Adam – ADAM FAITH***

Wonderful Time/Diamond Ring/Summertime/Greenfinger/Piper Of Love/A Girl Like You/Turn Me Loose/So Many Ways/Singin’ In The Rain/Fare Thee Well My Pretty Maid/I’m A Man/Hit The Road To Dreamland

Adam was the debut LP from teen idol Adam Faith, second only to Cliff in the early 60s British pop hierarchy. Arranger John Barry and composer Johnny Worth make the best of his limited vocal abilities. (UK:6)

“He came together with arranger John Barry and songwriter Johnny Worth. Together they had a series of hit records with arrangements that owed a great deal to Buddy Holly. He did not have a great voice and he certainly knew his vocal limitations. However, he had a large female fan base and had in all fourteen top twenty hits.”

“An interesting time capsule - although in the Buddy Holly wanna-be sweep stakes - Bobby Vee does a far better job.”

“Admittedly, Mr. Faith was no Caruso, but he used his limited vocal range to good effect. He had rhythm and great phrasing, and his singing style was truly charming. He was also one of very few British acts of the early 60s to record original material.”

“It is worth checking out Faith’s first release entitled Adam. There are many contemporary hits of the time and some enjoyable inventiveness. The material ranged from standards such as Summertime, and Singin' In The Rain to more contemporary songs, such as Johnny Worth's Fare Thee Well My Pretty Maid.”

“It has long been fashionable to regard British pop from this era as weak-kneed pap, Adam punctures the point with singular ease. Much of the credit for the album's quality must, of course, go to John Barry, whose signature string and girlie chorus arrangements dominate the proceedings. But an interesting selection of material indicates Faith's own versatility. Without ever stepping too far out of the balladic mode, he does indicate far broader tastes, most notably during the finger-popping Greenfinger. There is a reasonably rocking version of Singing In The Rain and Summertime is given an especially punishing workout, without ever resorting to anything so crass as 'rock & roll' stylings. So, it's all very classy and yes, a little old-fashioned, too. But since when has that been a bad thing?”