The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971 By Dusty Springfield

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Dusty Springfield

The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971

Dusty Springfield

Real Gone Music

Review by David Bowling

 

Dusty Springfield, 1939-1969, was one of the lead pop songstresses of the last half of the 20th century. After a brilliant music career and tumultuous life, she died just prior to her induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

While she was known for pop hits such as “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” “The Look Of Love,” and “Wishin’ And Hopin,” it was her three years with the Atlantic label the formed the definitive period of her career.  Tom Dowd, Jerry Wexler, and Arif Mardin, (engineer, producer, vice president), transitioned her from pop to a more soulful style.

Now her 12 singles, both A and B sides, released by the Atlantic label, have been issued under the title The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971.

Led by “Son Of A Preacher Man,” one of the best songs of the time period, the bulk of the material should be required listening for any fan of the era or Springfield. Her smooth delivery effortlessly transitions to soul and her voice gives everything a unique sheen.

Songs such as “Just A Little Lovin,'” “Breakfast In Bed,” “Willie And Laura Mae Jones,” and lesser known tracks “Bad Case Of The Blues,” “That Old Sweet Roll,” and “I Don’t Want To Hear It Anymore” are all sublime.

It is some of the lesser known tunes that add luster to the release. “Lost” is a foray in Philadelphia pop/funk, while “Let Me Get In Your Way” finds her vocal following a simple bass line. “In The Land Of Make Believe” uses a sitar to set up her vocal.

The sound is excellent as is most everything recorded for the The Atlantic label, especially when the three above mentioned gentlemen were involved. The instrumental backing is supportive and never gets in the way, which lets her voice be the focal point. She had a wonderful way of annunciating each word clearly, which was unique.

The Complete Atlantic Singles: 1968-1971 catches Dusty Springfield at her best, which given her career, says a lot.

Rating:****

Come For A Dream: The U.K. Sessions 1970-1971 By Dusty Springfield

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Come For A Dream, Dusty Springfield

Come For A Dream: The U.K. Sessions 1970-1971

Dusty Springfield

Real Gone Music 2015

Review by David Bowling

 

Dusty Springfield enjoyed some main stream commercial success but was never able to grab the brass ring despite being one of the best female vocalists of the second half of the 20^th century. Fate was very unkind to her as she passed away several months before her induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s she recorded in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Her 1969 release, Dusty In Memphis is considered to be one of the better albums of the era. She also recorded a number of tracks in her home country for an English release. See All Her Faces was released in 1972 but only contained nine of the newly recorded songs. The other five tracks were taken from her American recording sessions. Now all of the material from her English recording sessions has been released together under the title Come For A Dream: The U.K. Sessions 1970-1971.

When approaching anything recorded by Dusty Springfield, the expectations are always high and this newly released material lives up to those expectations.

The album is a little more pop oriented than her American releases from the same time-period. She was not a songwriter and so had to choose her material. She was, however, a great interpreter of songs and when given the right material, the results could be spectacular.

Springfield is backed by an orchestra on all the tracks, which was a departure from the past. The Rascals “How Can I Be Sure” and the Chi-lites “O-O-Child” have soulful vocals amid the lush backing. Songs such as “Yesterday When I Was Young,” What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life,” Jimmy Webb’s, and “Mixed Up Girl” are pure pop. Leon Russell’s “A Song For You” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Come For A Dream” both have some blues elements.

Many Of The Tracks have been not been available for decades and while she travels across a number of styles; when taken individually they add some luster to her legacy. A must release for her fan base.

 

Rating: ***1/2

Faithful (CD) By Dusty Springfield

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Atlantic, Dusty Springfield, Faithful

Faithful

Dusty Springfield

Real Gone Music 2015

Review by David Bowling

Dusty Springfield was one of those artists who could sing the phone book and make it listenable. She released over a dozen solo albums during the course of her career, which led to her induction in both the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the U.K. Music Hall Of Fame.

The height of her creativity probably occurred during her time with the Atlantic Label during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Dusty In Memphis (1969) and A Brand New Day (1970) are the epitome of blue-eyed soul and rank among the best releases of their era.

A third album was planned for the label but due to the failure of two singles and tensions with the Atlantic hierarchy, it was never released.  Now Real Gone Music has raided the Atlantic vaults and assembled the music that was supposed to have been issued 44 years ago under the title Faithful.

The use of producer Jeff Barry and label staff writers take the album in more of a pop direction than her previous two releases for the label. Two Bobby Bloom compositions lead the way. “Haunted” is a passionate love song after the fact and “Nothing Is Forever” is a classic ballad.

The one soul-oriented song that would have been right at home on her other releases is “I’ll Be Faithful,” which is a piano based southern R&B piece. “Love Shine Down” was a rare excursion into the  world of gospel. Even rarer is “Natchez Trace,” which is an all-out rocker with a gritty vocal.

Two hits of the day receive very different treatments. “You’ve Got A Friend,” one of 14 Carole King compositions recorded by Springfield, is given a simple and traditional treatment. On the other hand, Bread’s “Make It With You” is reinvented as a walk on the sensual side.

Four decades after its recording, Faithful takes its rightful place in the Dusty Springfield pantheon of albums. One of the tragedies of her life was her death at the age of 59, just two weeks before her induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Faithful is a belated testament to one of the better singers of her generation.

Rating: ****