One of the classic male vocal duet albums has been reissued by Omnivore Recordings, and it serves to show how style, class and swing transcend generations and genres. Back in 1961, the ultra hip Bobby Darin (who was reputed to be so hip that he wouldn’t even eat a “square” meal) joined with famed composer and co-owner of Capitol Records Johnny Mercer for a on-off session that on paper shouldn’t have worked. These guys came from two completely different eras and attitudes. All I know is that this session is a sonic love fest, and with seven previously unissued tunes included two (“Cecilia” and “Lily of Laguna”) that never made the album, this disc is a must.
The fact that the two sang in front of a band lead by fellow imbiber Billy May sure didn’t hurt things, as his extroverted and boisterous arrangements of pieces like “Two of a Kind” and “Indiana” set the table for a great vocal feast. The two gents sound like long lost compatriots on the politically incorrect “Mississippi Mud” and are rollicking on “Ace in the Hole.” Darin’s conscious hipness is a perfect foil for Mercer’s casual Midwestern charm, exemplified on “Bob White” and “If I Had My Druthers.” There’s not a nano second of posing or stodginess; these guys knew how to have a good time, and the smiles are infectious here. FIND IT!