Artist: Burt Bacharach Album: The Reel Burt Bacharach

Year: 1999
Duration: 0:0-1

A Critical Review of Burt Bacharach's The Reel Burt Bacharach Album

Burt Bacharach is a legendary figure in the music industry and has spent decades creating incredible music that has shaped the sound of popular music as we know it today. In his 2016 album, The Reel Burt Bacharach, he compiled some of his greatest works in the film industry into one album. As a longtime fan, I was eager to dive into this album and see what it had to offer. In this blog post, I'll be giving a critical review of the album, discussing the history of Burt Bacharach, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts and a critic to the album.

Burt Bacharach began his career in the 1950s and has since become famous for his innovative approach to songwriting. He's responsible for some of the biggest hits of the '60s and '70s, working with artists like Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, and Tom Jones. Throughout his career, he has won multiple Grammys and even an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

When it comes to The Reel Burt Bacharach, the album complexly focuses on Bacharach's work within the film industry. It's a compilation of some of his greatest works, such as Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Look of Love from Casino Royale.

One of the standout tracks on the album is Alfie. It was originally written for the film of the same name in 1966. The song quickly became an international hit, with the jazzy horns and smooth rhythm marking it out as a quintessential Bacharach track. Another standout is Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), a hit from the 1980 film Arthur.

What sets The Reel Burt Bacharach apart from Bacharach's earlier works is the innovative approach that he takes to his most iconic tracks. Here, the production value is sky-high, with the instrumentation on each track sounding crisper and more vibrant than ever before. The album's closing track, That's What Friends Are For, is the quintessential example of this – the song features intricate vocal harmonies and a soaring musical arrangement that simply hadn't been heard before.

However, not everything is perfect on the album. While the production quality is undoubtedly exceptional, there are moments where The Reel Burt Bacharach can feel a bit too saccharine. The biggest example of this is What's New Pussycat, with its jaunty horns and playful melody sometimes feeling like it lacks the emotional depth that Bacharach is known for.

Overall, The Reel Burt Bacharach is an exceptional album and a must-listen for any fan of his music. While it's true that there are moments where the saccharine sweetness can become a bit tiresome, the album's ambition and innovation more than make up for it. This is a wonderful showcase of Burt Bacharach's inimitable style and a testament to his enduring legacy in the music industry.

Overall, The Reel Burt Bacharach is an exceptional album and a must-listen for any fan of his music. While it's true that there are moments where the saccharine sweetness can become a bit tiresome, the album's ambition and innovation more than make up for it. This is a wonderful showcase of Burt Bacharach's inimitable style and a testament to his enduring legacy in the music industry.