Magnificent Collection! Brilliant Voice in Multiple Genres!
Imagine, released six years following her untimely death, became Cassidy’s second U.K.No. 1 album. The album brings to light hidden gems among the shelves,including the obscure “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” by Paul Anka and an alternatetake of “Fever” featuring a ‘sly violin line by brother Dan Cassidy’, aswell as a ‘folky rendition of the Sandy Denny classic “Who Knows Where theTime Goes”.
“A desperate clamoring from fans worldwide is no doubt the last thing thelate singer could have imagined when she was at clubs and at home singing anddoing rough recordings of the tunes that would someday be chosen for thismagnificent hodgepodge. But many years after her death in obscurity in late1996, she became a true phenomenon, with enthusiasts who find in her voice atrue connection to heaven (take that in any number of ways). So even if thesongs are rough, they’re still Eva Cassidy. Another precious listen to hertranscendent voice — so brilliant in all genres; wispy and angelic one minute,soulful and guttural the next — is worth all the dusty shelf-searching thiscompilation no doubt entailed. The songs recorded at the now-defunct Annapolisclub Pearls — the obscure chestnut “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” which Paul Ankagave to Buddy Holly; Gordon Lightfoot’s “Early Morning Rain”; and thetearjerking “Danny Boy” — present Cassidy at her purest, her simple acousticguitar riding along behind increasingly emotional vocal lines. “Fever” is analternate take from the version that wound up on Chuck Brown’s The Other Side,beautifully torchy and featuring a sly violin line by brother Dan Cassidy. Sherecorded a folky rendition of the Sandy Denny classic “Who Knows Where the TimeGoes” at the Maryland Inn, her voice rising and falling over a subtle violin.Her smoky jazz chops — think Norah Jones with a lot more fire — are in fullforce on “You’ve Changed” (recorded at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C.).Probably the richest performances are the powerful home-demo renditions of thetitle track and “Tennessee Waltz,” given off-the-cuff readings (with only simpleguitar lines) that show off Cassidy’s casual genius. Finally, Cassidy’s dadfound a few formal early studio recordings, “Still Not Ready” and “I Can Only BeMe,” a heartrending song Stevie Wonder wrote for Spike Lee’s School Daze butnever recorded. That’s OK — Cassidy’s unintentional penchant is for redefiningsongs and creating new and definitive versions. Most likely, no major labelwould ever put out a new artist recording with this kind of a mixed bag, bothstylistically and production-wise. But this hardly matters, as listeners seekmore and more from the angel who left long before the world fell in love withher. The continuing heavenly serenade is hard to resist.” – allmusic.com
Features:
CD
Selections:
1. It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
2. Fever
3. Who Knows Where the Time Goes
4. You’ve Changed
5. Imagine
6. Still Not Ready
7. Early Morning Rain
8. Tennessee Waltz
9. I Can Only Be Me
10. Danny Boy
