Maureen McGovern has had a career of fits and starts. From nearly immediate success with a number one song in 1973 (“The Morning After,” the theme from The Poseidon Adventure, which also won an Oscar and a Grammy nomination), to obscurity, to Broadway and minor fame, she has covered a great deal of ups and downs. After her initial success in the ‘70s flamed out and her Broadway career moved forward, she released Another Woman In Love as a new foray into music.
“New” as in new release. The material itself is mostly pretty old. McGovern covers several songs from the “standards” era, including songs by Leonard Bernstein, Richard Rogers, Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein and others. Three of the songs – “Rainy Days,” “Another Woman in Love,” and “Something I Thought I’d Never Do” – are originals written for McGovern. Uniquely for this album, the songs are solely piano and voice, with some wonderful piano accompaniment and arrangement done by Mike Renzi.
McGovern’s voice covers a wide range of textures. At times she sounds like an operatic soprano; at others, she is a throaty jazz crooner. At other moments she has a more pop overtone, sounding like Karen Carpenter. Through it all her voice is clear and naked, accompanied by Renzi’s lone piano. Yet while the entire offering is beautiful, only a couple of songs stand out enough to be memorable. “I Like You, You’re Nice” and “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me” achieve that sense. But her cover of Peter Allen’s “I Could Have Been A Sailor” is the main highlight. Its tune has a pop flavor that is missing in the rest of this jazz/standard album, and its flowing piano arrangement and catchy tune will stay in your head.
Another Woman In Love is one of those albums that I call “Saturday morning coffee music.” It’s a disc that would go great with a cup of joe on a chilly rainy Saturday where some smooth jazzy background music suits the mood perfectly. While it is not memorable, it is enjoyable.
