"Liza! Liza!" is somewhat of a time capsule straight back into 1960's bubblegum pop. It doesn't boast the fanfare of 60's rock and roll, as is so typically associated with the time period, and yet, taking just one listen to the album, you cannot deny the era from which it hails. Presented here is a tenderly young Liza; still a little wet behind the ears with newness and trying to find her signature sound. That said, Liza was seemingly already setting a precedent for the type of songs she would pick to perform over the span of her music career. Songs that embody a time period seemingly not her own; always an old soul from day one, picking out songs more fitting to her mother's generation than to her own. While most of the up and comers of her contemporaries were opting for more of a rock sound, here was Liza taking the road less traveled with old standards, breathing new life into them and making them her own. Certain tracks, such as "It's Just a Matter of Time","If I Were In Your Shoes", "Meantime", "Try To Remember", "Maybe Soon", among others, are soft crooners; sweet and fluffy like a bag of marshmallows with a bittersweet bite to them, as many of them tend to find a way of tugging at the heartstrings of the listener. But then there's other tracks, like "I'm All I've Got", "The Travelin' Life", and "Blue Moon" where Liza tests out her already strong set of pipes, learning how to belt out songs like the Broadway greats she so aspired to be, and would eventually become. Also worth noting is the appearance of the very first version of "Maybe This Time" - the first of many, and one that would go on to become one of Liza's signature songs. The makings of a pro are undeniable throughout this album, and it deserves a place in every good Liza fan's collection.

-- Jennifer Abraham

BACK