Tryin' to Get the Feeling in Bloomington, MN

Barry Manilow
made it to number one again during his first year as a hit artist with a rendition of
Beach Boy
Bruce Johnston
's
"I Write the Songs,"
beating out covers by
David Cassidy
and
Captain and Tennille
(who also released a version in Spanish). The modernized (read: no distortion) take-off on
Phil Spector
's Wall of Sound was what made
"Mandy"
so very special, and it came back to work here;
Manilow
sings with a seriousness on
"I Write the Songs"
that is as determined as his voice is on the title track,
David Pomeranz
'
"Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again."
Both titles are light years beyond the rest of the album, even including
Bruce Sussman
Barry
's reworking of the
American Bandstand
theme. Like
the Four Seasons
before him,
is known for his ability to take a song up the charts; the album tracks are secondary and reserved for his most devoted followers. This quest for chart supremacy had a formidable team pooling their talents. It was co-produced by the star and
Archies
' lead singer
Ron Dante
, while
Bette Midler
,
Miles Laurie
, and
Dick Fox
are thanked for showing
Peter Thom
Phil Galdston
"Why Don't We Live Together"
is nice enough, but indicative of the near-miss compositions
himself contributes --
"She's a Star,"
"You're Leavin' Too Soon"
"A Nice Boy Like Me"
-- that might have gotten some Top 40 action due to
's momentum, but without the staying power of the established hits. At least the co-write with
Adrienne Anderson
"As Sure as I'm Standin' Here,"
has a bit of a future, with the
/
hit,
"The Old Songs,"
something to look forward to. The problem with
is also his strength -- that he skillfully mixes
Johnny Mathis
adult contemporary
charm with
Liberace
's flamboyance. Both
Mathis
knew how to reign in the excesses, while
could care less -- and he doesn't have to. By the same token, his fan base might be more prone to spinning
Ultimate Manilow
and avoiding the few rough spots of this album. [The CD version contains an extra title,
Stephen Sondheim
"Marry Me a Little."
] ~ Joe Viglione