David Cassidy Albums (12)
'Touch of Blue'
Release Date 11/25/2003
Tracks 20
Label Universal Music TV
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'Then and Now'
Release Date 10/1/2001
Tracks 15
Label Universal Music TV
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What The Critics Say
While both David Cassidy and the Partridge Family have been at least partially anthologized over the years, it remains a thing of wonder that nobody has yet sat down to compile the best of both into one all-encompassing package -- all the more so since Cassidy's personal appeal remains as high as any '70s icon could dream of climbing. Cassidy himself has toyed with his past on occasion, with releases ranging from a mid-'80s live hits album to the savage reinvention of "I Think I Love You," which so dignified his 1998 Slamajama album. Then and Now, however, goes further than either he, or his past record companies, have ever traveled, serving up 22 songs of which just three ("Cry," "No Bridge I Wouldn't Cross," and "Sheltered in Your Arms") don't immediately leap out of the memory banks. From "I Woke Up in Love This Morning" to "I Write the Songs," from "Cherish" to "The Last Kiss" (a 1985 U.K. smash that marked the first of his serious comebacks), Cassidy revisits a career's worth of pop classics, as straight as a die and faithful enough that you could almost forget you're not listening to the greatest hits collection on earth. No sneaky drum'n'bass redesigns, no nasty modern production tricks, no heartless stab at "updating" the songs for the modern listener. A pointless duet with boy band Hear'Say does raise a few anachronistic hackles, but "Could It Be Forever" has already appeared once on the album; once more is no skin off anyone's nose. It's unabashed nostalgia, then, and all delivered with such sincerity that you can't even feel cynical about the exercise. The booklet photos are early-'70s classic; the inclusion of the lyrics lets you cheat and peek at the occasional line you may not quite remember. And Cassidy's voice hasn't lost an ounce of its charm since the first time he sang these songs. Of course it isn't quite the real, all-encompassing best-of box thing that fans have been waiting for all these years. But it's close. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide
'Didn't You Used to Be ...'
Release Date 1/1/1992
Tracks 10
Label Scotti Bros.
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'Home Is Where the Heart Is'
Release Date 1/1/1976
Tracks 10
Label RCA
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'The Higher They Climb the Harder They Fall'
Release Date 1/1/1975
Tracks 11
Label RCA
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What The Critics Say
The Higher They Climb the Harder They Fall, a smirking David Cassidy titled his first post-teen-bait solo album. And, with those words of wisdom, he fell flat on his face. It was the classic teen-dream dilemma, a competent musician/songwriter flying to fame in someone else's jet plane, then wrestling control for themselves in mid-air. He had, after all, already proved his credentials across a string of well-mannered albums; had shown that Keith Partridge was a far cry from his own truth; had, in fact, won every award aside from the ones that he wanted the most -- the acclaim of his peers as a real-life rocker and the support of the critics as a man of his own. The Higher They Climb, co-produced by Bruce Johnston and awash with that man's own beach-buoyant debris, appeared in 1975 to instant success in Britain and Europe. Johnston's "I Write the Songs" gave Cassidy a U.K. number one; remixed from the album version, Brian Wilson/Mike Love's "Darlin'" was a Top 20 follow-up. And the overall theme of what was, of course, a rags-to-riches in full-throttle-reverse concept album, was certainly an adventurous theme, the Monkees' Head for the next generation of disaffected youth. It is a desperately honest album, Cassidy's ambition balanced against the reality that he already knew was around the corner: "When I'm a Rock'n'Roll Star" opens the cycle with heartfelt hopefulness, but the accompanying liner notes quickly kick him back into place ("He ain't got nuthin' on Gene Vincent") right before he swings into a crunchily convincing "Be Bop a Lula," then cracks a wry smile with "I Write the Songs." In fact, Cassidy's pen is visible all over the place, from "Rock'n'Roll Star"'s stomping riffery and glam-clad chorales, through the fading light of "Fix of Your Love," and on to a deeply personalized revision of Nilsson's "This Could Be the Night." But Cassidy's greatest power was his prowess as an interpreter, and so his joyous rendering of "Darlin'," dancing along on quintessential Flo & Eddie harmonies, wipes the floor with the original, while Ned Doheny's "Get It up for Love" has a pulsating urgency that utterly overcomes the (deliberate) innuendo of the title. In truth, things can veer a little too close to hip easy listening in places ("I Write the Songs," of course, will never escape the impression of Barry Manilow), but even there, they showcase Cassidy's remarkable voice. Indeed, the pervading mood of the entire album is of a performer who knew precisely what he was doing and remained in control all the way. Maybe it is true that the higher they climb, the harder they fall. But Cassidy seemed to be relishing every minute of that precipitous descent. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide
'Dreams Are Nothin' More Than Wishes'
Release Date 1/1/1973
Tracks 12
Label Bell
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