Winners of the Reader's Digest Poll

AMG Review of Winners of the Reader's Digest Poll

Arthur Rowe
All Music Guide

Though surely not cause for a standing ovation, this 1965 release nevertheless represents a marked improvement over 1964's Near You, which turned out to be Pat Boone's most disappointing work of the decade. The material here is quite good -- Boone chose the songs himself from a Reader's Digest poll of fan favorites. But more importantly, his rendering of these popular picks more closely resembles the easy flowing style that was his trademark. And it contributes in large measure to what this album has to offer -- good, relaxed, easy listening. There is, however, a decided downside to the album which cannot be overlooked. Boone's strength as a vocalist was not only his smooth, easy delivery, but also a palpable though often latent reserve of power that added a wholesome, integrated depth to almost everything he sang. What is apparent here is the absence of those layered reserves, which give the Pat Boone sound its multi-dimensional effect and which had always been a vital part of his unique, inflective style. Yet, all things considered, this work still has qualities which recommend it and which can be summed up in two words: heart and soul. For whatever else Boone's singing lacks on this album, there is no question that he is singing, as he always had, from the heart, and it expresses unmistakably his soul-connected involvement with the music he clearly loves.