The Painter - Paul Anka (Quad)
a 'late era' Quad (and United Artists' only QS-encoded Quad LP release) from 1976
that never gets talked about by Quaddies online.. and blow me down but I've enjoyed it so much while recording in the Surround Master decode that i'm playing it all over again for the 2nd time in quick succession!
stylistically it comprises a number of real stonking powerhouse ballads, that he really belts out with all his heart (and lungs! ..far be it for little old nobody me to critique a legend.. but at times it feels like he may be "oversinging" a tad or rather overreaching himself/his vocal range, if you know what i mean
but bloody hell does he give the tunes his all..! ) among all the big belting of the 'get yer lighters out' type singalong numbers there are a couple of deceiving songs that start slow and sultry but surprisingly turn into fun and funky toe-tapping uptempo numbers!
its almost worth checking out this album for his backing band if nothing else! the liners credit a veritable who's who of the creme de la creme of 70's session musicians; including Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Dean Parks, Jay Graydon, Joe Sample, Jim Gordon, Jim Horn... and the talent backing him is most evident throughout.
there's a rather neat use of the opening track ("you bring out the best in me")
with its catchy refrain used throughout the album, both during an instrumental track partway through and in a nifty reprise at the very end.
"you bring out the best in me, you do..."
:music
