Barry Manilow – My Dream Duets (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Barry Manilow – My Dream Duets (2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 36:33 minutes | 799 MB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Verve Pop

Modern technology has given Barry Manilow the opportunity to record his dream duets with his own musical heroes on this album. From cherished idols like Judy Garland and Louis Armstrong to contemporary icons like Whitney Houston and John Denver, they have all joined Manilow in his virtual recording studio.The original vocal tracks for each guest artist were extracted from their original source recordings, allowing Manilow to reorchestrate the arrangements, record new musical tracks and then transport the guest vocals into vibrant new settings. In this way, he not only pays tribute to his duet partners but he also brings them into the modern era.

At 71 years old, Barry Manilow has reached the age when he can do anything he pleases, and what pleases him is singing along with old records by dead singers. That’s all My Dream Duets is: Manilow brushing off his old cabaret routine so it can spruce up vintage records by Jimmy Durante and Judy Garland. He’s not the only new element on these electronically rejiggered duets – instrumentation, usually synthetic, sometimes as incessant as the drum loop that runs underneath “The Candyman,” has been added – but he’s the notable addition, crooning full verses in addition to sliding in some corny asides. For all his showboating, he doesn’t do much to distract from his idols. Time and time again, the singer who stands out on My Dream Duets is the original vocalist, the one who cut the track originally and stamped it indelibly with his or her own personality. Manilow recedes out of deference but also practicality: he’s not duetting with a living singer; he’s singing over an existing track and tailoring his performance to suit established contours. Consequently, there’s not much dynamism here, but it’s also not stiff because Manilow is so over the top. Perhaps that’s Barry’s natural response because there’s nothing left for him to do but ham it up on the margins but, ultimately, that means My Dream Duets isn’t much more than an exceedingly odd curiosity.

Tracklist:

01. Barry Manilow & Jimmy Durante – The Song’s Gotta Come From The Heart (02:07)
02. Barry Manilow & Frankie Lymon – Goody Goody (02:13)
03. Barry Manilow & Mama Cass – Dream A Little Dream Of Me (03:10)
04. Barry Manilow & Whitney Houston – I Believe In You And Me (03:54)
05. Barry Manilow & John Denver – Sunshine On My Shoulders (04:37)
06. Barry Manilow & Judy Garland – Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart (03:20)
07. Barry Manilow & Andy Williams – Moon River (03:35)
08. Barry Manilow & Dusty Springfield – The Look Of Love (04:12)
09. Barry Manilow & Sammy Davis, Jr. – The Candy Man (03:06)
10. Barry Manilow & Marilyn Monroe – I Wanna Be Loved By You (02:14)
11. Barry Manilow & Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World / What A Wonderful Life (04:00)

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