Vonda Shepard

Heart And Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal Featuring Vonda Shepard

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!

Review Score:

(10/10)
My first impression to this second album of songs from Ally McBeal was pretty much the same as it has been to the series this last season: the first go around was much better. Now that I have listened to "Heart and Soul" a few more times I still think Vonda Shepard's first collection was a better album, but this one is a close second. And, to be fair, I can certainly saw the same thing about the past season: not as good as the first two years but still an above average program. One thing is for sure, there is definitely much more soul than pop this time around.

As with the first album I like Shepard's cover of classic songs. In particular I am surprised that her duet with Al Green of "To Sir, With Love" has grown on me. I have always liked the song as a duet since Natalie Merchant and Michael Stipe did it at the MTV Inaugural Ball back in 1993 (I lucked out finding the CD single that has the song), but the soul version by Green and Shepard is infectious. It is interesting to hear Roy Orbison's "Crying" in a much lower key than the original. Her "Vincent (Starry Starry Night)" is not all that removed from the original, although the cello playing is a nice touch. That particular cut, more than any other on the album, reminds you that the true impact of these songs is on the show when they pop in the context of the episode. (There is a footnote in the liner notes that talks specifically about lyric alterations being "specific to David E. Kelly's vision of the show").

Looking at the list of songs it is obvious that the reason this album is not as upbeat as the first is because the series has been on such a downer lately, what with Billy dying and the wreck and ruin of everyone's love life. Given that it is no wonder we end up with "100 Tears Away," "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted," "World Without Love," etc. Even "Someday We'll Be Together" has a bittersweet element, which is no doubt the reason it was picked in the first place. However, there is much more variety in terms of the musical stylings on this album that the first effort.

There are more original songs this time around. Of these, "Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow," a duet with Emily Sailers of the Indigo Girls, is the best effort. "This Is Crazy Now" is also a nice song and it is interesting to note that her original efforts are such simple tunes in contrast to the more frenetic cover songs. If I stumble on one of her pre-McBeal efforts I will have to see how much of an effect working on this show has had on her as a songwriter.

Final note. The photo on the back of the notes is better than the cover shot on this album, as it includes not only Vonda Shepard but a very nice curly-haired waif shot of Calista Flockheart.

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