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SomewhereupinMichigan · 10-31-2003, 02:16 PM

Wait a sec, Annie! I had read this review previously too and I reacted in a completely different way than you did, apparently. Perhaps because I focused more on his next two sentences:

"Now he's getting his due again. Not, of course, that his records are back on the charts and the radio, but his rich talent is being rediscovered and celebrated, as witness Beautiful, which it certainly is."

All in all, I thought this was a very favorable review and, yes, let's face it: Gord's star has faded - long ago, his recordings in the past 15 years have been rare (2), and frankly while you, I and Gord's legions of die-hard fans still love 'em, they have not lived up to his earlier glory. Then again, I would argue this is true of most every singer. Most later-in-life recordings do not compare with earlier material. Consider: Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan and going back further, especially Frank Sinatra. The only possible exception of Gord's contemporaries who I can think of immediately is David Crosby who, once he straightened himself out and survived his near-death experience has bounced back with stellar material in the past few years that compares very favorably with late 60s-early 70s C,S & N material.

So I was pleased with Jerome Clark's review. Wish we could get more of this kind of favorable press for Gord and his music!

10-31-2003, 02:16 PM	#2
SomewhereupinMichigan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Owosso and Houghton Lake, MI Posts: 403	Wait a sec, Annie! I had read this review previously too and I reacted in a completely different way than you did, apparently. Perhaps because I focused more on his next two sentences: "Now he's getting his due again. Not, of course, that his records are back on the charts and the radio, but his rich talent is being rediscovered and celebrated, as witness Beautiful, which it certainly is." All in all, I thought this was a very favorable review and, yes, let's face it: Gord's star has faded - long ago, his recordings in the past 15 years have been rare (2), and frankly while you, I and Gord's legions of die-hard fans still love 'em, they have not lived up to his earlier glory. Then again, I would argue this is true of most every singer. Most later-in-life recordings do not compare with earlier material. Consider: Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan and going back further, especially Frank Sinatra. The only possible exception of Gord's contemporaries who I can think of immediately is David Crosby who, once he straightened himself out and survived his near-death experience has bounced back with stellar material in the past few years that compares very favorably with late 60s-early 70s C,S & N material. So I was pleased with Jerome Clark's review. Wish we could get more of this kind of favorable press for Gord and his music!