Entertainment Weekly (5/3/96, p.79) - "...Whether he's dealing with a drag queen's loneliness or an aging wife's fading allure, the substance--and his casual, commanding vocal style--holds our attention." - Rating: A
The aptly-titled GREATEST GOLDEN HITS, an exquisite 20-song compilation, focuses on Charles Aznavour's later career, when the Paris-based singer was recording much of his material in English in an attempt to break the US market. Coming both stylistically and chronologically between older pop crooners like Maurice Chevalier and younger, rock and roll-influenced artists like Serge Gainsbourg and Jacques Dutronc, Aznavour is possibly best described as the Frank Sinatra of France. Indeed, most of his American releases during this period were on Sinatra's Reprise label.
Whether singing in English or French, Aznavour's commanding jazz-inflected voice holds more than a hint of world-weariness, adding a rueful edge to such songs as "Yesterday When I Was Young" and "A Blue Like the Blue of Your Eyes." GREATEST GOLDEN HITS is an excellent introduction to this under-appreciated singer.