Ronnie Milsap - Summer Number Seventeen
Sony Music
There are some entertainers who come out of nowhere to grab the attention of music producers and fans alike. Their rise to stardom is meteoric, and their fame rests on a few catchy tunes and charming good looks. After they release a few hit songs and stir up some gossip, their stars and their careers fade into musical oblivion. Then, there are some entertainers who truly stand the test of time. They release timeless, alluring music that lasts through generations and appeals to fans of all ages and creeds. Even when their popularity wanes, they continue to sing and tour for those loyal fans who still find the old songs as thrilling today as they were when they were new. Ronnie Milsap is one of these entertainers. Never content to simply recycle the hits of his past, Milsap constantly reinvents himself in an effort to keep his music fresh for the fans.
On this latest album he revisits those teenage days when we romanced to those sappy love ballads. The term easy listening has been much abused but it fits the likes of It’s All In The Game and Tears On My Pillow, a couple of songs that best suit the album’s perceived intention. Unfortunately, too many of these songs and performances don’t quite fit what Milsap states as his aim. Songs like Mustang Sally and What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted are from the 1970s, when Ronnie was way past his teenage years. Having been a teenager in the late 1950s, we certainly didn’t get off on Bobby Darin’s Mack The Knife nor Ray Charles’ Georgia On My Mind—to us spotty youngsters, this was the music of our parents or at best our elder siblings.
The production and musical arrangements are in the main, smooth and lush. Though Ronnie’s voice still contains a smooth, rich quality, the deep-felt soul edge that I loved so much some 30-odd years ago is missing. He fails to stamp his mark on his renditions of Jimmy Ruffin’s soul classic What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted or the Stylistics’ You Make Me Feel Brand New. He is joined by the usually excellent Mandy Barnett on the latter song, but it’s a complete waste of her talent. She’s a vastly-underrated world-class vocalist and shouldn’t be wasting her time trying to sound like a Stylistic. Even worse is Ronnie’s version of Georgia On My Mind, with all the heart and soul taken out of a classic song to be replaced by over-the-top self-indulgence.
I’m a huge Ronnie Milsap fan, and I’ve always appreciated the way he’s reinvented himself musically, but this time I have to say that he’s let himself and his dedicated fans down. I’m sorry Ronnie, you’ve had your fame and glory, but this one doesn’t come near matching your legendary stature. Hopefully, next time, you’ll come up with a more cohesive and sympathetic album that lives up to your reputation.
www.RonnieMilsap.com
There are some entertainers who come out of nowhere to grab the attention of music producers and fans alike. Their rise to stardom is meteoric, and their fame rests on a few catchy tunes and charming good looks. After they release a few hit songs and stir up some gossip, their stars and their careers fade into musical oblivion. Then, there are some entertainers who truly stand the test of time. They release timeless, alluring music that lasts through generations and appeals to fans of all ages and creeds. Even when their popularity wanes, they continue to sing and tour for those loyal fans who still find the old songs as thrilling today as they were when they were new. Ronnie Milsap is one of these entertainers. Never content to simply recycle the hits of his past, Milsap constantly reinvents himself in an effort to keep his music fresh for the fans.On this latest album he revisits those teenage days when we romanced to those sappy love ballads. The term easy listening has been much abused but it fits the likes of It’s All In The Game and Tears On My Pillow, a couple of songs that best suit the album’s perceived intention. Unfortunately, too many of these songs and performances don’t quite fit what Milsap states as his aim. Songs like Mustang Sally and What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted are from the 1970s, when Ronnie was way past his teenage years. Having been a teenager in the late 1950s, we certainly didn’t get off on Bobby Darin’s Mack The Knife nor Ray Charles’ Georgia On My Mind—to us spotty youngsters, this was the music of our parents or at best our elder siblings.
The production and musical arrangements are in the main, smooth and lush. Though Ronnie’s voice still contains a smooth, rich quality, the deep-felt soul edge that I loved so much some 30-odd years ago is missing. He fails to stamp his mark on his renditions of Jimmy Ruffin’s soul classic What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted or the Stylistics’ You Make Me Feel Brand New. He is joined by the usually excellent Mandy Barnett on the latter song, but it’s a complete waste of her talent. She’s a vastly-underrated world-class vocalist and shouldn’t be wasting her time trying to sound like a Stylistic. Even worse is Ronnie’s version of Georgia On My Mind, with all the heart and soul taken out of a classic song to be replaced by over-the-top self-indulgence.
I’m a huge Ronnie Milsap fan, and I’ve always appreciated the way he’s reinvented himself musically, but this time I have to say that he’s let himself and his dedicated fans down. I’m sorry Ronnie, you’ve had your fame and glory, but this one doesn’t come near matching your legendary stature. Hopefully, next time, you’ll come up with a more cohesive and sympathetic album that lives up to your reputation.
www.RonnieMilsap.com