Reviews (page 6 of 7)
what a boring cunt
A handful of tunes, an awful lot of crap
It's so close to a 1 it's scary, but the music isn't too offensive or dull to warrant it. It is rather dull though, more than enough for a 2. I have no idea what was supposed to be essential about these 8 easy listening pop throwaways.
Feels like it's never ending
today is the first day of the rest of your days so listen to some better music
Jeg hørte det meste.. Det var aaaalt for langt! Men til albummets forsvar, så hørte jeg Born to be with you /streetheart.... Så et dobbelt album..
A bit of an AM radio snooze fest really. Luckily it's only short. Fave? New York City Song?
Very 70s. Reminds me a lot of early solo George Harrison, but it's not working for me as much. I think I don't really connect with his voice/melodies, which is entirely a personal preference thing. Oh and I'm getting a lot of Lennon on 'Baby Let's Stick Together'. This sounds kind of like 70's Beatles imitation. Except there's no Admiral Halsey. I feel like I've heard this sound before. He's not bad by any means. He's just not providing me with anything that stands out. And the songs are really long. It's funny, on Spotify they paired this album into one with 'Streetheart', which apparently people don't like as much. But I much preferred the songs off of the 'Streetheart' portion. I noticed he didn't write a lot of the material here. It just feels to me like an album that exists. It made basically no impact on me. But his other stuff sounds like an improvement of this. And even the Phil Spector production doesn't do it for me.
Even worse than his daughter Celine
Meh. These were OK: - Your own back yard - Born to be with you / streetheart - Good lovin' man 2 definitely for me on this album, was really pretty boring
Just not for me. Hits a lot of generic 70s vibes and the covers do not stand out.
No hook, line or sinker. Completely forgettable.
It was ok, but I listened to it and 2 days later I couldn't remember anything about it. Going to give it a strong 2 based on that.
This was a boring, slow and drawn out, warbled listen. It also has a smeared and muddy mix.
Too long and produced by a literal murderer so any good parts of this album are negated
I’m not sure who this album was for. It’s not for me! I can’t believe that this was his 12th album… are they all this mid?
truly ahead of its time: it sounds like overly earnest cheese from the 80s, but it’s overly earnest cheese from the 70s!
Doesn't really do anything of note
Too long. 2.5
I had briefly skipped into this, earlier today, and then, away from the computer, already outlined a 1 or 2 star review in my head, scathing!, but now that I am back and listening again, scratch that. This is the guy from "The Wanderer"? Huh. Not an album that strikes me as being important, more of a bit toothless bland of music I've heard elsewhere, but some good songs on here. Mellow. It's quite nice actually. [...] Part III in the review timeline: that sensation has now worn off. 2 songs remain. In terms of Did I need to hear this, it's back to a 2.
The cover feels like Dion is staring right into my soul while I unfortunately have to tell him I didn't like the album
A little classic old school
It got me wondering, can "the Woman" really be your "baby" if she does not (yet, perhaps) love you? Beyond that, there's not much here for me except for the reverb. Never been a fan of Phil Spector's sound. Dion was right when he said the production makes the album sound like funeral music. But the songs aren't much either. Though I do like Mott the Hoople's version of Your Own Backyard.
Meh. This seems to be one of the albums that you're supposed like because it's trendy. Perhaps it would have better if Phil Spector left it on the shelf?
Not quite my speed. Not terrible but yeah. 2.5/5
2.4 This album features decent singing and song writing. But there is no great hit song that is very rememberable. Decent easy listening but this album should be nowhere near an all time list.
There is nothing wrong with this album per se. There is everything wrong in citing it in a list of the 1000 albums to listen to before I die because it almost killed me with boredom.
Total snooze fest
Sounds like something that was released 50 years ago
Thoughts before listening: I know absolutely nothing about Dion. I'm going to say it's 70s singer songwriter style soft rock based on the cover, although I'd assume it's got something else going for it to end up on this list. Review: So this is the 50s doo-wop guy of Dion and the Belmonts with a singer songwriter album produced by Phil Spector. Apparently this was mostly ignored in its time, but started getting name dropped as an influence in the 90s from some big time musicians. Its just fine to me. Pretty understated for a Phil Specter project, and none of the songs are really standing out to me. I think the best one I heard was "Your Own Backyard" which I have added to my playlist. Overall this is pretty boring and I'm giving it 2-stars.
Not bad, but not very interesting either. No real standout songs. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
I think all of this was new music to me. An ok listen but nothing that memorable for me.
Didn't want to like this as much as I did (which still wasn't much). I was surprised by some nice, smooth bass runs (If I can Just Get Through). Saxophone saved some songs (eg. Born to Be with You). Ended up adding More to You to my music because of how airy-jazzy-funky it was.
If bland corporate coffee shops were a thing in the 70s this it what they'd be playing
I just really like young Dion (old Dion?) so even though this wasn’t quite to my tastes it was perfectly okay. I’d be happy if my mom really liked this or something.
Inoffensive and boring really 1.5 stars
Not my cup of tea
Standard 70s male songfest, DEF not my style, not something I would have listened to back then, and not really something is listen to now, but I can tolerate it better now than I would have then. I'll give the guy 2 stars for doing something meaningful with his time.
This stunk
I have literally almost no opinion of this album. It was kind of just on while I started work.
