One More Round

or his second RCA Victor long-player, former Limeliter Glenn Yarbrough is accompanied by conductor/arranger Perry Botkin Jr. on a dozen sides following closely in the style of his previous outing, Time to Move On (1963). Again, the vocalist lends his distinct tenor to a variety of selections -- including a trio of Rod McKuen offerings and another three co-penned by Bob Gibson. Interestingly, the Gibson cuts are among the strong originals to be featured on his landmark Where I'm Bound (1964) album. There is an effervescence in Yarbrough's lilting vibrato, whether featured in the gentle heartwarming lullaby "I Wonder," the spirited Gibson/Shel Silverstein-written "Baby, I'm Gone Again," or the good-time gospel "New 'Frankie and Johnnie' Song." Both are augmented by some exceptional piano runs from an uncredited but aurally evident Floyd Cramer, who was not only a concurrent recording session contributor for RCA Victor, but a well-known performer in his own right. The title track -- which should not be confused with the Kingston Trio song of the same name -- is an upbeat and inspirational number, reinforcing the optimism in Yarbrough's interpretive voice. The McKuen pieces are uniformly exceptional, revealing that a real connection existing between the composer and artist. Botkin's light and affective score suits "Love's Been Good to Me," although it is the intimacy infused into "The Lovers" that is unquestionably a harbinger of Yarbrough and McKuen's future collaborations, not to mention the unquestionable highlight of this collection. The closing "Cloudy Summer Afternoon" is a reworking of the Bud Dashiell and Travis Edmonson (aka Bud & Travis) tune, aptly capping off the LP and reconfirming Yarbrough's link to more traditional folk and the late-'50s/early-'60s revival that brought the genre to new levels of popularity. ~ Lindsay Planer|