Different Petula style - Memphis and Miami
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/04/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There seemed to be a time all Britain's pop ladies wanted to record in Memphis - Dusty, Lulu and Petula all recorded there, but each project was different, both from each other and from the rest of their music.Petula's Memphis sessions were produced by Chips Moman - they would later meet again in Nashville - and the overall sound is noticeably different from the Tony Hatch albums. Petula was in top form, recording great covers of Neon rainbow (Box tops), It don't matter to me (Bread) and People get ready (Curtis Mayfield) as well as a number of brilliant original songs. Curiously, no singles were taken from this album. Perhaps it was thought that there was no hit potential, but the whole album works really well.Following her Memphis album, Petula's next album was recorded in Miami. In America, it was titled Warm and tender, but in Britain it was called Song of my life. These sessions were produced by Arif Mardin, noted for his work with Aretha.This has many wonderful covers, including Let me be the one (recorded by many singers, including the Carpenters), Cry like a baby (Box tops), For free (Joni Mitchell), Maybe I'm amazed (Paul McCartney), Beautiful (Carole King) and Time and love (Laura Nyro). There's also a lesser-known Bacharach/David song, Don't say I didn't tell you so. A Peter Paual and Mary song (The song is love) which was also recorded in Memphis, was dropped from the album before it went to press, being replaced by The song of my life, which Petula recorded in England soon after. This did not really fit the album, but it was a minor hit in America, hence the change. Both are included here as bonus tracks.These two albums are somwhat different from Petula's other work - a little more soul - but they have the usual Petula hallmark of quality."
One of Pet's best
G. Tutin | San Francisco, CA United States | 08/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've got an earlier incarnation of this CD, with only 14 songs. If you can get this expanded version, go for it. Memphis features many great songs, such as "Neon Rainbow," "That Old Time Feeling," and "Goodnight Sweet Dreams." Backed by a great band, Petula is at her finest. Not so much covers of familiar songs as new explorations of them. If all you've got is her greatest hits or some such compilation, try Memphis. You can thank me later."