Just a reminder, when you listen on spotify, it merges a second album as part of this one, but the original is only the first 8 tracks. I would recommend you only listen to those 8 and not subject yourself to 1hr 15mins of this one and move on to the next
This was an easy going listen, I enjoyed the covers including, The Whole World In His Hands and The Way You Do The Things You Do. I also enjoyed the sax on Streetheart. Yet still this wasn't really up my alley. Good music just not for me.
A record so heartbroken, that it felt comical to me after three songs. I couldn't help but to burst out in laughter for the rest of the album. Ballad after ballad after ballad after ballad after ballad after ballad after ballad And then finally one song to make you feel half alive.
Not for me
It's like Elton John but bad
Boring
It was OK and didn't really click with anything
No bad, kind of chill music. Nothing real memorable to me but it would be nice background music. I like his earlier work a lot more and I'm not so familiar with this later stuff but I will have to give it a chance.
Same sort of situation as yesterday’s album by The Police - objectively it’s fine, but I didn’t enjoy it at all. Very bland and unnecessarily long.
2/5. The songs are nice and chill but feels so unoriginal. The wall of sound offered by Phil Spector drives this album because the songs are pretty generic. It's an album I might find in thrift store playing on the speakers, not sure I would have needed to listen to this one but it wasn't terrible. Best Song: Born To Be With You, New York City Song, Make The Woman Love Me
Eh, it's fine? I didn't enjoy this, but it's not exactly bad music.
WTF why? Your Own Back Yard is a little bit of Velvet Underground smack music which is cool, I guess.
This should not be over an hour. What a snoozefest. Phil Spector was such a one trick pony when it came to production, and his other tricks... well, let's not go there.
I get it, Dion DiMucci is a legend for the depth and breadth of what he conveyed in his expressive musical styles. Also that this specific record, 1 of ~40 he released in his career, was prominently produced by Phil Spector, who should have added more dimension to the sound, but may have left it more flat. To my taste this feels so earnest and self-indulgent, not to mention conveying creepy 'romantic' tactless male manipulation, warbling "Make the woman love me, and I'll take care of the rest..." The vocal style (at least on this record) reminds me of Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, another unnervingly over-earnest crooner. Yes, this record is noteworthy, but not on my list.
Meh. Boring.
barf
I’m sorry to write this is a clear example of mediocrity. The songs are boring and uninteresting and even the production by Phil Spector is forgettable.
I thought this was kind of boring and badly produced(?). Especially "Whole World In His Hands" sounded very tinny. I kinda liked the blend between '60s folk and '70s soft rock (again ? idk how to talk about genres) but nothing really stood out to me.
Suave
It’s infuriating they went with this album OVER “Runaround Sue”. This album, after listening, is completely forgettable with nothing that stands out. Not sure what there's even to say about this, honestly. This is certainly an album. Much too long and never justifies its length. Just keeps going for some reason. Unoriginal. 2/5
Another in a long list of albums that ripped off their song entirely from the black community, spruced it up with good production and sold it to the Mayo Americans. I can see how this album is historically relevant, but good lord why would I ever sit down and listen to this in 2024 (the year of our lord.)
I've never been much of a Dion fan. This album reminds me why.
Somehow only the second worst thing that Phil Spector ever did.
Not so terrible, but really not special. Even though he predates James Taylor it felt like wannabe James Taylor?
Extremely meh. Can’t really remember anything about the album <24 hours later.
Sometimes easy listening ain't so easy.
So so bland. I can't really even remember listening to this.
Elevator muzak.
Mercifully short
Dull as dishwater. Not in the mood for this today.
This felt like some sleepy, corny 70’s pop that was for a very specific audience that definitely wouldn’t have included me upon its release. This felt like some guy who thought he could rock and also be emotionally vulnerable made an album but wasn’t sure who he was making it for. This was booooorrrrrrring. And far too clean sounding to have any kind of real soul or heart in it. I know that’s probably a consequence of Phil Spector’s involvement, but still. I just really didn’t vibe with this. It was whiny at times, had jarring tone shifts song to song, and lacked any real heart or soul. Anyway, whatever. 2 stars. Standout track: Good Lovin’ Man
This was really bad. Just so boring. Not bad enough to give it 1 star though. I’m tempted to because the Spotify version includes his next album Streetheart as well and I accidentally listened to almost the entire thing.
I can appreciate the older mid 70's style but it did not break through for me
After reading the calibre of artists citing it as an influence, then listening to the opening track, which I enjoyed, I thought I was on something but I'm afraid it was a sharp decline after that & the 'like' button went undisturbed for the remainder of the album.
I don't get it
Runaway Man and If I can Just Get Through The Night are two okay tracks. In general, I found this album to be very average. Some solid bass lines on the second half of the album, but I didn’t enjoy the almost solely ballad vibe of the album. 2/5.
Pretty bad (ch)easy listening. '(He's Got) The Whole World in His Hands' sounds like B-Side to David Brent's 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' (no you don't, no). Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: Only You Know Date listened: 08/04/24
I never considered how long a career Dion had until I listened to this album. 100% grade A American 1970s contemporary. All the songs seem really well developed and layered to envoke a somber melancholy, but in a pain-is-beautiful way. This one surpised me in its quality and quantity. However, its relatively boring and drab.
Et nemt lyt, men lidt intetsigende også
Niks voor mij
It's like the guy got up in the morning and thought he was Gordon Lightfoot, and by lunch he turned into Jim Croce before rocking his Cat Stevens sometime after supper.
It was not good. It was not the worst album on the list. I made it through it but it left no last impression. I guess I will give it a 2. It certainly could be lower.
