BURT BACHARACH
The Look Of Love (WEA)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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Sap is in the air, and it ain't just the maples running over. Ageless smoothie Burt Bacharach defies logic and continues to be relevant (dueting with Elvis Costello no less) a half century after Perry Como crooned "Magic Moments" up the charts. Those two moments bookend a ridiculously successful string of mushy ballads of the squeaky clean pop variety that resonate in elevators and dental offices to this day. "Close to You," "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," "Walk on By," "Baby It's You," "What the World Needs Now is Love" .... Mind boggling really. Two jam packed CDs worth of memorable fluff, sung by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield and of course, Dionne Warwick. Bacharach defined the laidback pop of the sixties and early seventies, and though successful in latter years, that material just doesn't have the same pull, and in the wrong hands can be darn right irritating ("Arthur's Theme," "That's What Friends Are For"). The only thing missing from this collection is a bigger tip of the hat to writing partner and forgotten man in the shuffle, Hal David, who provided the words for most of this collection.

© 2001 - John Sekerka