Hello Young Lovers

AMG Review of Hello Young Lovers

Stephen Cook
All Music Guide

Most of Nancy Wilson's '60s Capitol releases were of a high quality, including this, her fourth album. Hello Young Lovers contains Wilson's standard program of easy swingers and ballads which show off her impeccable phrasing, while sporting George Shearing's luxurious string charts and hits like "Little Girl Blue" and "Back in Your Own Backyard." One also hears Wilson's burgeoning talent for vocal drama as she evokes a variety of moods on "Miss Otis Regrets" and "Little Girl Blue." Her seamless blending of Dinah Washington's bluesy delivery and Sarah Vaughan's seraphic tone also emerges a talent that would fully flower on 1967's Welcome to My Love. For this recording, though, the listening pleasure is found mostly in her signature urbane pop sound. Unfortunately, like many of Wilson's Capitol records, Hello Young Lovers is not available on CD. For a taste on CD of her best work, check out Yesterday's Love Songs/Today's Blues or one of her greatest-hits packages.