Much better than the dreadful Duets albums with which Sinatra finished his career, Charles’finale still errs on the syrupy side. Though the duettists (plus orchestra) were present in the studio for once, Charles’only interesting vocal complement is Willie Nelson, straight-talking through “It Was A Very Good Year”. Gladys Knight helps inspire some gospel grit, and Charles finds poetry in a Bernie Taupin lyric, but it’s his voice, almost pathetically frail yet still capable of true emotion, that occasionally slices through the schmaltz.
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