I Am Thrilled To Hear This Music

Desiring for many years to avoid what is today termed C&W music, I missed the emergence of The Mavericks onto the pop/country scene. After seeing the band's lead singer, Raul Malo, on a production of PBS' Soundstage, and investigating his recording history, I was thrilled to find what he and his Mavericks cohorts had accomplished.

I am of an age that can recall the smell of the dust burning from the radio's vacuum tubes as it warmed and the cadence of an Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison or Gene Pitney hit grew into my ears and imagination.

I purchased both the "Music For All Ocassions" and "What A Crying Shame" CD's, and am happy that I did.

I love this music.

Music For All Occasions

An acceptable album from the Mavericks, but probably their weakest. As one of the previous reviewers pointed out, the album suffers from too-similar material. There are some fantastic moments like the shattering *Here Comes the Rain*, the roudy *All You Ever Do is Bring Me Down*, and the honkytonkin' *The Writing on the Wall*. The latter of which may be worth the admission price alone, since it does not appear on any of the compilation albums. Overall, kind of a dissapointment compared to their previous albums, but they'd be back in '98 with the wonderfull "Trampoline" album.

Thanks

Smooth, and true to the sounds of yesterday and today

A great album, this being their third from MCA (fourth album officialy). Here, the sounds of 50's/ 60's Nashville pop with a splash of country is such a wonderful treat.

The only two songs that suggest quite different, are the 12 string set "Here Comes The Rain", which deserved the Grammy it got, and the honky-tex trip "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down", which is so much fun...great video too......

"Foolish Heart" makes jukeboxs across the land ache to play it.....smooth vocals from Raul as well as Shelby Lynne and Lari White backing him up....and great GOLDEN sounds from Nick's tasteful playing on arched top electric guitar.
"My Secret FLame" carries you to lounges way across town at night, and "Missing You" is striking as the ballad of ballads. Bassist Robert Reynolds makes "One Step Away" and "The Writing On The Wall" a happy tempo, while drummer Paul Deakin makes the door in the joint swing wide open in the MEGA snappy "If You Only Knew".

Other soft sounds in "Loving You" and "I'm Not Gonna Cry For You" are sweet, and the surprise her eis the great and best version yet of the classic from a while back "Something Stupid". Trisha Yearwood (Robert's wife at the time) duets with Raul for a well done cover.
Please forgive those people out there for excusing this as a chessy, fluffy, and goo-goo project. It is a romantic themed album mostly, and should be taken as for what it showcases. THREE songs here may play tag in their THEMES sounding "SOMEWHAT" alike, but don't a lot of Beatles songs, or Frank Sinatra tunes do the same? Come on !! Nobody knows how to awaken the sounds of this era better ...than the Mavericks.

p.s.- give the goofy "One Step Away" a chance...it always puts away any gloom in my day......okay dudes / dudettes ?
Whats wrong with songs being just happy....simple?

Highlights: Foolish Heart, truly a song for the jukebox...GRAMMY? OVER HERE...Need another one for this one!
And Here COmes The Rain.....what an original.....