her music yet, I believe it ll be time well spent!!
Shining debut - What a terrific solo debut for Broadway singer Melissa Errico. Gorgeous voice. She even out-Colvin s Shawn Colvin in the title tune.
An easy listening CD from a Broadway singer - It was a surprise to find this CD in one of the specialty CD stores in the Philippines. I have been meaning to have this CD since I last heard M. Errico in the Amour CD. She sang with such simplicity and honesty in that CD. I immediately got this CD (it was the only copy, by the way, in the store). I am very glad to have done so. Some arrangements can be too melodramatic, as if the arranger is thinking of making this as a soundtrack for a TV series like Felicity. The instrumentation and arrangement is...too calculated. In some tracks, it is predictable.The saving grace of the CD are the tested songs like When He Loved Me, He Was too Good to Me, and And so it goes. I listened to the CD prior to reading the liner notes. When He Loved me brough back the images of the reminiscing scene of the doll in Toy Story 2. This track is one of my favorite. Whatever the arrangement (degree of sappiness), the song will redeem itself. I am glad that the arrangers and producers did not do major tinkering with And So It Goes. I have heard many broadway divas do a rendition of this song (e.g. Betty Buckley, Christine Andreas), but I will consider Melissa Errico s version as (currently) the best. So much simplicity and truthfulness.The singer has a good range and obviously, knows when to use it (e.g. I Still Love You). The approach is very straighforward. She delivers the lyrics well.I consider this as one of my best buys this year, at the same league with another favorite of mine, Jacqui Dankworth s As the Sun Shines Down On Me.
A Beautiful Woman, A Beautiful Voice - My wife and I have been fans of Melissa Errico since we saw her in 1993, in the City Center Encores production of Call Me Madam. She stole the show right out from under Tyne Daly. Since then, we have gone to see her in everything she s done: High Society, the devestatingly underappreciated Amour, the phenomenal revivals of Aunt Dan and Lemon and Finian s Rainbow, and even the painful Dracula: The Musical (I hate to make the pun, but yes, Dracula sucks).When she released her divine solo debut, Blue Like That, we couldn t wait to get our hands on it. Ms. Errico did not dissapoint. For me, the standout track is Company. She brings to mind a young Julie Andrews, crossed with Joni Mitchell. What a pair!Last week, when our eight year old son was at a sleepover and our three and a half year old was tucked in bed, my wife and I opened up a bottle of wine and put on this album. It doesn t get any better than that!
A New Fan - I recently saw Ms. Errico s performance on one of the late night US Open recap shows. Even though I did not recognize her name, I did recognize her face as a film actress I had seen from time to time. I did not know about Melissa s Broadway and singing background, so I was caught off guard by her performance on this show. I was truly captivated by the quality of her voice and her calming presentation of the lyrics. I ordered this CD the next morning, and since it has arrived, I have not been disappointed. I have enjoyed playing it many times. For me, this listenability is a major key because I don t normally like listening to CDs over and over. I usually get tired or bored after one or two plays, but this CD is neither tiring or boring.Again, for me, very few CDs fall into that never tired of listening to section of my collection. Blue Like That is now the newest member of that section. If you like soft rock sung by an artist with a talented voice that you never get tired of listening to, I would highly recommend this CD. I am looking forward to a second CD by Melissa Errico. I am rating this CD 4 stars, but if possible I would rate it the average you see of 4.5 stars.