Love Over & Over | Kate Mcgarrigle & Anna | Brilliant, but not their best!

Love Over & Over | Kate Mcgarrigle & Anna | The McGarrigle Sisters "Sgt. Pepper" - a brilliant work

popular music:

Cosaminds Documentation McCulloch Black & Decker TRO... Love Over & Over

	Love Over & Over Kate Mcgarrigle & Anna Hannibal, 1997 average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

Brilliant, but not their best!

This album is another majestic offering from Kate & Anna, which combines upbeat, catchy tunes like Move Over Moon and Love Over & Over, with soulful, aching ballads such as I Cried For Us and Jesus Lifeline. For me the standout tracks are Sun,Son and On My Way to Town (both these are also found in the magnificent French Record, the latter being a translation and the former totally remodelled on this version), though there are no bad tracks. It is unfortunate, though, that so little emphasis is placed on the musical side of things in this album, and I have to say that Talk To Mo Of Mendocino remains my favourite McGarrigle track. However, this is a great album, and a good introduction to the McGarrigles. Nice to see some new French material in the form of Tu Vas M'Accompagner, too.

for more information click here

The McGarrigle Sisters "Sgt. Pepper" - a brilliant work

This, the third album Kate and Anna McGarrigle made has always been special to me, great songs, tasteful and even rocking arrangements and the kind of artful sequencing that elevates what might just be a fine collection of well performed songs into a sustained work of art.
While some other reviewers here fault the production from Mark Knopfler as "dated" and "cluttered" - I disagree, I think Knopfler did a great job all the way through. The rockers, opener "Move Over Moon", the title track and the closer "Midnight Flight" rock more than you'd expect from the McGarrigles, but nothing sounds forced or stretched - just *rockin'*. The rest of the tracks all get "just right" production, acoustic guitars and accordion predominate - with several standouts: "Sun, Son", "I Cried For Us" - a gorgeous breakup song by Kate in league with Anna's classic "Heart Like a Wheel" - and the almost fairy tale like "On My Way to Town" ("On my way to town / Got my money in my secret pocket / dropping pebbles in my tracks / I will not get lost when I come back ...").

Of the 11 original tracks, all are beautifully wrought, all stand on their own - but it is the sequencing that elevates this collection to one of my favorite albums of all time. All the great albums - Sgt. Pepper, Manhattan Tower, OK Computer - become more than the sum of their parts when experienced in their entire artful sequence. So it is with "Love over and Over". There is no "theme" per se, but it is a paced and directed journey through a world you want to be in. I highly recommend living with the original 11 tracks before listening to the bonus tracks "Place in Your Heart" and "Babies if I didn't Have you". They're OK, Kate and Anna could almost do no wrong - but the original 11, and in sequence are a trip - take it, a magnificent achievement that must not be overlooked.
Kate McGarrigle died of cancer yesterday (2010-Jan-18) - a great loss - it's time to renew and expand our appreciation of the great work she did with her sister Anna, and other members of their family.
RIP, Kate. You've brought us so much, you will be sorely missed ...

for more information click here

Soulful, funky & attuned

Great songwriting once again is the striking feature of this album; Anna especially opting for a more soulful approach in her songs. The McGarrigles exude cleverness and sensitivity with a sharp & attuned manner of expression. From a songwriting point of view the album gets 5/5 but the production lets it down a little. The clarity and natural shine of Joe Boyd/John Wood' production & engineering which so graced the first two albums is sorely lacking here...the arrangements are a little cluttered and bottom heavy, the vocals aren't particularly made to stand out....the overall effect is a somewhat dated and a touch cheesy which is dissapointing considering the first-class songwriting. Nonetheless this is a must for any McGarrigle fan, Kate's 'I Cried for us' is possibly the standout track, radiance & majesty personified in song.

for more information click here

An Impressive Combination of Humor and Intimacy

Kate and Anna are my favorite singing/songwriting sisters. Their combination of humor and intimacy is impressive: tongue-in-cheek lyrics one minute, then unadorned and compassionate songs the next. Love Over And Over covers a wide range for musical styles including toe-tapping rock (Move Over Moon, Love Over And Over), piano-based ballads (I Cried For Us, Babies If I Didn't Have You), cryin'-in-your-beer country-blues (Star Cab Company), and gospel (Jesus Lifeline). The bouncing title song, `Love Over And Over,' features Mark Knopfler's enchanting guitar licks. The CD opens with Kate and Anne questioning their astrological horoscope, then taking charge of their destiny declaring "Move over moon. Get out of Uranus." The characters here are also exotic: a daughter pleads with her cab drivin' mother "Don't throw the meter mamma" (Star Cab Company).

Contrary to their quirky wit, Kate and Anna also tackle serious stuff. A solo piano or acoustic guitar introduction is a clear sign that they're about to "reach for the heart." `I Cried For Us' is a simply structured but sorrowful "good-bye" composition. There's a heartwarming song about independence and apprehension which manages to sound 100-years old (On My Way To Town). Loss and fear are the subject of the touching `Babies If I Didn't Have You.' Love Over And Over celebrates life's pleasures and tribulations. Very gratifying.

for more information click here

Tracks
Move Over Moon | Sun, Son (Shining On The Water) | I Cried For Us | Love Over And Over | Star Cab Company | Tu Vas M'accompagner | On My Way To Town | Jesus Lifeline | The Work Song | St. Valentines Day 1978 | Midnight Flight | A Place In Your Heart | Babies If I Didn't Have You

products you might be interested in

recommendations

Best Canadian Albums Volume 2 - Toasty Mukluks & Cold Maple Syrup
Canada's Greatest Recording Artists(FEMALE)
Tracking Down RUFUS WAINWRIGHT - Part 1
"The complete list of Rufus" Part One
My Most Loved Albums