Elly Roberts reviews
The Best Of Bobbie Gentry: The Capitol Years
Distributed by
Zonophone / EMI
- February 2007
- Rating: 10/10
Bumper collection from one-time 60s icon Roberta Lee Streeter, aka Bobbie Gentry,
a Philosophy graduate from UCLA, and student of LA Conservatory of Music.
Briefly, she was a Las Vegas showgirl before cutting her first disc in 1967,
by which time her stage name appeared, from the 1952 film title Ruby Gentry,
starring Charlton Heston.
She emerged from the Nashville scene in the late 60s, becoming a true icon
and one of the earliest examples of female artists to both write and produce
her own material with her pop inspired country songs. This collection holds hits
singles Ode To Billie Joe, No.1 hit and signature tune I’ll Never
Fall In Love Again, All I Have To Do Is Dream along with less successful
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head from flick
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Her stunning I Saw An Angel Die won her three Grammy awards.
On CD 2, two of the tracks are previously unreleased Windows of the World
and Smoke.
Only one solo album Touch ‘Em With Love (No.21 – 1969) hit the charts,
and she faired less well with follow-up Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell four
months later in February 1970.
More than anything, this outstanding collection displays both her vocal range
and expansive repertoire. She cleverly adapts her vocal style to the music,
which takes in beautiful ballads such as I Saw An Angel Die, the
French-inspired Sunday Best, jazzy husk-ridden Hurry, Tuesday Child
to the sudden rush of Mississippi Delta, where she goes all out for a
blast.
One of the few tracks to epitomise the time is Casket Vignette, complete
with sweeping strings, horns etc, and is the only dated song. Marigolds And
Tangerines is one of the most gorgeous songs you ever hear.
CD 2 opens with the biggie – I’ll Never Fall In Love Again – still
sounding a great as ever. Peaceful is dripping with 60s innocence,
boosted by more sweeping strings, flutes and top class production, whereas
Louisiana Man is a foot-tapping countrified classic.
Arguably, one of her strongest songs ever, is the steady plodding of
Greyhound Goin’ Somewhere with some effective, but minimalist, harmonica.
Bright and breezy, Show Off is a cool up-tempo ditty with Gentry’s
voice on top form, with just a dash of huskiness combined with some Elephant-like
brass. Rainmaker is probably a return to her roots, nice slices of
banjo, piano, and violin.
Last two La Siepe and La Citta E Grande are sung with equal
confidence in Spanish.
Above all, Gentry retained her country sensibilities, but successfully managed
to give credible ‘pop accessibility’. Sadly, Gentry has now retired from the
music industry.
Simultaneous downloads only are available from February 19 of:
Ode To Billy Joe, Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell, Local Gentry, The Delta
Sweete, Touch ‘Em With Love, Fancy and Partchwork.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.