Supremes Funny Girl Banner Ad Now Available

The Second Disc

Expanded and Remastered Music News

  • Home
  • News
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Features
    • Release Round-Up
    • Giveaways!
    • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Release Calendar
    • Coming Soon
    • Now Available
  • About
  • Second Disc Records
    • Full Catalog
  • Contact

/ News

Review: Matt Monro, “The Man Behind The Voice”

October 12, 2011 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

In Michele Monro’s The Man Behind the Voice, the author sums up the career of her subject, who also happened to be her father: “Matt never acquired the ‘superstar’ tag, but quality was his code, and he earned the reputation for being a class act with a superlative gift.” 

Though Matt Monro died in 1985 aged just 54, his music continues to flourish today.  Monro’s voice is as vibrant now as when he first recorded “Born Free,” “To Russia with Love” or any of the countless other songs, both contemporary and classic, that form his discography.  And with Messrs. Merriam and Webster defining a “superstar” as one who is “extremely talented, has great public appeal and can usually command a high salary,” Ms. Monro has made a great argument for her father’s enduring superstar status.  She’s behind the impressive Matt Monro reissue campaign from EMI, and the latest creative release in that program, The Man Behind the Voice, is a “bookazine” consisting of a 64-page magazine, a 20-track compact disc companion (or soundtrack, if you will) and replica 45 single of “Portrait of My Love” b/w “You’re the Top of My Hit Parade.”  EMI and the Monro family have released this wonderful gift collection in conjunction with another high-profile reissue, the box set The Singer’s Singer.

The compact disc The Man Behind the Voice is thoughtfully compiled, showcasing the purity and clarity of tone in Monro’s voice over a variety of recordings.  (Pay special attention to the closing sequence, with “If I Never Sing Another Song,” “The Last Farewell,” “We’re Gonna Change the World” and “Softly, As I Leave You.”)  A number of Monro’s most famous recordings are here, of course, including “Born Free,” “To Russia with Love” and “Walk Away.”  But the real attraction for collectors will undoubtedly be two tracks (Clive Westlake’s “Only Once” and Roger Whittaker and Ronald Webster’s “The Last Farewell”) appearing here for the very first time on CD.  In addition, every track has been presented in the most up-to-date sound possible.  Remastering engineer Richard Moore has derived 14 tracks from his own 2010 remasters for EMI, while the remaining six tracks have all been derived from the original masters.  Two tracks, “Nice and Easy” and a medley of “S’Wonderful” and “I Get a Kick Out of You,” were subjected to noise reduction for a 2006 release, and Moore has worked wonders on restoring them to superior quality here.

Monro’s vocals were romantic but assured, capable of sensitively caressing the ballads and raucously swinging the up-tempo songs.  His style was a deceptively simple one: a dash of legit pipes, a touch of Bing Crosby-esque intimacy, a brash swinger’s confidence.  It added up to a sound uniquely Monro.  His arrangements were largely free of gimmickry, with the voice front and center.  Don Black’s lyric to “Born Free,” set so beautifully to John Barry’s majestic melody, took off in Monro’s capable hands, resonating beyond the original story of a lion cub.  There are hits from Broadway (Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse’s “Gonna Build a Mountain” from Stop The World! I Want to Get Off!, Charles Strouse and Lee Adams’ fantastic, underrated “This is the Life” from Golden Boy and the deathless “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha) plus quintessential performances like Bricusse’s “My Kind of Girl” and Monro’s first hit, “Portrait of My Love,” which may be better-known to American listeners via Steve Lawrence’s successful version.

Monro had a sharp ear for contemporary pop, and as a result recorded fewer Tin Pan Alley standards than many of his contemporaries, but the “S’Wonderful” medley included here certainly shows his flair for the genre.  His treatment of The Beatles’ “Yesterday” still stands apart from the rest, and was spurred on by the producer Monro shared with John, Paul, George and Ringo: one Sir George Martin.  Monro’s recording was one of the song’s very first cover versions, and its sensitive arrangement and restrained vocal gained the singer a Top 10 single in the United Kingdom.  The CD is housed in a digipak; all that missing is discographical information as to the origin of each song, which would have pointed new fans in the right direction for further listening.

There’s plenty more Monro after the jump!

The bookazine itself recounts the story of the man born Terence Edward Parsons in straightforward fashion. Writing in the third person, Michele Monro (born in 1959) frankly recounts incidents that she would have been forgiven for wishing not to recall, including her father’s traumatic childhood, rocky relationship with manager/lyricist Don Black (represented on Broadway this season with the new musical Bonnie and Clyde) and an unfortunate car accident involving Monro which took the life of a pedestrian.  Although the singer was cleared of all charges, the incident nonetheless had a profound impact on him, and the details are presented unflinchingly.  Most affecting, though, are his daughter’s recollections of his lifelong struggle with alcohol, not to mention attendant depression and exhaustion. That Matt Monro found solace in alcohol doesn’t come as a surprise given the punishing tour schedule described in detail in these pages.  One leaves The Man Behind the Voice with a full sense of an international artist, deeply committed to his art and his audience.  (It’s downright shocking to read that Monro embarked on a grueling tour of the Far East a mere two months after treatment at the Priory in 1976.)

Though a personal remembrance, there’s a steady stream of factoids on hand, detailing awards, recognitions and chart successes in the strict chronological format.  But there are also personal vignettes told in the author’s matter-of-fact style, and marvelous day-to-day tidbits that could only have come from a biographer so intimately acquainted with her subject. 

