Product ReviewsIf You Go Away the RCA Years 1965-1970 by Rod McKuen (CD, 2006)

McKuen's Season In The Sun

The title I use for this review says it all. It is, of course, a pun on one of Rod McKuen's most fanous songs, Seasons In The Sun which many may know from the sadly insipid version recorded by Terry Jacks or worse still Westlife. But on this magnificent box set we have the originals of that song plus other classics such as If You Go Away and million sellings albums like Listen To The Warm and Through European Windows which was always one of my favourites.
I also am a huge fan of Bear Cat collections though as Rod says in his essay that is included with IF You Go Away, though not in these words, the compilers can be quite anal at times including, for example, on the Pat Boone set, mono and stereo versions of the same songs to feed the neurotic needs of completeists! And so McKuen himself suggested that instead of following the slavishly chronological pattern used on their other box setseach of these CDs should mirror an original album release, as it was released, with additional tracks from around the same time period. That is apart from CD 7 which is an adds and ends CD.
So what about the music? McKuen is a love or hate talent, you either adore his gravelly voice, or don't. I do. I think it adds to the poetry of his songs, resonates with a truly lived in feeling, makes you realise most everything you are hearing comes from a observed, lived in and deeply felt reality. McKuen also is often snobbishly dismissed by poetry critics when it comes to his verse but there certainly was a time in my life and in my father's when the singer/songwriter/poet put words to silences that otherwise would have strangled us.
Incidentally, my dad also suffered from deep depression which I hear is something that hooked McKuen for more than twenty ears, accounting for his career inactivity. But he was involved in the compilation of this set and as a favour to the man, why don't we a, all buy a copy each and make him happy! No, I do not know Rod and am not his buddy. In fact, I am an Irish music critic!
That's why, with some confidence, I can recommend this box set on the strength of even tracks like If You Go Away, I've Been To Town, The Lovers, Alamo Junction, We Have Only Love, The Single Man, And To Each Season,Something More, I'll Say Goodbye,On The Road Again and about a dozen others on this set.
My one reservation, simply becuase I have rediscovered vinyl of late thanks to Ebay, is that there isn't an LP version of this set and that the original LPs weren't reissued in audiophile 180gramm pressings! But that's me being Utopian!
I also envy anyone out there who has never known this music. I have since at least 1972 and even though I've never quite forgiven the man for writing a song as anti-female as The Women, I really envy people who have yet to discover McKuen. There is no better way to do so than with this box set.
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