CD REVIEW: MOIRA DANIS/BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS-THE SONGS OF PETULA CLARK

I must admit, I approached this project with genuine exitement. I adore Petula Clark and her catalog of hits, and was very open to trying on these new interpretations by a different vocalist. Clearly, Ms. Danis also shares my appreciation of Ms. Clark, and her song choices are both unashamedly obvious, yet quite clever at the same time. They include several numbers that perhaps only a Petula junkie would understand (tunes from Finian’s Rainbow (“Look to the Rainbow”)

and Goodbye, Mr. Chips  (“Tomorrow With Me,” which was cut from the film and You and I) both of which starred Ms. Clark on the big screen. Also tackled is the title song from The Sound of Music ( in which Ms. C triumphed in a 1981 West  End revival) and the haunting anthem “Tell Me It’s Not True” from Willy Russel’s Blood Brothers, which Petula starred in to great acclaim for nearly a year on Broadway (with the Cassidy brothers!), in addition to a 9-month US tour. The only obvious missing piece in this scenario is something from Sunset Boulevard, a show in which she again toured the US and also brought her personal stamp to in London.

The orchestrations (by Wells Hanley) are lush and often fun as well as inventive, giving a new spin to such familiar pop staples as “Downtown,” “Don’t Sleep in the Subway,” “I Know A Place,” “My Love” and “Who Am I” (mostly by Petula’s hit-making songwriter Tony Hatch). However, the problem is, despite her best intentions, Ms. Danisis sadly is not quite up to the task she has set for herself. No-one has everaccused Petula Clark of having perfect pitch or the most gorgeous voice ever to hit the airwaves, but what she does have is a singular, uniquely appealing sound (others such as Helen Reddy, Diana Ross and yes, even Madonna, come to mind) that renders these obstacles insignifigant. Ms. Danis does not, though that is not to say that her voice is not quite pleasant in general. Most of the keys have been lifted to accomodate her higher register and it doesn’t serve most of these compositions well. While she does sound charming in many instances, there is also a disturbing trend toward flat notes and an overall sameness of sound. I must mention, however, a terrific medley which is surely the highlite of the album. Three compositions are combined, “Fly Away” (from yet another musical interpretation of Peter Pan) and the two aforementioned gems from Goodbye, Mr. Chips.  Ms. Danis, who by the way, is extraordinarily attractive (those eyes!), shines in this combination of songs and this is where her real strength lies: musical theatre singing as opposed to pop, for which she is not as well suited. I do salute her obviously heartfelt tribute to her idol. I just wish the end result lived up to it’s aspirations.