The colorful cast of characters in the artist’s story includes Bruce Forsyth, Shirley Bassey, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tony Bennett, Henry Mancini, Andy Williams and even Imelda Marcos!  But the most notable personage might be the late Maurice Gibb, himself a recovering alcoholic, who finally spurred his friend Monro on to successful treatment for his alcoholism.  Then there’s Peter Sellers.  Though Sellers was often mercurial, the comic genius knew talent. It was 1960 when Parlophone producer George Martin was seeking a voice that the great impersonator could use as reference for a Frank Sinatra spoof on his comedy album cheekily titled Songs for Swinging Sellers. Martin hired Matt Monro, and billed him under the very Sellers-esque pseudonym of “Fred Flange.”  But Sellers evidently knew that Monro was destined for greatness; the Fred Flange recording opened the record and Martin signed the man behind the curtain.

Much attention is, of course, on the music.  You’ll read of Monro’s “discovery” by an unlikely benefactor, pianist Winifred Atwell, to his early signings by Decca and Fontana before hitting the big time at Parlophone under Martin’s wing, with top-notch arrangers like Martin and Johnnie Spence.  There’s also a strong sense of Monro’s humble beginnings, which were noted by the press when the career of “the singing bus driver” took off.

The bookazine’s pages are of a heavier stock than a typical magazine, and photographs are plentiful, including a number in full color.  It makes for a fine stand-alone read, or a primer for the author’s full-scale biography, which like the box set, is entitled The Singer’s Singer.  (The biography is available in a standard hardcover or paperback edition, and also in a deluxe, slipcased set containing a complete Matt Monro discography and a bonus CD.)  Attention to detail is evident throughout this entire package, right down to the catalogue number and design of the red Parlophone single (45-R-47714)!

Matt Monro: The Man Behind the Voice is currently available in the United Kingdom through the newsagent/retailer WHSmith.  Should interest be sufficient, it’s possible that it will gain wider distribution.  Whether you’re a longtime fan of Monro or discovering him for the first time, you won’t want to “walk away.”  You’ll want to get to know The Man Behind the Voice.

Categories: News, Reviews Tags: Matt Monro

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

Connect With Joe: FacebookTwitter

You Might Also Like

  • Best of Bond 2020Nobody Does It Better: ‘The Best of Bond…James Bond’ Gets Update and Vinyl Release
  • MattMonro StrangerinParadiseReview: Matt Monro, “Stranger in Paradise: The Lost New York Sessions”
  • abba wembleyRelease Round-Up: Week of March 13
  • MattMonro StrangerinParadiseThe Sweetest Sounds: Matt Monro’s Greatest Hits Paired With Lost Session on “Stranger In Paradise”

Comments

  1. Kevin says

    October 12, 2011 at 10:59 am

    Thanks for the essay on this great singer.

    Michelle’s work to provide Matt’s excellent recordings, many at bargain prices, is very much appreciated.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Upcoming Releases

  • NeilYoung NeilYoungArchivesVol2 RETAILEDITION pl
    Archives, Volume 2: 1973-1976
    Neil Young
    March 05, 2021
  • Zappa BD
    Zappa [DVD and Blu-ray]
    Frank Zappa
    March 05, 2021
  • Rebecca Luker and Sally Wilfert All the Girls
    All the Girls
    Rebecca Luker and Sally Wilfert
    March 05, 2021
See Full Calendar

Connect

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,111 other subscribers

Popular

  • TheWho TheWhoSellOut box pk
    I Can See For Miles: The Who Announce Rarities-Filled Deluxe Reissue of “The Who Sell Out” Due April 23 posted on February 26, 2021 | under News
  • BobDylan 1970Collection
    Release Round-Up: Week of February 26 posted on February 26, 2021 | under Release Round-Up
  • David Bowie Something in the Air live
    Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: David Bowie’s ‘Brilliant Live Adventures’ Series Continues with ‘Live Paris 99’ posted on February 24, 2021 | under News

Comments

  • small faces here come the nice2
    Return To Itchycoo Park: Small Faces’ “Here Come The Nice” Deluxe Box Set Arrives In January [UPDATED 12/3] 79 comments | by Joe Marchese | posted on December 3, 2013 | under News
  • the beatles u s albums box2
    British Invasion! The Beatles Unveil “The U.S. Albums” Box Set in January 69 comments | by Joe Marchese | posted on December 12, 2013 | under News
  • Rolling Stones in Mono
    Out of Their Heads: Stones Plan Mono Box Set 47 comments | by Mike Duquette | posted on August 10, 2016 | under News

Music Resources

  • Addicted to Vinyl
  • Crap from the Past
  • Discogs
  • Film Score Monthly
  • IMWAN Forum – From the Vaults
  • MusicTAP
  • Musoscribe
  • Pause & Play
  • Popblerd
  • Popdose
  • Record Racks
  • Slicing Up Eyeballs
  • Steve Hoffman Music Forums
  • Ultimate Classic Rock
  • Vintage Vinyl News
  • Viva La Mainstream
  • Wolfgang’s Vault

Labels of Note

  • Ace Records
  • Analog Spark
  • Bear Family
  • BGO Records
  • Big Break Records
  • Blixa Sounds
  • Cherry Red Label Group
  • Demon Music Group
  • Friday Music
  • Funky Town Grooves
  • Iconoclassic Records
  • Intervention Records
  • Intrada
  • Kritzerland
  • La La Land Records
  • Legacy Recordings
  • Masterworks Broadway
  • Now Sounds
  • Omnivore Recordings
  • Raven Records
  • Real Gone Music
  • Resonance Records
  • Rhino Entertainment
  • Rock Candy Records
  • Sunset Blvd. Records
  • Supermegabot
  • Varese Sarabande
  • Wounded Bird
Copyright © 2021 The Second Disc. All rights reserved. · Site by Metaglyphics

The Second Disc is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy