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Only One Life: The Songs of Jimmy Webb | 
 enlarge | Artists: Michael Feinstein, Jimmy Webb
Label: Concord Records
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $7.11
You Save: $11.87 (63%)
New (14) Used (14) from $4.64
Avg. Customer Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 122402
Format: Enhanced, Extra Tracks
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 2203
UPC: 013431220329
EAN: 0013431220329
ASIN: B0000C9JDN
Release Date: October 7, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | After All the Loves of My Life/Only One Life - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy | | • | Didn't We - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | Belmont Avenue - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy | | • | Up, Up and Away - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | She Moves, Eyes Follow - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | All I Know - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | Adios - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | Skywriter - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | Is There Love After You? - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy | | • | Louisa Blu - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy | | • | Time Flies - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy | | • | These Are All Mine - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy | | • | Piano - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] | | • | Only One Life - Michael Feinstein, Webb, Jimmy [1] |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 Great Album August 19, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have always loved Jimmy Webb and Michael Feinstein separately. To get them together on one album is a wonderful treat! Michael's voice is perfect for interpreting the bittersweet lyrics so carefully crafted by Jimmy Webb. Each song is a delight.
 Well Done, Yet Lame July 25, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Mr. Feinstein's voice sounds great; it's a very expressive instrument, and he has gotten better as the years go by.
The arrangements are rapturously beautiful.
The songs, of course, are just magnificent.
But there are some major problems with this project. The biggest violations are the tempi -- some of these songs are just too damned slow. I'm all for being leisurely at times, but some of this stuff sounds like everyone in the studio had Novocaine injected into their brains. When they enter the chorus of "Adios", I suddenly got a mental picture of all the musicians being saddled with a cumbersome page turn, necessitating everyone slowing down until they got the page turned and could read the next notes: "Ah........deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...............os." Yikes!
And though Mr. Feinstein has a beautiful voice, his long history in theatre and cabaret repertoire is proving a slight hindrance in singing material like Mr. Webb's. Yes, these lyrics have a dramatic thrust of sorts, but being too oh-so-sensitive threatens to make them sound silly and pretentious. Mr. Webb's stuff is still, for lack of a better term, "pop" music, and as such needs to be sung less affectedly than theatre music; in other words, subtlety is called for in order to just let the song speak for itself, rather than trying to put it across to the listener (e.g. overly emphasize certain lyrics to make the point, whereas the writing is strong enough to be clearly communicated on its own -- much the same way as Stephen Sondheim's works).
All in all, this one's a keeper only for those orchestrations -- beautiful artistry there. If only my CD player could adjust tempos.
A Musical Delight July 7, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Grammy-nominated performer Michael Feinstein, who has spent much of his life recording the Great American Songbook, now turns his attention to another legend of popular American songwriting, his friend Jimmy Webb.
This is a superb CD, warm and reflective, complemented by a sympathetic acoustic, and a well-balanced recording. Furthermore, it's produced by Jimmy Webb himself, so artiste and composer share a single vision.
The disc opens with a beautifully orchestrated version of the coda from "MacArthur Park," gracefully segueing into the CD's title track, "Only One Life." The tempo is relaxed, and the tone is romantic, setting the mood for the rest of the album. Feinstein is in fine voice, and his warm, sonorous tenor is a perfect complement to the celebration of life and love that is this CD.
Of the 15 songs on this album, every one is a gem. Some are old favorites like "MacArthur Park," "The Moon's a Harsh Mistress, and "Adios," while others like "Belmont Avenue," "Time Flies," and "Only One Life" are given their debut here. Among the highlights are a swinging, doo-wop arrangement of "Belmont Avenue," a lithe and lively "Skywriter," and a moving rendition of "All I Know." Additionally, the popular "Up, Up and Away" is given a refreshing makeover compliments of a lilting Latin rhythm that's an irresistible invitation to dance.
The versatility of Feinstein's tenor is remarkable. One moment it's light and lissome, soaring like a bird in "Skywriter," and the next it's dark and brooding, mining all the pathos of Webb's plaintive composition as it ponders "Is There Love After You."
This is a delightful disc, suitable for any occasion, but probably best enjoyed late at night over candle light and a fine Bordeaux with someone you love.
Among the numerous interpreters of Jimmy Webb's music, two artistes stand apart, Glen Campbell and Art Garfunkel. To this distinguished duo we can now add a third, Michael Feinstein. With this collection of classics, Feinstein has proven himself an able advocate of Webb's oeuvre, and I warmly recommend this CD as a worthwhile addition to the library of any Webb connoisseur.
Pure Blissful Harmony April 12, 2005
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
I am appalled at the reviews that came in for Michael Feinstein! This man is a genius., and no matter what he sings, he is PERFECTION. The title track brings tears to my eyes and the words touch me to my very soul! If you don't feel anything in your heart after hearing this song sung by Michael, you must have ice in your veins! His collaboration with Jimmy Webb is a sign of more good things to come. His rendition of "Up Up and Away", is fresh and exciting and makes you feel like slow dancing with a special person. "She Moves, Eyes Follow", such a beautiful song with deep feeling and expression. "Adios" shows Michael's voice and range..."These Are All Mine", "Piano" and "Is There Love After You"....all spectacular! We know Michael adores Gerswhin but to hear him sing these songs, shows how talented and exciting his music continues to be! I think Michael can sing ANYTHING and be sheer perfection. No other entertainer has the feeling Michael sings with and quite honestly I have worn this CD out from playing it so much.
Michael Feinstein is here to stay, now, today and forever...he truly has what no other artist has...that is the love of music from his fingertips to his beautiful voice. He shows a side of himself when singing, he just pulls you in and you feel these words to your very soul, along with Michael. His caring interpretation of music is a "once in a lifetime" to witness, and still he makes every song his own.
I hope all of you who gave such a sad review, will play this CD again and really listen to him sing and feel the words...HE IS A GENIUS....Truly the BEST...everyone else is just second...Michael's talent takes 1st prize all the time! A Perfect 10....
Nashville meets The Bronx November 25, 2004
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've always loved the songs of Jimmy Webb.His career would read like an electrocardiagram(over its near 40? years),in its waxing and waning levels of popularity,but Webb is more like an entity.His middle-of-the-road,yet harmonically advanced and melancholic-romantic style of writing is 100% American AND 100% original,AND is being "elevated" in cultural status,which usually has jack sh_t to do with true epic greatness-in this case,"pop" music has been partly recognized as a true art form,along with Jazz,and 20th Century post-modern stuff.This album has some beautiful stuff on it I've never heard-"Time Flies","Louisa Blu","Only One Life",and a personal fave,"Belmont Ave."(those modulations and harmonies are knockout!Fresh period stuff-I guess it's from a stage musical of some kind-I felt all that corny nostalgic syrup running through my veins-and I was born in '64)and unfortunately,some tunes I DO know,that I believe could have been dropped off the master list without causing damage to the space-time continuum.Art Garfunkel and Webb's respective versions of "Skywriter",and "Adios" are so great,you'd think Webb and Feinstein must've banked on not many people being familiar with them.Feinstein's voice doesn't really find new phrasing ideas in these,and I feel that even if Webb were to produce the living sh_t out of him,Michael might still be lacking a natural sort of phrasing on these particular tunes(perhaps BECAUSE the originals were "dauntingly" great).The tunes Michael made his own on this album were fantastic,so don't think I'm knocking the guy,OR the album.
I have a simple criteria for any album I'm rating-if there are more than 2 really good cuts,I feel lucky,and anything over that is a minor bliss.I've got only 8 albums out of a collection of 1800 that are 10-12 cut transcendent masterworks,so...
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