Tony Bennett's been doing the PR rounds lately, promoting that new duets album of his (no link necessary here, just stroll up to your neighborhood Starbucks' counter to have it smooshed in your face.)
In two interviews I've read - curiously enough in MOJO & Q, both of which critically lamblasted the new disc - Mr. Bennett has specifically mentioned getting physically ill during recording sessions due to the material on 1969's 'Tony Sings The Great Hits Of Today!' OK, now I'm intrigued. It has a number of tracks that singers were apparently lawfully obliged to include on late-60's covers albums (MacArthur Park, My Cherie Amour, etc). While neither of us have heard it, I'd imagine it's not necessarily a diamond-in-the-rough, but also not nearly as crapulent as Tony recalls.
That said, I immediately began to wonder what he thinks of Tony Bennett's Something, a lush, near-perfect 1970 covers album released right after '...Today!' Eric & I both got into it thx to that mid-90's wave of Columbia/Bennett reissues, and if push came to shove, I wouldn't put up a fight if a brain printout showed it sitting in my top 20 albums. Incredibly relaxing and classy, and despite what this perfunctory two star AMG review says, he sounds completely comfortable singing at-the-time 'fresh' songs ala Everybody's Talkin', On A Clear Day..., etc.
So in a bit of 'humor the critics' turnabout, I thought I'd some donate some ear time to a Bennett critical fave, his initial '75 collaboration w/ Bill Evans. While I love Bill Evans - especially another critics' unfavorite [w/ Bill playing Rhodes!!], I have absolutely zero interest in this album. Their styles completely clash, and while Tony sounds as smooth as a Doubleshot** on '...Something,' the vocals are 'brash monkey' w/ Evans at the piano.
** necessary Starbucks yin to the first paragraph's yang