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Editorial Reviews

The first of three Bear Family sets of Clooney's complete recordings is uneven stylistically, although a big percentage of it is first-rate. The problem is that Clooney's career from 1947-54 at Columbia Records was divided between sultry, jazz-based big band and popular music, and light novelty tunes of the kind that drove Sinatra away from the label. A big part of this set is built principally around those novelty songs, which Clooney was forced to record. Additionally, due to its chronological sequencing, it opens up with the most dubious of Clooney's novelty numbers, the Tony Pastor & The Clooney Sisters (Rosemary and Betty) pre-Columbia recordings. Pastor was more of a novelty performer than a serious vocalist, so their recordings together, which comprise most of the first disc, are something of an acquired taste. Those songs are followed by her introduction to Columbia Records; there are some hauntingly beautiful numbers interspersed between too many novelty tunes (with Pastor playing too large a part in much of it). Disc Two closes out the Clooney Sisters' career and the Tony Pastor sides -- even the lesser of these numbers is worthwhile, as they display a robust big-band pop sound that was rapidly disappearing. Once Clooney's own solo singing career starts, the level of interest picks up considerably -- her undiluted voice shows a simmering talent coming to a boil right in front of one's ears. Disc Three is weighted down with some less-than-impressive duets teaming Clooney with Guy Mitchell, but is also sparked by her early career masterpieces, "The Lady Is a Tramp" and "I'll Be Around." Then there is "Come On-A My House," which outsold everything Clooney had ever done before. Disc Four is highlighted by the complete Rosemary Clooney-Marlene Dietrich sessions, which were about as perfect a team-up in terms of wryly humorous vibes as you could possibly imagine. Clooney's duets with George Morgan are more satisfying and purposeful than her team-up with Guy Mitchell. Disc Five begins on an upswing, but for every song where she shows some depth and a swinging, hot, jazz-influenced style, there are those weird-ass novelty songs that bust up the quality of her output. Disc Six is the most consistently strong part of the set, sparked by gorgeous renditions of songs Clooney was always meant to record. Disc Seven is devoted entirely to songs that Clooney cut for five movies; it has the same strengths and fewer weaknesses than her career during that period of 1952-54. In all, this is a good job done with some music that, especially in the middle discs, was less than enduring, and makes a great prelude to the next box, where Clooney's career really took off. Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

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