The Best Of Karla Bonoff: All My Life

For some of my favorites I would say "right on" or "oh yeah". I love Led Zep and Pink Floyd.Karla Bonoff is in another category. She can make emotional songs that nobody else can do at all, making them really good songs without getting mushy. That's why I say it's beautiful music.

Listening to this terrific compilation, it really seems Karla Bonoff had a magic touch. Her songwriting on track after track is incredible, with wondrous expressive vocals that complement the material perfectly. If you have records in your collection with her name on it, but don't have any of her own recorded work, then this CD is a safe bet and may prove revelatory. Granted, it's not that hard to compile a Karla compilation in the sense that, as of 1999 when this came out, she had only put out 4 solo albums, along with one album as a member of the group Bryndle (they have since released the album "House of Silence" in 2003). Her lone solo composition from Bryndle's self-titled 1995 album is here, but otherwise everything's from her solo albums. Of the 16 tracks included here, there's very little to complain about. Her greatness is on full display all over the place--the haunting "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me"; easy riding, ultra catchy tunes like "I Can't Hold On", "Baby Don't Go", "Tell My Why" (clearly superior to the carbon copy Wynonna Judd version), and "Isn't It Always Love"; and moving love ballads like "If He's Ever Near", "Lose Again", "Falling Star", "Restless Nights", and "Wild Heart of the Young". I do feel it was an unwise move to place the bouncy "Isn't It Always Love" after the mournful "Goodbye My Friend"--it's a jolting transition, and not pleasantly so, even though each of those individual tracks are great. Having "Restless Nights" and "Isn't It Always Love" simply trade places in the track listing would have helped the flow, but they're great tracks all the same.There are a couple of losers in the track listing that put the impersonal, unsatisfying version of Karla Bonoff on full display, and as far as I'm concerned, these tracks are not the REAL Karla--they feel like they come from a completely different "artist". Thankfully though, it's just two tunes. Karla admits in her liner notes that the dull, sappy "All My Life" wasn't a personal song, and that it was initially written for a movie, and it sure sounds like it. Then, there's the inescapable inclusion of "Personally", however, I give Karla thumbs up for burying this annoying hit at track 15, the second to last song on the CD.The disc ends with the traditional "The Water Is Wide" which features James Taylor. There is other essential Karla material missing that easily surpasses "The Water Is Wide"--it's okay, though, with some nice accordian on it, and it seems to be a fan favorite, and it's a respectable way to close the album, certainly a heck of a lot better than "Personally".As another reviewer pointed out, Karla did do some songs that weren't on her albums, like "Somebody's Eyes", which is a fine tune (although she didn't write it) that's on the "Footloose" soundtrack--it would have been nice to have on here in place of "All My Life". However, the lion's share of what you do get on this disc is the REAL, sincere Karla and is mostly marvelous. 7 tracks are from her 1977 self-titled debut--a handful of excellent songs from her second album, 1979's "Restless Nights", are missing, but the album is still well-represented by its title track and "Baby Don't Go". To me, the most regrettable omission is the stirring, bluesy ballad "Please Be The One", truly of the best tracks she ever did, and including it here would have rendered her largely interminable third album "Wild Heart of The Young" completely unnecessary (the title track is only other worthwhile cut on it).If you're a big fan of the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne, you simply can't go wrong with this CD. With great sound quality, and cool liner notes including Karla's self-written comments for each track, this is a terrific CD that any fan of Karla will be delighted to have in their collections!

