Saturday 19 November 2022

Behind Closed Doors - CHARLIE RICH****

Behind Closed Doors/If You Wouldn't Be My Lady/You Never Really Wanted Me/A Sunday Kind Of Woman/ Peace On You/The Most Beautiful Girl/I Take It On Home/'Til I Can't Take It Anymore/We Love Each Other/I'm Not Going Hungry Anymore/Nothing In The World (To Do With Me)

After many years struggling for national recognition country singer Charlie Rich struck gold with the acclaimed Behind Closed Doors. Features the US No. 1 and UK No. 2 hit single The Most Beautiful Girl. (US:8 UK:4)

“Accepting the greatness of these ballads was a milestone in my ability to accept and consider country music outside of Hank and Cash. So perfect the voice and the production. This is sappy as sappy gets.”

“I can't deny that this is Charlie Rich's best album. It's certainly his most famous record, and the one that propelled him to great fame and success in the country music field in the mid-'70s.”

“After his career had stalled, Charlie Rich, under the guidance of veteran country producer Billy Sherrill, refashioned his sound, adopting the countrypolitan style that was chic in Nashville ten years earlier. The result, Behind Closed Doors, transforms Rich into a male Patsy Cline. Sure, his voice is nowhere near as good as hers. But it manages to be an effective instrument nonetheless when backed with light strings and a honky-tonk piano. Like most good country it focuses on heartbreak.”

“Extremely strong songwriting throughout with no filler whatsoever. All the songs have very memorable melodies, some of them will continue to play in your mind while the record is long over, whether you want it or not.”

“Through age and experience, his success seemed to come through his sincere and commanding voice, sounding resigned to life's roller coaster but not drowning in his own syrupy sorrows.”

“Though Rich and Sherrill had been working on their sound for several years, the resulting albums were a hit-and-miss give-and-take between Rich's multi-genre leanings and Sherrill's pop sound. On Behind Closed Doors, Rich more fully surrendered to the role of country-pop crooner, finding a level of comfort that allowed him to star amidst Sherrill's layered, complex productions. It was a balance that became the template for 70s country pop recordings. In addition to the seamlessness of their combined sounds, producer and artist found superb material, offering smooth country and politely bluesy tunes that showed off Rich's soulful side.”

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