Record Reviews

CILLA BLACK ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES PARLOPHONE 825646014200 (Barcode: 825646014200) ~ UK ~ Classic Pop Recorded: 1965 - 1970 Released: 2015 This Box Set collects the first five albums by the great British singer Cilla BlackFind albums by this artist, released between 1965 and 1970. They are: "CillaFind albums with this title" from 1965, "Cilla Sings A RainbowFind albums with this title" from 1966, "Sher-oo!Find albums with this title" from 1968, "Surround Yourself With CillaFind albums with this title" from 1969 and "Sweet InspirationFind albums with this title" from 1970. Black shared many things with her contemporaries and friends, The BeatlesFind albums by this artist: she came from Liverpool, she was managed by Brian EpsteinFind albums by this artist, her albums were produced by George MartinFind albums by this artist and some of her songs were written especially for her by John LennonFind albums by this artist and Paul McCartneyFind albums by this artist. Her meteoric rise to the top of the British Pop scene was therefore hardly a surprise but it should be said that she earned her status fair and square simply using her natural talent and iron determination. These albums are classics of the era and show Black´s versatility as a singer, while she moves between Jazz, Soul and Pop oriented material with flare and elegance. Her strong and pleasant voice was unique and she managed to become one of the early white singers, who successfully interpreted Soul music, making it their own. Black, who sadly died in 2015, was active for over five decades and proudly created a very impressive legacy, which has but a few equals. These early albums, which have been unavailable for ages, are a must to every British 1960s Pop connoisseur. A must I say! Side Note The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label, the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label, the "5 Original AlbumsFind albums with this title" by UniversalFind albums on this label, the Box Sets by RhinoFind albums on this label and other similar releases are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard for the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires as to treat our Cultural Legacy with respect and loyalty. The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. Most importantly these Box Sets don't include any booklet offering a historical background and perspective about the Artists and the Music, which are extremely important and vital to the preservation of our Culture and passing the knowledge to the next generations. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!

Updated: 05/04/2024Posted: 09/01/2016

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