While the collaboration between soul singer supreme
Ron Isley and composer and arranger
Burt Bacharach does not have the adventurous scope of
Bacharach's collaboration with
Elvis Costello -- in that the tunes featured here are mostly
Bacharach classics -- it is every bit as satisfying. At 62,
Isley's voice is sweeter and more resonant than ever.
Bacharach's new charts for these songs take into consideration the singer of "Harvest for the World," "Fight the Power," and "For the Love of You." Inside these towering, lush harmonic architectures shimmers
Isley's golden throat, adding just that sultry hint of deep soul to the proceedings. It might be difficult to picture
Isley fronting a full studio orchestra for "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," but his version of the tune is an altogether different animal than the
B.J. Thomas version. The chart is a smoky,
Jimmy Scott-styled jazz chart and
Isley makes it the last song in the world. Likewise, "The Look of Love" is slightly more uptempo and the horns are warmer, more up front than on the original. The long instrumental interlude is followed by a sweet moan from the singer who falls into the faux bossa tune as if it's three in the morning. On "This Guy's in Love With You," the pleading at the heart of
Isley's vocal takes the listener into a brand new context. The humble, dry delivery of
Herb Alpert has been washed away by
Bacharach's pianism and a stuttered backbeat that allows the singer to float above the arrangement. "Count on Me," co-written with
Tonio K., is the lilting vehicle for
Isley in that it contains space for his gospel voice to open just enough to color the cut with altruism. But it's the album opener that's worth its weight in gold; "Alfie," no matter who has sung it, has always been a deeply moving and evocative song. Between
Isley and
Bacharach, it leaves the realm of nostalgia and becomes its own aching confessional of disillusionment and heartbreak. The spare electric guitar that introduces the theme and the hushed strings behind the singer's voice underscore the conviction. When
Isley moves up in his register, he does so all at once. There is no slide; there's just pure conviction in the grain of his sublime voice. This is a winner, a beautiful effort that combines the give and take of the pop song with the emotion of great American soul singing. ~ Thom Jurek