A Wonder From Down Under

As many people have asserted, John Denver sounded best when heard live in concert. I think this compilation, Sing Australia, is a fine example of that. Recorded in 1994 this CD offers a wide variety of John's most well loved songs. On this CD there are many superior renditions of his work. "Rocky Mountain High," is accentuated with a warm rich synthesizer, and the reverence and the majesty of the mountains is reflected in his voice. The song "For You" is sung with a slow heart felt poignancy, while "Poems, Prayers and Promises" wraps you in a comforting melodic blanket that reminds everyone what the truly meaningful things in life are. A favorite song of mine, "Rhymes and Reasons" is offered in prayer-like fashion with a timeless message of hope for these troubled times; "come and stand beside us, we can find a better way." John usually ended his performances with "Calypso" and the version offered here will create for the listener an experiential taste of being there at one of John's concerts. From beginning to end this entire CD offers you a glimpse into the excitement and connection, the joy and serenity, that you would feel at a John Denver concert.

Great

John Denver's last concert in Australia is a must for all JD fans. It is John at his best, relating to his audience as only he could do.

Great Performance, Poor Production

After listening to "The Wildlife Concert" and "An Evening with John Denver," one might guess that recording a live performance is a snap. It isn't, and regrettably this CD proves just how difficult it is. In this 1994 performance, John sings with passion and energy. The song selection is a good mix of his hits. However, the audio is muddy and "echoey," as though the recording engineer drew from the sound going out to the audience as opposed to using a direct feed. Buy this CD only if you are a) not very sensitive to sound quality b) Such a huge JD fan that you must own everything he did, or c) planning on listening to this CD only on that cheap player in your car.