Search - Lee Michaels :: Collection

A good overview

Marty Jones | Orlando, FL, USA | 08/14/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've owned every one of Lee's albums for going on 30 years now - even the HORRIBLE "Space and First Takes" album. His first 5 were great - each in it's own way. No two were the same, and reflected the attitude that Lee had at the moment. sometimes he wanted to craft a song, sometimes he just laid 'em down. I also picked up this collection before the individual albums became available (now I have them, too). While it doesn't have all of my favorites, it does have a lot of them. If you want to hear the development of a decent writer, great keyboardist and vocalist, this would be a good choice.Give it a listen and trip back to the late 60's."

Unique blend of styles

Pieter | Johannesburg | 06/08/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
Lee Michaels had a Billboard top three hit in 1973 with the song Do You Know What I Mean. That powerful rocker is included here, but this album shows that there was more to the artist than the solitary hit. Unique amongst the rock artists of the time, Michaels gives the organ pride of place in his music. There are also other unusual instruments like harpsichord in the mix.



The music is basically rock, but there are major psychedelic and R&B influences too. Songs that really stand out include the impressive Carnival Of Life with its complex arrangement, the catchy If I Lose You with its lovely pop melody, and the lilting Heighty Hi that reminds me a little of the typical Motown classic of the early 1970s! I also love Stormy Monday with its funky organ and its James Brownesque vocals, which is a real tour de force, the passionate ballad Uummmm My Lady, and the rhythmic Can I Get A Witness.



Of course the hit Do You Know What I Mean still packs a punch and remains his most memorable song. The album concludes with Hold On To Freedom, another strong rock song with a rhythm and blues feel. Lee Michaels was an obscure talent of the late 1960s/early 1970s, but this album proves that his contribution was significant since the music has aged well. The successful blend of different styles definitely sets Michaels apart from his contemporaries.

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Best Lee Michaels "Best Of" CD available.

D.P. | California | 07/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the Best Lee Michaels "best of" cd to get therefore the 5 stars. It's out of print but still able to be found without too much effort. There are 3 Lee Michaels "best of" cds that I know of. 1. Hello- Very Best Of, 2. Best Of and 3. Lee Michaels-Collection which this review is for. The only one still available is Hello-Very Best Of which is the poorest of the three with less tracks and other shortcomings like a severily (only 1/4 as long) cut version of the great medley: Tell Me How You Feel.... The other Best Of has 19 tracks but omits "Murder In My Heart For The Judge", etc to include lesser songs. Lee Michaels-Collection may not have "all" his best songs but it does have 18 tracks and good sound quality. So unless you want to search high and low and spend big bucks on his very hard to find, pricey out of print cds, this is the one to get. If you have the time and money to invest forget this one and get a few of his OOP early cds instead."