I kind of get the cult following. It has a certain faded glamour that possesses a sadness that is quite unique. But it is also very dry and AOR.
I get why people who know and care about how music is produced love this Phil Spector-backed album, but the only real enjoyment I got out of it was imagining people’s shock when they looked at the cover and then found out that it was actually the guy in the liner notes that was a murderer.
Album # 39 It was dull and not very engaging
There's only room for one Van Morrison in this town, cowboy.
Its ok. Bit boring
This is ok I think. I am rounding down to 2 because: - lyrics usually don't matter that much, but when you sing like this they do, and these lyrics about make a woman love me suck. - murderer Phil Spector sucks and his influence on music sucked
More like Yion. (Yawn)
Sounds like Elton John but no songs stood out. I was mostly bored.
No tiene Dream Lover . Un poco rollo el disco.
This was…not good. I’m not a big fan of Phil Spector’s production to begin with. Pair that with some trite lyrics and whiny singing, and yikes. The first two songs made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. Why it was ever a thing to refer to someone’s love interest as “little girl” I will never understand. The second song is possibly the most melodramatic and cheesy way of describing unrequited love, and it’s also creepily paternalistic at the same time. It doesn’t get much better after those. There are plenty more trite, sappy love songs and even an anti-drug song that could’ve been written by DARE. The arrangements are typical Phil Spector—lots of wall of sound, overwrought string orchestration, and songs that should end at least two minutes earlier than they do. There’s also a weird country-lite bent to many of the songs (think John Denver) that doesn’t help with the cheese factor. Dion has a good voice, but he sounds shrill and whiny in a lot of these songs, and it’s not pleasant to listen to. The only songs I actually enjoyed were “Only You Know” and “Good Lovin Man.” “New York City Song” isn’t terrible, but it’s also kind of cheesy. 2/5–even Dion hated this album apparently, so I’m not really sure why it’s on this list.
Rating: 5/10 Meh.
Overlong tracks, cheesy lyrics, gratuitous instrumentals that at once feel too much yet anemic - this man was way ahead of his time making spot-on 80s albums in the 70s.
Not for me
Sounds like George Harrison's solo album for obvious reasons. Not particularly interesting, and not an album that has aged well.
Only You Know.
The songs on this album all sound like they’re from a scene in a movie where the main character is f’d up on drugs or alcohol and everything gets blurry. The music is so sluggish and odd. It’s not offensive but I don’t really care for it. 2.6
His voice is good. Very dad rock and nothing interesting about the instrumentation but the songs/voice are good I guess.
Ikkje mitt nye favorittalbum
Not bad but way too fucking long
Its not bad just a bit slow and not exciting
Didn't really get anything from it, like I didn't hate it, but it was extremely forgettable and straight up wasn't for me.
Beige. Just boring. Just nothing. No thoughts. No excitement. Just an overwhelming sense of beige.
I knew this was gonna be bad based on the album cover
Kinda eew. Like it doesn't make my ears bleed but it doesn't do anything good either.
No tiene Dream Lover . Un poco rollo el disco.
What phil spector probably sounds like to people who hate phil spector.
Hard to believe he also did The Wander. Apparently he's got a blues album it there too.
A good friend said it best, that this album was “fiercely okay. An intense beige.”
A well produced cheesy bore. I'm not against some pleasant easy listening love songs from time to time but there's nothing catchy or interesting going on here. I didn't hate it but I can't imagine ever coming back to it.
no 👎
found this quite dull i'm afraid
A new one for me - had only been aware of his 60’s solo stuff. His voice was still strong, flexible and distinctive in ‘75 but there aren’t enough quality songs, especially when spread over 20 tracks and an hour plus. Not sure the Spector sound works for Dion either. But “Only You Know”, “New York City Song”, and “Good Lovin’ Man” are keepers.
Not familiar with Dion's work. This was pretty standard baroque pop with a couple stand out tracks in the middle. Would have preferred to hear an earlier record.
It's rare for an album to make almost no impression at all on me, but that's what happened here
Can't say this album connected to me in any way whatsoever. Is to describe it as 'extremely meh' an oxymoron?
Not my preference.
Yacht rock through and through. Not my speed. Decent recording.
His voice is flat and the music is boring.
So things have deteriorated to us being served albums here for reasons as minute as “Phil Spector, a notorious criminal, produced some of the songs”?
Minus one for uneccessary saxophone solos. Minus one for Phil Spector's garbage production. Minus one for exceptionally tame, vanilla lyrics. That leaves you two stars. Be happy with what you got.
His early stuff is great. This? Not so much.
It's long. It's boring. I do not believe he has the whole world in his hands. Maybe 3/4, but not the whole world. It's also very dated. The fact that they had to link this to another album makes you wonder why anyone wouldn't lose their job.
I enjoyed reading about Dion much more than listening to him. It seems that his work features a lot of great singles, but I didn't get anything from this album.
Uninteresting music
This is the end of a career. Easy listening that Phil Spector thoguht he could produce for another Era. Both are precious dead Era artists trying to be relevant. It's a nah.
...I’m hate-listening now. Smite me down, God, end my boomer-rock-induced suffering
No tiene Dream Lover . Un poco rollo el disco.
Meh
New York folk bard is not really my type of musican, or a genre, and it was showing, as I had a really hard time listening to this album. I survived halfway through and just run out of goodwill to finish it. Below average for sure.
