Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson

Cover art included, liner notes not included

"The 'Original Masters' RCA/BMG Heritage CD, a remaster by Vic Anesini released in 2004, is very respectable sonically. Its main failing is that the vocals can get harsh when the volume climbs. The new 96/24 downloads from both HDtracks and Super HiRez eliminate this problem — and crush the CD in every other way as well. Bass is much tighter, acoustic instruments gain some airiness, and, as  already noted, Nilsson's vocals lose that unwanted stridency. If you're fond of this album, you'll find (the download) a winner." — Alan Taffel, The Absolute Sound, January 2016

The late Harry Nilsson's creative and commercial peak, this LP showcases the singer-songwriter's lighthearted worldview to best advantage. It remains one of the best, most consistent, and least dated albums from an early-'70s era not known for underplayed, unpretentious subtlety. Here you get strong interpretive singing (how ironic that this tunesmith's biggest hits were covers, such as Badfinger's "Without You"), inventive arranging (the hilarious, marble-mouthed "Coconut"), and distinctive melodicism (check out that lovely paean to the stars, "The Moonbeam Song"). In keeping with the domesticated figure on the cover--complete with housecoat, cigarette, and waiting refrigerator--the mood is laidback and homey, and there's a palpable feeling of comfort in both the production and the material. Nilsson's multi-octave voice was never so full of life. Other albums (like the John Lennon-produced Pussy Cats and the essential Nilsson Sings Newman) have their moments, but this is where to begin any Nilsson collection. (The 2004 reissue boasts superb remastering and six bonus cuts: one unreleased original tune, three demos, a Spanish version of "Without You," and a true oddity called "Lamaze."