johnnyrivers.com

[chinaman]

The new CD is well written well produced with a few minor mistakes and although I am a huge JR fan what's happening to his voice. There are time s when he sounds like the old secret agent man himself and then there are some times when it sounds like a dog with his leg caught in barbed wire. The CD if it is truly a JR cd it has to be about his voice. all the musicians provided the well played music.The writers of the songs provided the clever words. It's only Rivers voice that makes it a Johnny Rivers cd and thats the part thats dissapointing to me. sometimes old dogs should just lay on the porch and not try to hunt.

[Bad Rev]

Hmmm....


On one hand, I haven't heard the new CD , so I'm not sure what you're referring to (feel free to forward a mp3 of the "offending" track to evilrevisback@hotmail.com if you're feeling generous).

On the other hand, JR still sound pretty damn good for being on "the other side of 60"

I doubt that most vocalists will survive with minimal vocal deterioriaton as well as JR has


Rev

[bills back]

I think the CD is fantastic with the exception of the first track - just don't like the sound. So if there's 13 tracks that's 12 out of 13, pretty good for an old bloke.
It is very different to anything he has done but hey the world moves on and if he was still singing the Whiskey sounds all he would have to do is release a remix every now and then.
I say be adventurous JR and keep the good stuff coming.
That begs the next question when will he bring out a new album. Again I'd like to see him do a modern Rewind where his voice rather than the backing is the dominant feature.

My grading, Shadows is a comfortable 12 out of 13 - almost perfect.
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Aussie Aussie Aussie Oh Oh Oh

[chinaman]

I agree with Almost everything you said. I think the backing and the writing of the tunes are definitly the dominant factor of this record. I think the songs were cleverly written and I noticed JR did not write them. I think he is a smart guy and realizes his limitations and goes to professional song writers to get the best songs available. But back to what you said. The writing and backing are the dominant factor of this CD. Which begs the question if some other artist plugged his voice into the CD instead of JR do you think it would get more airplay ? I have not heard this on any radio station and I have been listening for it exclusivly. Has anybody out there heard any of the songs on the radio? I would love to know. thx

[The Snake]

Can you imagine what a boring world it would be if everybody liked the same things? Personally, I like the new cd very much. Is it different from what we're used to hearing from Johnny? Most definitely. Friends of mine saw Billy Joel and Elton John a couple of days ago and remarked how their voices have changed, especially Joels'. I didn't expect Rivers to sound like the go go years. After all we do change alot over the years. The one thing I've noticed about Johnny is that he seems to know his limitations and doesn't try to be something he's not. So sit back and enjoy!

[chinaman]

I just saw the eagles about a month ago and even though those guys are mostly over sixty they sounded the same live. With all the digital technology you would think that in a studio they could have fixed JRs pitch problems thats all I am saying. Live is one thing but in a studio when you can go back over it many times to fix it you would have thought they would have.

[agent 32346]

Hmmm...

...His voice is different ( obvious! ), but still beautiful.

...and Bills, I think the new CD... "totally" perfect http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pgCBhtpq0Y

Lidia
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Let Tomorrow be...

[Agent 928]

I do not see anything wrong with "The Voice", but the songs do go in a different direction then we are used to, but so what? We are lucky to have Johnny Rivers still singing and performing at this stage of the game. I will STILL stand solidly behind "Reinvention Highway" songs, even if I am the only one who does. For some reason, I really like that group of songs and how they are done even if they are "Redos", but as Snake said, "Wouldn't it be boring of we all listened differently?" I like the new stuff, just doesn't knock me flat. Good solid music, good songs, good performance and good SINGING!! I DO LISTEN differently as I am almost deaf, but have 300 dollar specially made headphones that pick up everything, and damned if I can hear any pitch problems that Chinaman speaks of. HMMM indeed.
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"Seven years of college down the drain..."

[agent1370]

Pitch problems....studio overdubs....I personally feel like we're all prisoners of the American Idol invasion of American music and judging . I'd recommend a new set of headphones and/or speakers. Pitch problem....are you kidding me?? PITCH PROBLEMS???? As far as Studio tricks....we're talking Johnny Rivers here....not Brittany Spears. JR is still kicking ass live....he doesn't do many overdubs in the studio....he's real. I'll take JR's tired barbed wire dog howling on a porch approach any day over any of this crap that is getting released as music. BTW...American Dream got a lot of air play on country music stations around the country...did it become a hit? No....but there are legions of new fans who know JR is alive and well. Pitch problems!!?? Are you kidding me??

AHA
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THEY'VE G1VEN YOU A NUMB3R...AND TAKEN WA7 Y0UR NAME

"Fate is an interesting reality"

[Bad Rev]

I don't think that anyone has recorded "live in the studio" without fixes or overdubs for close to 50 years now.

In many ways, I believe that's not a good thing

[Ken Rayba]

I think "Shadows On The Moon" is a great CD! The musicianship is excellent!

JR' interpretation of the tunes is what is really important. It isn't how good your voice is (look at Richard Harris, Lenard Cohen) it is your interpretation of the tunes, feeling the lyrics, and getting the story across!

I'm a big Sinatra fan, in the later years his voice wasn't as great, but his recordings of "great songs" in his later years, is what made him a great singer!

I agree w/Scott, he sounds just as good "live" as he did years ago. I've seen so many of these "oldies acts" on TV, and they can't hold a candle to JR's voice.

Hmm, the only entertainer that made me upset by a recording, was Randy Newman's "Short People", that was a total insult! I still respect his writing, and he has a right to his opinion....

PS" I"m only 5' 2'' LOL!
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Agent 17

[Agent 928]

Here's an interesting addendum to the story with JR' s new CD. I sent my copy to a friend who loves the "singer-songwriter" genre and covered the label so he would not have any "previous expectations". He LOVED it and the first thing he mentioned was how STRONG the voice was, and how good the words were. When I told him later it was Johnny Rivers, he was amazed! he thought Johnny was in "retirement" and had no idea he had recorded this music OR is still out there playing live. One thing JR has always been is a good "interpreter", look at "Positively 4th Street", or "Mountain of Love", or "The Letter"!! I am glad to hear he did get some airplay somewhere for the new CD, and I am definitely looking forward to hearing a new song or two in concert in Georgia.
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"Seven years of college down the drain..."

[Mari Ormenese]

I think the CD is fantastic!!! Very well produced and JR's voice is as good as always!

He is an excellent musician and that was another great job.
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http://mormenesepost.blogspot.com/ - Johnny Rivers

[chinaman]

I agree that we have all become slaves to the american idol crap and that all the music sounds the same and sucks. Thats why I paid so close attention to the new album. The album musicians are fantastic and the songwriting some of the best of all the new stuff out there. Thats why I am being so critical of his voice. I was just thinking if it were someone else singing it it might have got airplay.or at least some recognition.JR is like alot of us pushing that social security line and unfortunatley his time has come and gone. But this album is still better than what else thats out there.

[bills back]

Look over the years, the great work, the entertainer, Realization, Poor Side - from Whiskey to Shadows some 40 odd years in the making.
Can you sum up a talent such as this in a words?
Errrr yer, Johnny Rivers.
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Aussie Aussie Aussie Oh Oh Oh