Amazon Music tells me this is a cult classic influenced by Lou Reed. I don’t hear it, other than he also sings about drugs on one of the songs (Your Own Back Yard) - though ultimately it’s about getting sober. Perhaps it’s just meant in comparison to his earlier career with the Belmonts? Still a stretch, especially with the Phil Spector “wall of sound” thing going on with some of the songs. More like James Taylor if I had to make a comparison. James Taylor plus Phil Spector. Bleh. I read a great review on here that said 2 is the worst score you can give an album - 1 means you actively hate the music, so you’re engaging with it on some level, but 2 means it’s so bad it’s not even worth any thoughts or emotions. This is a definitive 2 for me. I’ve been listening to a string of crap albums lately and I keep remembering that Beyoncé’s Lemonade is not on this list. I know people’s tastes differ, this is an overwhelmingly white and Anglocentric list anyway, and there are tons of amazing albums included. But when I hear something as completely mediocre as this album is, I’m at a loss.
Not really my jam.
A few interesting tunes. Other than that it’s just a Spector-produced snoozefest.
Initially seemed like a boring John Denver but then it picked up at the end. Still not sure I’d revisit.
Yeah, not a fan. Pretty boring. Good writing for the style, but I'm just not into the genre.
01) Born To Be With You - 6,5 02) Make The Woman Love Me - 6,0 03) Your Own Back Yard - 6,0 04) (He's Got) The Whole World In His Hands - 6,0 05) Only You Know - 6,5 06) New York City Song - 6,0 07) In And Out Of The Shadows - 6,0 08) Good Lovin' Man - 5,5 TOTAL: 6,06 (60/100)
A bit boring. I liked New York City Song though. My least favourite was definitely (He's Got) The Whole World in His Hands. That was recorded badly and boring on top.
yawn
Weirdly, Spotify has decided to combine this with another Dion album. I didn't realise this at the first time of listening, so I've now listened to two Dion albums, which is at least one too many. Started well - the title track is good - and hoped it would build from there, but that was the highlight of the album. All downhill from there, 2/5.
Will listen
Why?
I'm annoyed by Spotify sometimes with these albums. The actual album is eight tracks. Spotify shows it is 20 tracks. Spotify has apparently combined this with one of his other albums, "Streetheart." I like the eight tracks well enough, but I would not buy the vinyl for $5. Definitely the most interesting thing about this album is the fact that it's by the same guy who did "Runaround Sue." Not a very exciting listen.
So boring. I feel like everyone who was influenced by Dion maybe improved the sound with their own music.
Admittedly, he has a good voice, but this music is very dull. None of these songs stood out to me as noteworthy in any way other than perhaps that dreadful last track.
Dull. Don't care enough to let it grow on me, although maybe I could I guess? Feels like a solid 2 leaning 2.5 I guess).
Found this record to be plodding and monotonous. Not for me.
Nyquil for the ears.
HL: “The Whole World in His Hands”, “Make the Woman Love Me” It’s just nice! It’s not good, it’s not bad, it’s just nice! (Srry I’ve been on a musical theatre kick lately) Saying this as someone who gave the Phil Spector Xmas album 5 stars, he absolutely violates this record. You could argue he did the same with the Beatles output of Let it Be, ATMP, & Imagine, but on the other hand those songs were generally good enough that the Spector (over)treatment didn’t matter to me. These songs are decent but fold under the weight of the 7-minute orchestral versions.
Boring; one of the worst albums I have listened to, not helped by having another boring album stuck onto it (on the linked version) Still 1,000% better than the one star dross though!!
Kind of boring overall. The opening track has no business being nearly 7 minutes. I did like the closing track though, if the whole album was more bluesy I would have liked it a lot better. Apparently Dion didn't care for Phil Spector's production but I'm not sure it killed an otherwise good selection of songs. To my ears, the only song where Spector-ization really "took things over" was He's Got The Whole World In His Hands.
Robert, you couldn’t find 1,001 albums better than this? Surely you weren’t trying very hard. Couldn’t you have just tossed on Bowie’s tenth best album if you were having a hard time meeting your quota?
It wasn't unpleasant. Let's leave this one for the singer/songwrite collection in the 3am infomercial.
meh
Meh, musica de background
meh
Just nothing really special here for me. It’s perfectly fine but did not blow me away. Essential track: Make the Woman Love Me (playlist)
Ei ehkä mua varten. 2/5
Olipa tylsä levy tai sit en vaan saanu otetta. Vähän määkivä. 2/5
This sucked.
Highlights: \"Only You Know\" Impossible to justify this as a must-hear album. Also bizarre to think Spector \"admired\" this voice, which is only just competent and forgettable except in how he makes the bewildering choice to imitate Bob Dylan's faltering glissando -- was this a mimetic dead end studios were chasing in the 60s-70s?? Maybe it is meant to represent the blithe pablum for which people came to hate Phil Spector.
Why rewrite what WikiPedia puts so succinctly: Upon completion in 1974, Spector himself shelved the release for twelve months, only to find the album was largely met with indifference by the music establishment at the time. Phil should've left it on the shelf. 2/5.
This was a sappy 70s album
p344. 1975. 2 stars. Springsteen on Prozac. On the plus side, it's short and it's in tune.
There is nothing at all offensive about this album save for the stink of Phil Spector looming over it. There is also nothing at all remarkable about this, save for that very same stink. Thankfully short, and grating, Dion's voice is not, but besides that, there's little at all to say.
