Search - Diahann Carroll :: Nobody Sees Me Cry / B.O. Columbia Years

Diahann's Dynasty

R. Thompson | VA United States | 06/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With a stunning voice and regal beauty, Diahann Carroll made her Broadway debut in the Arlen/Capote musical, "House of Flowers", and won a Tony Award for the Richard Rodgers musical, "No Strings". The singer/actress has also left a considerable mark on television ("Julia", "Dynasty") and in the movies ("Claudine"). Her extraordinary gifts as a singer are showcased here on songs such as "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry", "I'll Be Around", and "Little Girl Blue".

Complete track listings: I Wonder What Became Of Me, Little Girl Blue, Goin' Out Of My Head, I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry, Gradually, Hidden Meaning, I'll Be Around, Nobody But Me, Don't Answer Me, Runnin'Out Of Fools, Good-Bye Young Dreams

Bonus Tracks: The Need Of You You Better Go Now (Previously Unreleased) World Without Love Like Someone In Love (Previously Unreleased) World Without Love (Alternate Take)"

One more time - - with feeling!!!

Marc200 | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD has all of Carroll's 1966 Columbia album "Nobody Sees Me Cry" together with five bonus tracks. Carroll is an award-winning actress, so it makes sense that most people would not know that she began her career as a singer and recording artist way back in the 1950's. This CD is long overdue, as none of her United Artists or Atlantic Records catalog has been made available on CD.It is a fine showcase for the many shadings of her formidable vocal gifts -- loud, louder and very, very loud -- the swinging "Hidden Meaning" hints at Dinah Washington until she hits us with the Vibrato, while "Don't Answer Me" features a vocal strident enough to reach the back row of any auditorium. Sweet and low on Cole Porter's "Little Girl Blue" she immediately shifts gears and delivers a full-throttle, raise-the-roof rendition of "Goin' Out of My Head". However, Carroll is most effective in the quieter moments: "Nobody But Me" is a breezy, Bacharach/David-esque number; "I'll Be Around" and "You'd Better Go Now" are sublime, and the slow samba of "The Need Of You" is especially complementary to her voice. And occasionally she can surprise us, she transforms "Runnin' Out Of Fools" -- a great song that Aretha had previously recorded as a hard-edged, bluesy lament -- into a fully-orchestrated, cabaret number which conjures the image of Miss Carroll swathed in ermine and pearls giving her jet-setting, sugar daddy the big kiss-off from centerstage at the Persian Room -- would have been a great music video. The problem for Diahann was that she preceded the video music age by about 25 years. She certainly possessed more than enough beauty, poise and glamour to make her a star in any visual medium. Though her voice was beautiful and quite powerful at this point in her career, it lacked the character necessary to distinguish her as a recording artist. So while she sounds wonderful on every song, she doesn't inhabit any of these songs in the way that makes a good singer a great singer. Too refined to be Lena Horne, not quite brassy enough to be Shirley Bassey and not invested enough to be Aretha Franklin. Contrast this to her marvelous 1997 CD "The Time Of My Life", which is a breathtaking, soulful collection that showcases a matured Carroll in all of her splendor, and leaves no doubt that she is among the greatest of singers. Even so, this CD is a must have for even casual fans of female pop vocalists - and anyone curious to know the reason for all the fuss about the magnificent Miss Diahann Carroll."