Frequently, compilation CDs are an uneven offering of commercially successful tracks layered with choice cuts from the recording artist; however, Karla's Bonoff's "All My Life" CD represents her solo recording career without any such burdon - primarily because she had only one big hit!The Top-20 hit "Personally" is included, of course, but lesser-known hits such as "Somebody's Eyes" (from the film "Footloose") and "Standing Right Next To Me" (from the film "8 Seconds") are omitted in favor of vastly superior material, such as the delicious "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me" and the heart-breaking "Goodbye My Friend" - both written by Bonoff's expert hand.Through and through, this CD features exemplary pop music that is produced with respect for both the song and the listener. I have exposed many of my friends to Karla Bonoff's music...and they are invariably impressed. This is due to the fact that she is a tremedously gifted songwriter with a smooth, expressive voice. Order this CD today! You will be grateful you did!

this much-underrated singer/songwriter should be more popular than she is folks...her cult following consists of many top singers of her era and beyond

I love this music from the 70's but the songs have a rather sad theme. Her music is wonderful though. I highly recommend this CD

Jewel case was cracked, but disc was in perfect condition, artwork and liner notes perfect too. An excellent find.

Karla Bonoff cd is fabulous with sweet melodious songs that are easy and captivating.

only liked one song on the emtire disk

In another dimension Karla Bonoff would be a major star (as would Jennifer Warnes). Karla has a wonderful, expressive voice, but was perhaps too similar in many ways to the more go-ahead Linda Ronstadt, whose unerring ability to pick a great song, and interpret it for maximum impact, shot her to superstardom in the '70s. Indeed, Linda was astute enough to choose some of Karla's very best - 'If He's Ever Near', 'Lose Again' and 'Someone To Lay Down Beside Me' for her album 'Hasten Down The Wind'. And let's not overlook her hit duet with the brilliant Aaron Neville, 'All My Life'. Others to pick up on Karla's songs include Alison Krauss, Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna (Judd) and the late, great Nicolette Larson. Of the 16 tracks here, no less than 7 are from her stunning 1977 eponymous debut album (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 14); tracks 10, 11 and 16 are from 'Restless Nights' (1979); tracks 6 and 15 are from 'Wild Heart Of The Young' (1982); and tracks 7, 8 and 13 are from 1988's 'New World'. Track 12, 'Daddy's Little Girl' is from 1995's 'Bryndle' album, a group originally formed in 1970 featuring Karla, long-time friend and collaborator Kenny Edwards, Andrew Gold and Wendy Waldman, and re-formed to record this self-titled album. Thirteen of these songs were written by Karla, with 'Baby Don't Go' a co-write with the much-underrated Kenny Edwards, who also produced her first 3 albums (and therefore most of the tracks here). 'Personally' written by Paul Kelly is an R 'n' B'-type number, sent to Karla by Glenn Frey, and 'The Water Is Wide' is an old traditional song from the repertoire of The Weavers, whose Frank Hamilton gave Karla guitar lessons when she was 13. Here, it's given a moving, gentle reading, with harmony provided by James Taylor. Backing musicians, apart from Karla on piano and acoustic guitar, include Russ Kunkel, Lee Sklar, Kenny Edwards, John Ware, Waddy Wachtel, Andrew Gold, Danny 'Kootch' and Dan Dugmore; and the backing singers include Kenny, Andrew, Linda, Wendy, Glenn and John David Souther. Some cast! My own favourites? I love the heart-rending 'If He's Ever Near', the twangy 'I Can't Hold On' and 'Isn't It Always Love', but all are first-rate. Great songs, singing, playing - and value.

In the Uk Karla is virtually unheard of, in fact I don't ever recall hearing her on the radio. Shame on the radio....Karla Bonoff has a superb and crystal clear voice, beautiful keyboard and guitar skills and writes poignant and moving songs which some of the best in the business have recorded. if like me you think the words of the author should be listened from the voice of the author you will be surprised by the quality of both. Very under-rated artist.

Excellent

Great CD capturing the quality and consistency of her first album (the source of the most tracks) and the gems in her later less consistent albums. Well worth the money and a real pleasure to have all the best tracks on one disc.

Wonderful collection of a brilliant under-rated singer song writer who for me is up there with the big names. Highly recommended as a collection of beautiful songs and sung from the heart,