It's not for me. Just too bland
He has a great voice, but I don't love the songs - some of them have a smarmy vibe - I don't love the production either, I felt like I was drowning in it. Seems like Dion himself was not a big fan of this, calling it funeral music, but some other famous musicians spoke highly of it later, which helped it earn its place on this list. I listened to Runaround Sue after this, much preferred that album.
You recorded (and produced) cringe, bro.
This is up there with The Charlatans' Tellin' Stories as the #1 album that's made me say...idk, DID I need to hear this before I die? Collection of some of the dullest, drabbest soft rock the 70s could offer. I guess the most interesting thing about this album is that it's Dion by way of Phil Spector, but like. I can't say listening to Phil Spector is something I WANT to do.
wasn't expecting this to be country-type album. Very 70's. It's fine...not sure why it's on this list.
Elevator easy-listening, not my cup of tea but it’s well made for people who like this type of stuff.
Closer to 3 than 2 stars, some solid instrumentals and he's got a decent voice
Meh
Not the Dion I expected, probably later years cause its very yacht rock-y
Ikkje mitt nye favorittalbum
Não incomoda, o tempo passou e também não lembro mais.
Ok
Meerdere in een dozijn
Een album dat je de volgende dag wilt whatsappen met: "Vond onze date heel erg gezellig, maar ik mis alleen die diepere connectie. Als ik al niet genoeg vrienden had, dan hadden we zo goede bevriend kunnen worden, maar ik weet zeker dat er iemand is die echt helemaal weg van jou zal zijn. Succes hè?"
Bleegh.
Intent de resurgiment de Dion com a cantautor seriós, de la ma a la producció ni més ni menys que de Phil Spector. L'experiment funciona només a mitges, perquè falta l'element més important: les cançons.
Interesting to think that Spector produced three John Lennon albums (Plastic Ono Band, his Imagine LP in 1971 and his Rock and Roll album released in 1975) and these are widely regarded as his best solo albums. Around the same time Spector was a complete asshole when working with Dion on this album and when working with Leonard Cohen a couple of years later, and produced albums both those artists hated. I guess Lennon had the personality and resume to put Spector in his place when they recorded. Nonetheless, there are some good bits notwithstanding Dion’s self evaluation. I know a lot of horn players are noted as performing in the LP but my money says that Bobby Keys is playing the sax on the first song. It makes the song. Dion’s voice shines as he belts it out on In and Out if the Shadows. Other than that . . .
Meh
Not bad musically, but didn’t hold my attention
Not really my thing
Best Song: (He's Got) The Whole World in His Hands. I like Spector's wall of sound technique that is present here. Worst Song: Make the Woman Love Me. Such desperate, pathetic, stereotypically "nice guy" lyrics. The song is also just slow and sleepy. Overall: In a word: boring. Not all that interesting vocally, lyrically, or instrumentally. No reason to ever return to this.
Not a fan.
Moyennement moyen 2.5/5
Rare plaat. Dion (van voorheen Dion & the Belmonts) was een jaren vijftig-tieneridool, en dat hoor je in de eerste paar nummers terug, waarna het ineens jaren zeventig singersongwriterig wordt, er zit een gospeltje tussendoor, en daarna zijn we weer terug in de jaren vijftig. En dat alles onder de bekende bak violen van Phil 'wall of sound' Spector. Dus ja, wat moet je ermee? De jaren-zeventignummers (New York City song) zijn het aardigst, maar die redden het album niet.
De man kan best zingen. Maar het mag toch echt wel iets sprankelender. Ik bedoel: "He's got the whole world in his hands"...Dan ben je eigenlijk al af. En dan moet de luisteraar daarna nog heel wat nummers door zien te komen. 1,5 ster.
It's not bad, but I don't know why anybody would put it on voluntarily. Best track: Your Own Back Yard
Meh, this is probably the most forgettable album on this list so far. Just boring really, not at all my thing.
Got a little excited seeing Dion. I know of a few songs from his early years, like Runaround Sue, Ruby Baby and the Wanderer, but this album wasn't like his early stuff. A lot more mature and deep compared to his younger days, but I found this album to be decent. I liked quite a few of the songs early in the album. Born to be with You, Make the woman love me and Only you know. Probably because they are more of the lovey,dovey kind of songs, but he does have a very good sound to him. You own backyard is another good song, but damn, the lyrics are brutal. You feel for the guy and he ends up Ok, but to lose your wife and kids, holy shit. I also enjoyed his version of The way you do the things you do. Then the album seemed to run together and get a little tedious until we got to Lover Boy Supreme. All in all, I was OK with this album. Enjoyed several songs and nothing really made me want to turn off, although nothing I really felt like downloading either. Another good background music when working kind of album for me. BTW, there's a movie I remember liking quite a bit from my childhood days about a gang called the Wanderers. I may have to check it out again soon. Watch out for the Ducky boys! 2.5 Can't quite get the 3 mark, but found this about to a nice, easy listening album.
