Time may march along, but the album Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs Part 4, is a time stamp to the song’s that have captivated audiences for numerous decades. A sort of grab bag approach, Philadelphia’s Hughie Mac sings the American music staples, dabbing in songs from Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and even Jimmy Buffet.
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Covering the songs as if he had written the lyrics himself, Mac’s 23-song tribute album pummels the listener with hit after hit. He’s at his best when he’s covering Sinatra songs like “ My Way”, “Come Fly With Me” and “Fly Me To The Moon”. The music bed is all of these is missing the swooping sounds of an orchestra, but Mac more than fills the gap with his charming personality and attentive passion. In “My Way” the music foundation is brighter, not matching the drama from the Sinatra original. Mac’s rendition is sweeter and even a bit of a faster tempo. Mac’s crisp singing of regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention, I did what I had to do, and saw it through without exemption, I planned each chartered course, Each careful step along the byway, but more, much more than this, I did it my way, has the listener singing along. By the song’s end I was smiling and giving a bravo and broad smile to Mac.
When Mac take’s on Buffet songs like the 1977 track “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes”, the easy breezy sentiment is there. He’s mellow and just as carefree as Buffet himself. Mac sings I was hungry and went out for a bite, ran into a chum with a bottle of rum, and we wound up drinkin all night, and the mood is just right for a tequila and sunset boat ride. I was immersed in the moment and Mac’s delivery is something special.
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Mac tips his hat to the Cole classic “Orange Colored Sky”. He doesn’t race the listener along the song, gives them a fine chance to hear the lyrics, and digest what he’s singing about. Watch out for flying glass, cause the ceiling fell in and the bottom fell out , I went into a spin and I started to shout , I’ve been hit, this is it, this is it, Mac sings with the gest of a Broadway actor.
Finally, one other song to highlight is Glen Campbell’s “Try A Little Kindness”. A bit more twangy, and Americana or roots rock, Mac sings if you try a little kindness, then you’ll overlook the blindness, of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets, sounding like the voice of reason. This inspiring song is an interesting choice, but compared to the Sinatra and Buffett choices, it’s certainly a lovely choice. I think Mac stretched his artistic pallet a bit on this Campbell selection. I appreciate that he did, as it gives the listeners another side of him as person and as an artist. You can tell Mac is just a fan of Campbell as his listeners are.
Troy Johnston