Petula Clark Albums (17)
What The Critics Say
Petula Clark is nothing if not a strikingly gifted vocalist and a show-biz professional of the old school; she can sing nearly anything she puts her mind to, and will try just about anything (musically speaking) that suits the gig of the moment. All this becomes evident when listening to this collection of tunes Clark performed with other recording artists of note; while she is in fine form throughout, the same cannot always be said for her guests, and the material and arrangements don't always seem especially well suited to her talents. A significant number of the tracks on Duets were taken from television appearances, and some of the numbers seem a bit clunky all these years later, especially mismatched versions of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (with a very non-seductive Rod McKuen) and "I'm a Woman" (with Peggy Lee, who doesn't sound at all comfortable with the material), and rewritten versions of songs that point to then-recent triumphs in Clark's career (the worst offender being "Fancy Meeting You Here" with Matt Munro). And while Clark sounds pleased as punch to be singing with Bobby Darin, Perry Como and Dean Martin, their styles don't always mesh especially well (though she fares much better with Harry Belafonte and jazz pianist Oscar Peterson). Clark is in fine voice on more recent recordings with Andy Williams and Anthony Newley, but the same cannot be said for her vocal partners ("The People Tree" with Newley was recorded only a few months before his death, and sadly he sounds like a shadow of his former blustery self). Given the rarity of the television material on Duets, this album will be of interest to Petula Clark completists, but sadly it isn't as impressive as the lineup of participants would lead you to expect. Clark wrote track-by track liner notes for this disc, and to her credit she's unfailingly generous and charming throughout as she remembers her partners in song. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In 1971, Petula Clark's long relationship with Pye Records, which dated back to before the company's founding, to 1949 and the Polygon label that had preceded Pye, finally ended. She left the company and signed with Polydor Records, continuing her career apace. Meanwhile, Pye Records dipped into its vaults and assembled a "new" album from songs that had been unissued by sessions going as far back as 1969. The album, rather ironically entitled Today, was an astonishingly strong release, despite its hodgepodge origins and the fact that ten of its 14 songs were Jackie Trent copyrights (nine of them collaborations with Tony Hatch) that had not made the cut over the previous two years' worth of albums. Regardless of its title, there were no covers of contemporary or near-contemporary hits -- the "Close to You" here isn't the familiar Bacharach/David song but a perfectly fine ballad with a gorgeous chorus by Hatch and Trent that has a very Gallic feel to it -- indeed, one suspects that had Clark done it on Vogue Records with French lyrics, it could have been a monster hit in France. And apart from Clark's version of Charles Chaplin's "This Is My Song," there's not a familiar pop standard here. There are some fine performances, including the breezy "City Lights," which recalls "Downtown" in spirit and theme, and also a few brilliant songs, of which perhaps the most striking is "Spring in September," a very poignant Hatch/Trent number dealing with old age and love that might not have found an audience in 1969 (though with Clark's soaring vocal on the chorus and her sensitive handling of the lyric, and Hatch's dazzling music direction, it just might have made it). "After You" was where Hatch and Trent crossed paths and swords with Jimmy Webb, and Clark rises to the challenge of the song's emotional depth and richness with one of the best performances of her career. And "I've Got to Know," with Clark's lung-bursting performance, is worth the price of the album or the CD. The 1997 reissue features significantly improved sound and extensive annotation by Richard Harries, and adds three bonus tracks -- "Look to the Sky," "I've Got Love Going for Me," and "Every Time I See a Rainbow," which had been issued on singles during the 1960s but never previously anthologized. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'I'm the Woman You Need'
Release Date 10/21/1997
Tracks 12
Label Polygram
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What The Critics Say
Instead of reviving her career, 1972's Now turned out to be a last gasp -- Petula Clark didn't have another hit until 1982. Between those two albums, Clark never stopped recording or performing, and she turned out a series of pleasant but unremarkable collections of MOR pop, beginning with Come On Home. Clark tackles several '70s pop standards -- "Killing Me Softly," "Baby, I'm-a Want You," "Everything I Own," "I Can See Clearly Now," "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again," "If You Could Read My Mind," "Without You" -- along with a few country songs and classic pop tunes. While none of her versions are particularly remarkable, none are particularly bad, but only dedicated fans will need to venture down this road. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Just Pet was released the same year Petula Clark starred in the musical remake of Goodbye, Mr. Chips, and contains the song "Fill the World with Love" from that film. "No One Better Than You" was a minor adult contemporary hit, and the album is very much aimed at the adult audience rather than the pop crowd that made "Downtown" a big hit. A bombastic version of "Hey, Jude" with a raunchy wah-wah guitar solo is a misstep, but Clark's rendition of "Fool on the Hill" is more successful. An almost languid take of the Turtles' "Happy Together" neither contributes nor detracts from the album, but exacerbates the feeling that there are too many covers of big '60s pop hits. Just Pet and the later Petula 71 were reissued on one disc by Castle in 2001. ~ Greg Adams, All Music Guide
'Live at the Royal Albert Hall'
Release Date 8/22/1994
Tracks 11
Label GNP
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
By the time Petula Clark released Now in 1972, she was past her prime, but she wasn't content to sit still. So, Clark attempted a full-fledged comeback with Now, working with a new set of arrangers and picking a strong set of songs. If the musical results were strictly pleasant soft-rock and MOR pop, at least it was well-crafted and well-sung, and it was a stronger collection than its immediate predecessors. And, with two songs -- "My Guy" and "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" -- becoming minor hit singles, it proved that Clark's voice was still engaging and that she could still make enjoyable mainstream pop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