I don't have much in particular to say about this one. I'm surprised this is Dion's 14th album. And as always Phil Spector was a madman. Otherwise kinda boring. I feel like it's only on this list because one kinda famous guy said he loves it. idk. 2
2 I’ve always considered Dion’s work with the Belmonts and early solo stuff like Runaround Sue to be among late 50s/early 60s pop at its best, but this is my first time hearing anything from this stage in his career. Look, I gotta give the guy credit in getting with the times and adapting his sound as the music and culture shifted around him. This is unrecognizable from the stuff I mentioned above - like, if I wasn’t told the artist before listening, never in a million years would I guess this is the same guy who did A Teenager in Love. That being said, while a step forward in musical evolution, it’s also probably about two steps back in original, identifiable, and catchy songwriting. I know it’s not supposed to be reminiscent of his prior work in any way, but man, there is very little to grab onto here - it’s just kind of a bunch of lame soft rock that blends in with similar stuff of the era. There are higher points here than others, but not any true great moments… or even particularly good moments for that matter. (He’s Got) The Whole Word in His Hands was probably my favorite (I use the world lightly), but I’m not sure why the production quality sounds noticeably worse on just that track - probably from Spector doing something dumb in the studio in the midst of some kind of binge. Didn’t hate it by any means, but I don’t see myself coming back. Also, there are a total of three 5-star reviews for this album on the Global Reviews page… yikes.
Needs more Runaround Sue and less of anything on this album. That being said, it's not bad. Some of it is quite enjoyable. But NONE of it sounds like Dion. There's nary a hint of the aforementioned Runaround Sue, or The Wanderer. I guess this was Dion's Johnny Cash/Rick Rubin comeback attempt, which makes Phil Spector his Rick Rubin. One gets the feeling the only reason this made a list like this is because people like Pete Townshend overpraised it.
Goes for elevated sound and instead sounds like elevator…music. Very 70s easy-listening. I didn’t find it particularly easy to get through. If you’d like to take a nap…let this be the soundtrack.
Dirge
If your grandpa had a best friend in the 70s, he had an in-home bar and danced to this album there with your grandma.
I feel like it's just kind of bland.
This album was neither good nor bad just long as hell. This perfectly encapsulates how it feels from 5:30pm to 8pm on a Saturday after drinking all morning and getting ready to go out at night, also known to some as purgatory
Copy and pasted directly from my notes app: He refers to his significant other as “little girl” in the first song and I’ll tell you rn I don’t like that. Bob Dylan vibes and not in a good way. Your own back yard is about taking a shit ton of drugs and losing your family and it sounds like the whole album was on drugs. Although in all fairness, a couple of them were kinda catchy. I just didn’t like the similarity of the whole album. Definitely not as bad a as the kinks. 2.5/5, rounded down.
Chief should’ve kept this one in the drafts. I wish I was listening to other music instead of this. It’s just not very interesting honestly.
Not for me.
I’ve never listened to Dion before
Laadidaa, olikohan yksi tarttuva biisi ja loput soi sujuvasti taustalla.
Ei lähteny
Like John Denver meets Exile on Main Street, but with super cliched lyrics and Dan Fogelberg levels of cheese. The only thing saving it from being a one-star album is Spector’s production.
Didn't do much for me, nice background music I suppose
Nope. Balance of track recording isn’t right. His voice neither. My dog was getting depressed.
Sappy
It’s fine and I’ll never think of it again.
Ive listened to this thing like 5 times and still have nothing to say something rock 2.5
Old school making whoopie music. Not my vibe
Grew up on singer-songwriter 70’s, but never heard of this dude before. After listening to this soft biscuit of low energy, I understand why. It’s not offensive and probably best for background music.
A whole lot of blah. The production sounded nice though, so there is one redeeming quality I suppose?
A lot of the same, and way too long. Veering on a 1 here I think.
Big Spector production as expected. Slow enough for easy singalong except the songs aren’t memorable or particularly strong. Pleasant enough voice and delivery, just nothing special.
No tiene Dream Lover . Un poco rollo el disco.
Hey, maybe two songs in this almost-80-minute album are not that bad, I guess?
It’s nice 2.5
Music is fine, but nothing really stands out and it feels a very "flat". Fades quickly to the background.
A little bit boring, didn't find much exciting about it
This album was quite a drag, with some rare moments of ok-ness
Save me from this painfully dull, generically 'soulful' album. I feel this music is trying so hard to be passionate and lively that it just falls completely flat on its face and becomes the antithesis of those two things. Not a single song on this album stood out to me. Supposedly, Dion himself hated how it sounded after production, stating it sounded like 'funeral music' according to Wikipedia. On that, him and I agree.
I tend to go with Dion's own assessment of this sounding like funeral music, more than with the 90s folks who rediscovered this. I thought it was a real slog. I needed a little more guidance and encouragement, maybe.
Well, I found that rather boring. Each song kind of left like it just dragged on and on.
New York City Song and Only You Know are pretty good.. The rest is fairly forgettable. Give me the Wanderer..
Dull and uninspired.
It was fine. Nothing really stood out for me.
I have no idea why this album is on the list. It’s not offensive or anything but it’s so boring. Not for me.
Geen slechte zanger, maar het kan mij niet bekoren. Zelfs niet op een maandochtend als achtergrondmuziek op het werk. Misschien meer iets voor de nacht.
Not my thing
very white guy in the 60s
The production covers a few bases, and Dion's voice tries to push at something, but it never amounts to much. Born to Be With You comes across as beige adult contemporary despite the edge the vocal strain tries to suggest. It never sounds bad, but is basically forgettable after the second track. If others have plumbed the depths, I'm happy for them.
Not for me, a bit dull
I really have nothing to say, this is just a very ok album. Not good not bad, but I don't want to give it anything more than a 2 star rating.
Youtube Music combined Born to Be With You with another Dion album called Streetheart. I did not like the former album, mostly very slow and soppy. Highlight of the album was Good Lovin' Man. I did enjoy the album Streetheart, had more of a rock n roll sound. However, that album still has a few soppy songs too.
