December 28, 2014
Anne Phillips - Born to be Blue
So, I'm going through my four stacks of records that still need to be catalogued and put this one of the turn table. I was immediately impressed and about half way through realized this album had to go right to the top of my next one to review.
My first thoughts of the songs were: pretty, relaxing, smooth. Released in 1959, it reminded me of slow smooth songs by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, or Nancy Wilson, other favorites of mine. Then, I read the song titles: Born to Be Blue, Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night In The Week, Easy Street, For Heaven Sake, It Could Happen to You, You Don't Know What Love Is, Lonelyville, I've Got to Pass Your House To Get To Mine, A Stranger in Town, I Don't Want to Walk Without You, There Will Never Be Another You, When Sunny Gets Blue. All very consistent with the album title: Born to be Blue. Reminds me of the Frank Sinatra albums like Wee Small Hours, and Where Are You?, and Only The Lonely.
I Googled the album and Anne Phlllips and didn't immediately find a lot of information on either. So, it was nice that the back of the album has a nice little write up on her and the album. I liked this paragraph that the write and album reviewer, Phil Strassberg, wrote: "The first thing that came to mind after a couple of numbers was that Humphrey Bogart would have downed his usual double bourbon, bared his teeth and gritted, "What a great broad," after listening to Anne's smoky vocalizing. This Phillips chick sings like Lauren Bacall speaks and looks. Sort of lazy and dreamy but with a purring quality which covers hidden catlike strength and enticement." I'd say that's a pretty good description of the album and what I heard and felt from it.
All the songs from the album are not on YouTube, but here is one:
I wish there were more, as the album is much more than this one song. If you see it on a shelf I'd recommend getting it. It's great to listen and relax to. The reason I like to write reviews on albums like this is because I came to really enjoy an artist and album I had never known before.
Albums at Discogs.com
An interview with Anne Phillips