About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

The folks at Australia's Raven label have given the world a gem of a reissue in Willy DeVille's first solo offering, Miracle. Recorded for A&M, Miracle placed DeVille outside the context of his stellar backing band for the first time. And while it's true the music here is not radically different compositionally -- DeVille wrote most of the songs and was the frontman for Mink DeVille -- there is a notable difference in production style thanks to Dire Strait Mark Knopfler at the helm. Softening the edges a bit and changing the focus to DeVille as a singer of fine pop ballads, Knopfler brought in his crew, which included DS keyboard boss Guy Fletcher, drummers Jeff Porcaro and Jamie Lane, percussionist Errol "Crusher" Bennett, and guitarist Chet Atkins. The set yielded a surprise sideways hit in the tune "Storybook Love," which Knopfler borrowed for his soundtrack to The Princess Bride, but the album received little promotion or airplay. Too bad. The title track and the gorgeous "Angel Eyes" offer the great evidence for DeVille as a unique vocal stylist whose roots lay in the rock & roll of the Doc Pomus generation, and "Could You Would You," written by Van Morrison, is one of DeVille's finest cover songs. The Raven reissue is completely remastered and also contains four bonus cuts by Mink Deville from the 1980 soundtrack to the film Cruising, all produced by Jack Nitzsche. "Heat of the Moment" is the standout of the bunch. Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

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