Not sure it's for me but I didn't dislike it really. Sounded well put together. I complained that fish bone had too many styles..... This has the opposite problem
I’m a bit confused on why this album was chosen for this list. The songs are perfectly pleasant, but Phil Spector’s wall of sound production has much better examples. Here it sounds like the songs themselves come second to the production and it comes off as sterile, almost factory produced whereas Phil Spector’s early work was more explosive and interesting.
I find this album listenable but completely unremarkable. A standout single probably would have elevate this to a 3 but to me it sounds like a recording session with 2 people (Dion and Spector) who had slightly different ideas about what they wanted to do and it just didn't quite get there.
The last song is pretty good. The rest just kind of blends into each other.
Yeah nah
I started this and thought - meh, another 70s balladeer. Then about halfway through I started to enjoy it a bit more. Then my interest tailed off again. Couldn’t say why I liked it in parts - not really my thing, but I guess it’s interesting, in the kind of ‘career-tailed-off-still-trying-to-have-a-profie’ way. Although I am not sure Seventies Spector on production is something to recommend this. Not likely to play again, but not as bad as first feared.
Wholly inoffensive, and devoid of substance. But pleasant
This would be a lot better if it was Dion Dublin playing his dube.
Première chanson: le saxophone m'irrite un peu, et je trouve les paroles peu originales. En général je trouve ça assez générique. Ne retient pas mon attention.
Top 3 Songs: 1 - The Way You Do the Things You Do (10) 2 - Your Own Back Yard (3) 3 - Oh the Night (17)
Not too bad for the style and genre
No está mal, me alegro de haberlo escuchado y me parece interesante que sea una referencia para otros músicos importantes pero de ahí a que sea imprescindible va un trecho.
Meh
Another eh album, though I’d rather listen to radio head than this guy. Like a knock off Leonard Cohen.
Coolest thing about this album is that it's by Dion, who was a long-time boyish idol type singer, making those cheesy Everly Brother-type pop hits in the '50s and '60s (for reference, go listen to "Runaround Sue," which you almost certainly have heard before). Definitely grown-up tunes from what his prior fare was, though he still has that simp-y spirit. Unfortunately nothing too special stylistically, but it's aight. He's got a really nice voice though, and cool to hear a guy like him putting forth this kind of emotion after where he began. I hate to say it but I think I'd rather have an album of the older stuff that made him who he is. Just a more interesting time capsule. Favorite tracks: Make the Woman Love Me, New York City Song. Album art: I feel I've definitely seen this one around, very simple portrait shot. Nothing crazy. 2.5/5
This sucks and even Dion knows it, so we clearly have another prank entry from the Curator. There’s an intriguing thing about the Wikipedia page. The second para states the album gained Widespread Acclaim in the 90s, and name-checks Bobby Gillespie as a fan, but the only professional review is from Allmusic (4stars, which is how they express contemptuous dismissal). I suspect Bobby Gillespie editing the page in a doomed effort to boost his boy Dion. Or BG is the actual maker of the work, at the prodigious age of 14?
Horrible. Boring, over sentimental on every song. You would expect someone that looks as such a loser as in the cover at least learned to write good songs but the lyrics seemed to be written by a highschool boy that wants to write poetry. This album makes me wonder if finding new music is worth listening to music this bad.
It's like this dude walked in on the SNL band and starter singing. Lame and boring.
Usually, I’m OK with this kind of music, but I kind of hate this stuff. I think it’s his voice? Not really sure, but would not listen again.
Fairly uninspired. If the production's going to be so flat the vocals should make up for it. They don't. Fuckass album cover too. The first three tracks are snoozers. After that gets better, but I've heard a better version of all these songs made years before this record. Sounds like a meh soundtrack.
You can feel what year this came out. It just reeks of mid 70's adult music. I also didn't realize doo-wop guy did this. So that's a thing I know now. It's not a good album. I get the fun fact of a doo-wop guy reinventing himself to whatever this is, is a fun fact, but I didn't need to listen to this. It's just not that good. Even in historical context it's not worth it. It's a very dour funeral dirge album. I've had more fun at actual funerals than what I did listening to this. Now fun isn't the entire point of an album, I've listened to Ghostteen, but damn I'm not wanting to lay in a warm tub and open my veins today so this album is a bit of miss. That and it's just off, like the mix is kinda weird, maybe they were going for that, maybe it was the mid 70's and no one wanted to dump money into a recording of an aging doo-wop guy who obviously was suffering from depression. It was the 70's so I'm betting a lot of booze and cocaine was involved. Also I don't recall this becoming a thing in the 90's like I read. I was there in the 90's listened to a ton of music then as well. I'm glad it missed me then, and sad it caught me now.
This is limp-wristed soft rock. It sucks. This is an album you spot in the used crates at the record store and now you understand why it's got the $1 sticker on it and it'll be sitting there for months. Opening track - sounds like Saturday Night Live finale, credits rolling and the guests and crew hugging good night. And the only lyrics I hear are "Little Girl" and "Baby" - cringe. Second track begging God to make the woman love him - geesh just ask God for the two-lane bridge to Hawaii already. Ooh I like me a good recovery song! 8 years sober here myself. I like this one - "Your Own Back Yard" World in His Hands - very lame Only You Know sounds like I need to calibrate the turntable Ugh -NYC song - bleh Good Lovin' man - more "Baby" and "Little girl" ugh Nothing good here. Waste of a spot on this list - again. Moving on. Next.
