Nilsson had a hit, a Grammy, and critical success, yet he still didn't have a genuine blockbuster to his name when it came time to finally deliver a full-fledged follow-up to Nilsson Sings Newman, so he decided it was time to make that unabashed, mainstream pop/rock album. Hiring Streisand's... [+] Expand

Nilsson had a hit, a Grammy, and critical success, yet he still didn't have a genuine blockbuster to his name when it came time to finally deliver a full-fledged follow-up to Nilsson Sings Newman, so he decided it was time to make that unabashed, mainstream pop/rock album. Hiring Streisand's producer, Richard Perry, as a collaborator, Nilsson made a streamlined, slightly domesticated, unashamed set of mature pop/rock, with a slight twist. This is an album, after all, that begins by pining for the reckless days of youth, then segues into a snapshot of suburban disconnectedness before winding through a salute to and covers of old R&B tunes ("Early in the Morning" and "Let the Good Times Roll," respectively), druggie humor ("Coconut"), and surging hard rock ("Jump into the Fire"). There are certainly hints of the Nilsson of old, particularly in his fondness for Tin Pan Alley and McCartney melodicism -- as well as his impish wit -- yet he hadn't made a record as cohesive as this since his first time out, nor had he ever made something as shiny and appealing as this. It may be more accessible than before, yet it's anchored by his mischievous humor and wonderful idiosyncracies. Chances are that those lured in by the grandly melodramatic "Without You" will not be prepared for either the subtle charms of "The Moonbeam Song" or the off-kilter sensibility that makes even his breeziest pop slightly strange. In short, it's a near-perfect summary of everything Nilsson could do; he could be craftier and stranger, but never did he achieve the perfect balance as he did here. [RCA/BMG Heritage reissued Nilsson Schmilsson in 2004 with six bonus tracks. Three of these -- demos of "The Moonbeam Song," "Gotta Get Up," and "Old Forgotten Soldier" -- were included on Britain's RCA Camden 2000 reissue, but the other three are not. There's the Spanish version of "Without You," plus two songs not on the album: "How Can I Be Sure of You" and "Lamaze." None of these are essential (though "Lamaze" is pretty funny), but they're all nice to hear. What is frustrating is that the Camden reissue has five bonus tracks not on this disc, meaning that Nilsson nuts need to own both reissues, which is a bit of a pain.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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