While Cole Porter's worldly "Babes in the Woods" may have "Found that the fountain of youth / Was a mixture of gin and vermouth," Perry Como's secret must be that he takes his vocal chords out between recording sessions and immerses them in apricot brandy. That's how mellow and endlessly smooth he sounds here. Who else but Como could give a Sondheim song ( granted, it's the relatively benign "Not While I'm Around" ) the warm glow of a snifter enjoyed in front of a seasoned-oak fire? And when it comes to such straightforward MOR selections as "You Are My World" and "When She Smiles", he tosses them off with the famous high-style nonchalance and unerring attention to musical detail that's made him such a joy all these years. Good listening.

P.R.

HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE 1980