I am breaking my own rule here not to include "Pop" material. But since I
am such an ardent fan of Ally (in accord with the programme's zany cartoonisms
my tongue drops to the floor and my eyes bulge when she appears on my TV
screen each week but why did she and Georgia have to change their hair
lengths/styles?), and so I am exercising my editor's prerogative.
Ally McBeal is a huge success in the U.S. with an average audience of 15-20
million every week. The stories of Miss McBeal, a neurotic, earnest lawyer
who endures various professional and romantic misadventures, have become
the show that the critics love to hate. Indeed, it is amazing how much anti-Ally
material has been written by feminist journalists, in the UK, but, as the
lady, with whom I shared a train journey recently, admitted: "All you men
like her [her little girl lost quality appeals to our protective instincts]
and so all we women are jealous of her".
Anyway before I get shot down in flames by my lady readers, I'll hurry on
to the songs; these are attractively sung by smokey-voiced Vonda Shepherd
who is featured singing in the nightclub setting in the show most weeks.
This is a nice collection of songs old and new; familiar and not so familiar.
The song which opens the TV show each week, "Searchin' My Soul", written
by Vonda Shepherd kicks off the programme. An ideal collection for a party,
relaxed listening or for whiling away an hour in the car. And now that Miss
McBeal has temporarily left our screens, here in the UK, this album is my
only relief from withdrawal symptoms
Reviewer
Ian Lace
[In passing readers may have noticed that Varèse Sarabande utilised
the singing voice of Jane Krakowski, on their recent Bacharach release. Jane,
who plays the know-all secretary, Eileen in Ally McBeal, is a
multi-talented Broadway star who could go further herself. Keen Ally fans
will remember that Jane, herself, sang in one recent McBeal episode]
featuring Vonda Shepard
