 Johnny Mathis Johnny Mathis is one of those inarguably great vocalists who unfortunately has no real hipness factor. It's too bad, but I suppose that some things are just meant to be for the over-60 crowd, no offense to Mark Eitzel. Good Night, Dear Lord finds Johnny in 1958 doing a full album of traditional religious songs … not the typical Johnny Mathis album, for sure. The voice is incredible throughout, full of emotion and feats of technical brilliance executed with a smoothness that makes it seem easy. The session might have been a revelation had it been recorded, say, with a simple trio accompaniment (Oscar Peterson's for example), but the songs are weighed down by Percy Faith's sappy orchestrations. That whole Columbia Records easy-listening sound might be one of the very few types of music that just does nothing for me. It's a shame, too, because otherwise this might have been an interesting album. "Good Night, Dear Lord" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" open the album, both enjoyable despite those songs being pretty overdone in general. These are followed by some less overplayed songs of faith ("I Heard the Forest Praying," "The Rosary" etc) but the album really starts to wear down under the "beautiful" arrangements. It's the sort of music I wouldn't mind hearing in Heaven, but I guess we all know there's no danger of me getting that privilege. Each song takes approximately the same slow tempo, giving the CD an either obsolete or post-apocalyptic feel … and I just don't appreciate albums that make me feel like everyone else has died and I can't change the station. High points: "One God" and "Deep River" are pretty great (I'll wait for the maxi-single); "Kol Nidre" is an interesting choice and very well done. The album closes with two famous versions of "Ave Maria" (Schubert's masterpiece and Gounod's variation on the Bach theme). These are quite affecting, showing off Mathis's voice in its pristine wonder, genuinely beautiful and not overstated. I suppose that if I had to pick a Johnny Mathis album to own, it would probably be this one or the Christmas album. But as I said before, I'll leave Johnny to the parents and grandparents, and those lost members of my generation desperately trying to find something "cool" to get into that no one else is. Feel free to have my portion.
Review by Jeannine Beard |