He may not be as familiar a name as the likes of Henry Mancini or Burt Bacharach, but Ivor Raymonde's influence should not be understated. This second collection, released on his son Simon's (formerly of Cocteau Twins) renowned indie label Bella Union, compiles some of the British arranger, producer and songwriter's best work.
In an era when pop songs rarely exceeded three minutes, Raymonde didn’t have much time to make his mark, but, whether it’s on Dusty Springfield’s Little by Little, the majesty of The Walker Brothers’ Where’s That Girl or the subtle intricacies of Cat Stevens’s track Blackness of the Night, he excelled.
These are not exclusively sweeping orchestral affairs, though; as evidenced on the zippy, hip-swinging giddiness of The Martells’ Time to Say Goodnight, the twangy, theatrical rumble of The Outlaws’ Swingin’ Low and the dreamy Philadelphia soul of The Stylistics’ I Feel Lucky Tonight, Raymonde had a keen ear for many genres.
If nothing else, this 25-strong song collection is a convenient way to unearth hidden gems and lesser-known tracks by well-known artists.