Over the years I’ve heard some praise for this album, but I never listened to it. I was excited to hear it, that excitement did not last. This is not a good album.
Nothing special here
Enough has been said here on how terrible this album is. Lost, is the fact that NOBODY needs to hear ANY ARTIST'S 14th album. Never has a 14th album been worth anyone's time
Born to be shit.
Ugh this sucks.
No va
I did not investigate this before listening to it. I had zero idea except that of trepidation created by the cover photo. It was truly… awful. Really. A mess. But there were some decent? moments. Those were NOT the covers or treatments of classic songs btw. Your Own Backyard made me decide that I wasn’t, necessarily, giving this a 1. But man. Then Dion does He’s got the Whole World in His Hand, and not only is the pace horrifying, but the recording quality is so bad, I wanted to give negative stars. The album is far, far too long. And that would be true even if it were pretty good, which it isn’t. Idk. I have no idea why this is here? Who is Dion? Why did I need to hear him before I die? I needed something else today, obviously, because in my current mood the bad outweighs the good. 1 Boolean: False
there's just not enough drive in this for me to enjoy
the only word for this is lame
This bored me immensely. So many factors that didn't agree with me: - Terrible production, I mean it's a total mess - His voice is annoying after 2 songs - Instrumentation is a mess too No, this was not for me. Sorry Dion! (He's still alive and kicking and is apparently still performing, I shall not be attending)
This is slightly too much on the edge of easy listening for me. Actually haven't finished but I won't bore myself any more because I can already tell I don't like the style of this album.
Really not that special. Kind of a snooze if I'm being honest
Overblown and dated. There is a place for this but id hope not to be in the same planet
PSA: due to streaming platforms doubling this with another album you only need to listen to track 8 “Good Loving Man” to hear this album, so don’t let the length out you off What should put you off is how mawkishly dull and insufferably awful even those 8 songs are. Don’t just skip the second half, skip it all.
Holy shit, if I wanted this much cheese I would eat pizza every single day. The doo-wop comes a decade late and a reverb unit short, and who the hell asked for lap steel AND a string section on the same record? Get this out of my sight.
I don't like this. One star...
Never had any thought that Dion ever did more music than the 50s-60s. He should've stayed there.
Rocketman did a better version of “he got the whole world (in his hands)”
For some reason, Apple Music has this as a double album. I’m glad I checked the Wikipedia as to not suffer for another half hour. I particularly enjoyed that both of the albums that they tried to pair together were total failures. Great list we got going on here.
Well, I didn't like it... and then I read that Phil Spector produced it.
Nothing about this seemed special. It was dated, boring, and generic.
No.
Worst album ever. I can’t believe this horse shit is considered music.
Too whiny for my taste. Had to listen to deep purple afterwards to cleanse the pallet.
The sort of thing that gives 4th rate music a bad name.
The worst thing I think i can say about an album is it isn't memorable. Born to Be With You by Dion isn't memorable. I struggled to get through the album, not because any song was technically bad, but because it just didn't engage me on any level.
For a millisecond, I thought I had gotten a /Celine/ Dion record. Really wish I did, in hindsight. Would’ve at least not put me to sleep.
I'm glad this wasn't my first album on this list and instead is in the 100s. Unclear why this is on here at this time
It’s ok but my major problem here is it’s not ground breaking ( even when accounting for the year of 1975) and I know of dozens of better albums than this that have been released that will not be in this list . I’d give it a 2 as an album but will score it a 1 as don’t think it’s worthy . The artist himself doesn’t even rate this release.
This is the worst fucking shit I have ever heard and it's not even close.
I've done my time in the Wall of Sound trenches, of course. I've got half the Ronettes' discography memorized, I've got a well-loved copy of Back to Mono, honestly I even like that one Leonard Cohen album! But this is an example of it that you truly do not need to hear. Like, the sound is fine enough, but it's just an attempt to cover up uninspired performances by someone whose time is past (see also: Let It Be, Byrdmaniax).
Got bored. Gave up.
Not sure why Dion’s Born To Be With You made The 1001 Must Hear List. Didn’t have any impact (that I can remember) when it came out, doesn’t hold up, and nothing close to a hit. He did have a couple of hits in the early sixties, but this album is an enigma on making the list. Please explain. (1.3**s) He was better with The Belmonts…
This is terrible. The idea that supposedly talented people worked on this is proof that sometimes teams are weaker than their individual contributors. An all-around embarrassment of a record.
Fuck this book on god 0/ I dont care anymore 0.00%
I cant believe that one of the only positive review abouth this album (on the 10 first reviews) is fucking chat gpt written slop. Honestly, its quite fitting for this uninspired bland album to only receive praise from an unsentient robot. I get that the production of this album inspired a lot of other artist but it doesnt mean that the music is good. You dont need to hear this.
Even Mr. DiMucci himself despised this record. It's one long, monotonous drone, thanks in no small part to Phil Spector's production methods. The songs themselves are nothing special and come across as interminably sad. I'd like to hear Mr. Dimery's defense of this album's inclusion. I certainly hope that it's something better than, "Well... the guy from Primal Scream likes it, so..."
This isn’t really my vibe tbh. Fav song is ‘Only You Know’.
im always mad sussed out by gospel made by white people. this is bad i actually hate it. weird ass lyrics and production thats doing way too much. i usually like brill building stuff or shit associated with phil spector but this is god awful.
This guys is not as great as he thinks he is. It's ok. If pretentious had a sound.