Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Barry Gibb, Universal Music 2021.
Barry Gibb is the oldest, and only surviving member, of the legendary Bee Gees and in recent years he’s continued to release music, some of it with his children.
This Greenfields compilation contains versions of some of the Gibb brothers’ greatest songs performed with guest artists including fellow Australian legends Keith Urban, Olivia Newton-John, and Tommy Emmanuel as well as a cast of international stars such as Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Sheryl Crow, Jay Buchanan and more.
All of the collaborations are fantastic and show due reverence to the original versions of the songs.
Keith Urban’s vocal on I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You is so close to Barry’s that it’s hard to tell them apart.
It’s as if Robin Gibb were still alive.
Brandi Carlile’s duet with Barry on Run To Me is beautiful and, if it’s possible, an improvement on the original.
Barry’s work with Little Big Town on Lonely Days shows that he still has an impressive voice that is yet to show the ravages of time.
And talking of great voices, Dolly Parton has also maintained her prowess and her duet with Barry on Words is a highlight.
Jay Buchanan and Miranda Lambert slowed down Jive Talking and have given it a whole different feel.
The wonderful acoustic guitar work of Tommy Emmanuel introduces How Deep Is Your Love and Little Big Town provide backing vocals to Barry’s lead vocal.
This compilation not only includes some of my favourite Bee Gees songs but also some of my go-to artists such as Sheryl Crow, her work on How Do You Mend A Broken Heart really taps into the pathos contained in the lyrics.
Jay Buchanan’s great blues drenched vocal on To Love Somebody achieves a similar outcome.
Rest Your Love On Me is a track that I don’t know, it’s a classic country ballad beautifully performed with Olivia Newton-John.
The album concludes with Butterfly performed by Barry Gibb with David Rawlings and Gillian Welch.
The harmonies are wonderful which provides a perfect summation of the lasting legacy of the Gibb brothers.
