The second of two tribute albums to the late singer Julie London, Lyn Stanley's LONDON WITH A TWIST revisits a dozen songs made popular by her idol and sings them well. Also, in order to achieve the authentic sound of a live performance, she has eschewed post-production work in favor of a direct-to-disc technique.
Working out of Bernie Grundman's Mastering Studio in Hollywood, Stanley and engineer Allen Sides used vintage consoles, reverbs and mikes to give LONDON WITH A TWIST its unique sound. Both the CD and vinyl editions are an audiophile's delight.
Stanley's voice isn't as sultry as London's, but she does have a velvety alto and a unique personal approach to everything she attempts. Her interpretation of "Route 66," for example, starts in a casual, whispery way, then segues into a finger-poppin' groove that builds to a fiery finish. She also swings on Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac" (a song London never sang, by the way) and on "In the Still of the Night," but for the most part she sticks to warm, intense ballads like "Blue Moon," "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Body and Soul."
Stanley's six previous albums have racked up over half a million dollars in sales. Now with the release of LONDON WITH A TWIST, the cash flow should continue.
(Lynstanley.com)