"Woman to Woman " by Compton and Bennett

a Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

Here's the concept. It's a CD for lesbians, songs sung TO a woman BY a woman. The songs chosen were songs that most of us know and were originally sung to a woman by a man. The aim was to give lesbians songs to listen to that they have, up to now, only heard a man singing to a woman.

I love the idea behind this. I love the art of the CD and the website: the look of it, the font, the pictures, etc. It's fantastic.

But I'm afraid the implementation just doesn't live up for me. I'm not gay, but I have a considerable amount of friends who are. Seriously, I have 2 straight female friends, and about 10 lesbian friends. So even though I can't speak first hand, I think I have a pretty good idea. I don't know any gay person male or female who likes the music of John Denver, Roy Orbison or Eric Clapton and old show tunes. Maybe it's just my friends, but it seems like if one wanted to reach the lesbian audience, they'd choose songs from a genre that these women regularly listen to. I don't know, like I said, maybe it's my friend base, maybe we're the wrong age? Maybe lots of others would love this.

I also have a hard time with the vocals. I know that Betsy Compton is a accomplished and successful stage performer and maybe it sounds great there, but I am having a hard time with the translation to record. I just don't care for the vocals. There's nothing wrong with her voice per se...she's on key, she hits all the notes, it just doesn't go with the music, in my opinion.

The music, speaking of the music, at times sounds like it's being played on a child's Casiotone.

The production is lacking a tad too. On "Satin Doll" when she hits the louder part of the song, it actually buzzes a little. Though I'd say this is my favorite track because her voice actually matches the genre a bit better (it's an older song).

This one just didn't do it for me. But if you, too, like the concept go to her site and listen to some tracks. http://www.comptonandbennett.com/w2w/listen.html If you like the songs and the voice, you'll probably really dig this one.

Posted on December 15, 2003