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"The Best Of"
The Best of Freddy Fender opens with
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls," the 1975 track that
helped the Texas balladeer cross over to country stardom. Indeed,
it then took him onto the pop charts. Fender, whose profile has
risen again as a member of the Texas Tornadoes, is truly a singular
singer. Part of the fun of this collection, though, lies in checking
out producer Huey P. Maeux's efforts to keep Fender commercial
after his first No. 1 country hit. Take "Livin' It Down,"
which in 1976 climbed to No. 2 on the country charts. Here you
have a guy with mariachi roots wrapped in an arrangement that
sounds like it was borrowed from Bread, all for the delectation
of Urban Cowboys. How--accommodating! Here's evidence that '70s
countrypolitan wasn't so bad after all. --Steven Stolder |
Customer review from Amazon
Reviewer: Jennifer Hearne from Los Angeles,
CA USA
I don't know who the typical Freddy Fender's fan is, but I am
one. My album collection contains selections from every genre
spanning from Christian Death to Fugazi to Roberta Flack to Dr.
Dre to Sarah Brightman to Abba...and...very affectionately...to
Fender. There's nothing especially brilliant about these compositions,
I won't kid you. But Fender has always been a great performer,
a likable guy whose Tex-Mex personality effectively comes through
in his voice. The best way to describe this album is that it's
total 70's bar music (the ultimate bar song being "Wasted
Days and Wasted Nights"). Picture it as retro music to play
pool to. Or gather around the pool to - with Tecate, tequila,
margaritas, mexican food and your best friends. Or cruise around
in a vintage car to. It's just fun: pop country meets tejano.
If you own some Johnny Cash, some Patsy Cline, some Donna Fargo...why
not give Freddy a whirl. If you're eclectic, and willing to take
a risk, this collection won't look out of place next to your
Lone Justice and Los Lobos albums. But remember, this stuff is
from the 70's. If you were born after 1980, don't buy this unless
you have a good sense of humor. |
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Freddy Fender |
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