Linda Ronstadt - 'Round Midnight (1986)

Note: these releases were originally purchased as LPs, later replaced by this 2 CD compilation.

A two disc set that contains three albums: What's New (1983), Lush Life (1984), and For Sentimental Reasons (1986), released in October 1986, just in time for holiday shopping (box sets were also available on LP and cassette). All recordings of pop standards from the "American Songbook" with arrangements by the legendary Nelson Riddle. If the purpose of these albums was to introduce a new generation to these songs and the work of Riddle, they did. And delightfully so. This stuff led me to dive into Nelson's œuvre and I'm still diving.

Now, thirty years on, I like these recordings even more than I ever have. Headphones recommended.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #124

Tracks:  In my book, Ronstadt owns all these tunes (with the exception of Lush Life, which is owned by Johnny Hartman) so there's no skipping, just two hours of pure bliss. Riddle's arrangements have no peer; people should just accept his arrangements as definitive. My favorites from disc 1 are What's New, Someone To Watch Over Me, What'll I Do, When I Fall In Love, and Skylark.  From disc 2: You Took Advantage Of Me, Can't We Be Friends, Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered, and Straighten Up And Fly Right. 

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WHAT'S NEW (1983)
9 tracks, 37 minutes

Press of the time:

• Stereo Review: "an almost sinfully pleasing album"
• Billboard: "This album has one of the greatest female singers of her generation singing some of the greatest songs of the two preceding generations."
• Rolling Stone (★★★): "As always, if there are walls to be moved with sheer volume and beauty of vocal tone, Ronstadt can do the job."
• High Fidelity: "sags under the weight of its own aspirations"

Chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200 chart: #3
• Billboard Jazz LPs chart: #5
• Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay Chart: #21
• Rolling Stone chart: #1

From Cinemax's short-lived Album Flash series:

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LUSH LIFE (1984)
12 tracks, 42 minutes

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone (★★½): "the payoffs are pretty slim"
• CashBox: "Gem after gem"
• Billboard: "handy in solving holiday gift list gaps"

Chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200 chart: #13
• Billboard Jazz LPs chart: #8
• CashBox Jazz chart: #22
• Rolling Stone chart: #5

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FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS (1986)
11 tracks, 42 minutes

Press of the time:

• Stereo Review (Best of the Month): "the best balanced of the three records"
• Billboard: "If the darling of a rock singer cooing on standards is no longer a novelty, blame Ronstadt for doing it so well over the course of three rich servings."

Chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200 chart: #46
• Rolling Stone chart: #33
• Billboard Pop CD chart: #20
• CashBox Top CD chart: #20

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Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  The unique hat box cover of the Lush Life vinyl (below). The fact that my close high school friends all got into these recordings at age 17. Being featured trumpet soloist with my high school jazz band on an arrangement of What's New (there's a recording of that performance hidden around here someplace; it's better to keep it hidden). It wasn't mine, but I know more than a few people for which this was their first CD acquisition.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Original Album Series (2012)