CD Fan Review
Glen
Campbell, who is in the final stages of Alzheimer's Disease, recorded
this, his final studio album, in 2012 just after his diagnosis, and
it is among his finest efforts.
Although
the photography features Campbell posing with one of his guitars,
Campbell leaves the instrumentation to others, most notably his
long-time banjo player Carl Jackson, who produced the album and plays
guitar, and Campbell's daughter Ashley, who plays banjo and
accompanies and backs up her father on vocals. The album also
features Campbell's sons Cal and Shannon and guests Willie Nelson and
Vince Gill.
This
allows the elder Campbell to focus on singing, and he really gives it
his all. It would be a cliche to say he has never sounded better, but
at the very least, his voice is as wide-ranging, nuanced, and
poignant as ever, especially in light of – and in spite of – his
personal struggles.
The
songs are all excellent, making the album a pleasure to listen to
from beginning to end and over and over again. I have developed a
particular fondness for "Everybody's Talkin'," "Postcards
from Paris," and "A Thing Called Love."
Adios
is so good that you wish this wasn't the end. But it's a fitting
farewell, as well as a lasting reminder of how good of a musician,
singer, and all-around entertainer Glen Campbell was.
--Raj
Manoharan
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