ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART My Life and Music

More of an audio history than a memoir, this work primarily succeeds in revealing the incredibly talented musician Burt Bacharach as egocentric, pompous, and privileged. Bacharach’s perspectives are voiced by Tony Call, who does an adequate job in bringing the subject to life. However, his unadorned narration suffers from several instances of uninformed phrasing and pauses that make listeners’ contextual understanding more difficult. Jeff Woodman expressively handles all the other male voices; Therese Plummer voices the female interviewees such as ex-wife Angie Dickinson. The interviews are topically and directly presented and excerpted. The three voices, each with its own merits, make for a confusing excursion into the highs and lows of one of the most successful and prolific songwriters ever. This is a flawed memoir from an undisputed major artist. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2013]