It’s unusual to think of holiday albums and late January as being compatible.
But it actually makes sense when you realize Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and the aforesaid holiday album would laud the one subject most popular songs have been written about for the last century — love.
That’s where “Love Affair” comes in.
Set to hit stores Tuesday, it’s a Buena Vista release that contains a dozen covers of well known love songs recorded by stars of ABC’s daytime dramas.
I know what you’re thinking. Sounds cheesy and over the top, right? But that’s not the case, at all.
It’s actually a great idea. After all, everybody has a favorite love song.
And why not? There are thousands of ditties out there that touch on unrequited love, the bliss of being in love or the regret of losing love.
The list could go on, but I’ll spare you.
Instead, I’ll point out the merits of “Love Affair.”
For one thing, the album’s quality is great. That’s thanks, in part, to the production expertise of Marco Marinangeli, who has worked with such names as Miley Cyrus, Josh Groban and Peter Frampton.
I have to say, with Marinangeli at the helm, “Love Affair” far exceeds the ABC soap collaboration’s Christmas 2006 predecessor “A Holiday Affair.”
Don’t get me wrong. I liked the inaugural album that sported the vocal talents of ABC’s daytime drama stars. But I did end up fast-forwarding to a handful of songs whenever the album made its way into my CD player. But each of the dozen selections on “Love Affair” is great — no track-skipping required.
Another factor weighing in “Love Affair’s” favor is the quality of the vocal talent. Don’t think these are just actors peddling a network album just for the heck of it. Their musical training and experience is evident in their performances.
After all, both Kathy Brier and Bradford Anderson are veterans of musical theater. Plus, Brier, along with Tika Sumpter, Kassie DePaiva and Bobbie Eakes, have plenty of their own experiences in the recording studio.
Also playing in the album’s favor is the wide range of genres offered in the project. With American standards, ballads from the days of the big band and more recent hits, there’s a lot of variety. For people, like me, who like all types of music, that’s a good thing.
As for my favorites on the project, I’d say three stand out.
On her upbeat remake of Barry Manilow’s “Never My Love,” Brier knocks it out of the park with her powerful vocals.
Anderson also displays vocal prowess in his haunting rendition of “My Funny Valentine.” That fact combined with my affinity for smooth jazz makes it one of my faves, as well.
Finally, I absolutely love Rick Hearst’s remake of the Beatles’ “In My Life.” I mean, who doesn’t love a Fab Four tune? And it’s pretty difficult to listen to this one without smiling.
But, as I previously pointed out, the entire “Love Affair” album is fun.