What The Critics Say
Matt Monro sings in Spanish for En España, and what's most impressive is how seamlessly he translates his signature subtlety and expressiveness to a tongue other than his own. Monro's elemental interpretive genius achieves new heights here. Sure, he knows these songs, but he's approaching them from new and unfamiliar angles, and yet their meaning and spirit resonates with absolute clarity regardless of language. The material itself spans from contemporary pop hits ("No Me Pesa, Es Mi Hermano") to Broadway favorites ("Sueño Imposible,") to standards ("La Sombra de Tu Sonrisa,"), but Monro makes all the songs his own -- a commendable feat. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
'This Is The Life/Here's To My Lady'
What The Critics Say
This Is the Life pairs crooner Matt Monro with arranger Sid Feller for a collection of standards and ballads that incorporate elements of contemporary pop and jazz but never does so at the expense of its sophistication or hard-fought maturity. The cover -- with Monro sandwiched between a pair of fabulous babes -- sets the tone for the music inside: this is effervescent, celebratory pop for and by adults. Feller's ripe arrangements beautifully complement the restrained drama of Monro's vocals, and the songs -- "Strangers in the Night," "Sweet Lorraine," and "Merci Cherie" among them -- are perfectly calibrated to his almost-effortless interpretive brilliance. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
