Nothing here needs to be said about Barbra's voice everyone knows its one of the most astounding instruments in the world. Whats unique about this CD is that a: its her debut and b: its one of the few times in her career when Barbra didnt attempt to micromanage every aspect of the recording process. As she would later do with Guilty, Barbra simply sings the songs and allows the music to work with her instead of dominating the music. Its thrilling and refreshing all at once. There are a few kooky cuts like Peking, and Wolf, but even those are merely part of the Streisand mystique. Besides her absolutely melting versions of songs like "soon its gonna rain" and "sleepin bee" more than forgive a little kookiness here and there. this album is a piece of musical history not to be ignored

The cover actually is the cover to Barbra Streisand's first album, recorded at the Bon Soir. The photo was taken there. But the album inside was actually the second album, recorded in the studio, and released as the first album. Overnight the entertainment world changed. Everyone knew the greatest star of the second half of the century had arrived. She has a voice and style unlike any other, highly original and impeccable choice of music and she clearly was a perfectionist (actually she's said since she'd love to record the album again and get it right). A brilliant tour de force, gorgeous and moving and funny and startling, bristling with a talent so bright and so shining you'd think she never could top this premiere effort. The fact she has topped it again and again and again and again is an astounding as this astounding achievement.

I find it sad, reading the reviews on line of Barbra's albums that many of her fans find it necessary to divide themselves into camps: "60's Barbra fans" "Pop Barbra" "Rock Barbra" etc. I can listen to this and then jump to The Broadway Album (not a huge leap), spin some tracks off Emotion or Till I Loved You or Guilty. The voice is the thing with Streisand. This insane voice, which at this early stage was so powerful and pure, with that magnificent Broadway soprano on top. People complain of this album at the whimsical "Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" but what I think this shows - along with Come to the Supermaket and Adelaid's Lament off The Broadway Album is that Barbra is the finest ever (bar none) singer of comedy songs. That she pulls off the juxtaposition with the melting "A Sleeping Bee" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain" and the tortured "Cry Me A River" is testament to her artistry. Truly a fully formed singing actress at the age of 20. Breathtaking. The last in the royal line of great singers of the 20th Century - Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Dean Martin (yes, I do include him on this list - just listen to his SLEEP WARM album!), Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, and a few others from before but none since Barbra can seriously be added to the list.

Barbra Streisand's brilliance is apparent from the very first note of her sensational solo debut album, which quickly hit the Top Ten and was certified Gold mere weeks after its release. The raucous-yet-intimate vocal performances contained on this album were considered nothing less than revolutionary when first released in 1963, and are still just as stunning today. This is a recording where all of the elements work together flawlessly to create a work of art that is genuinely breathtaking. Particularly amazing are Peter Matz's stunning and inventive arrangements, which provide a spectacular aural landscape without ever becoming intrusive or interfering with Streisand's virtuoso singing.

This album perfectly displays Streisand's gift of beautifully merging well-known classics with lost gems and forgotten standards, as well as her ability to make nearly any song her own. The HOUSE OF FLOWERS ballad "A Sleeping Bee," the pleading "Much More" (from The FANTASTICS), and the ultimate torch song, "Cry Me a River," had all been recorded by many others, although Streisand performs the definitive rendition of each and far surpasses all previous versions. The song selection is an odd assortment of varying styles and tempos, yet everything gels into a satisfying whole. It's no small miracle that the rambunctiousness of "My Honey's Loving Arms" and "Keeping Out of Mischief" would work so well when played next to such gorgeous and sophisticated ballads.

The contrasting styles weave a marvelous tapestry, in addition to providing a showcase for the amazing spectrum of Streisand interpretive skills. It's positively astounding that the same woman who can perform such devilishly hilarious readings of "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" and "Come to the Supermarket (in Old Peking)" could also deliver such aching, spine-tingling performances on the wistful "I'll Tell the Man in the Street," the haunting "A Taste of Honey," and the painfully beautiful "Soon It's Gonna Rain." With an album this stunning, it's completely pointless to look for highlights, however, no review of this album would be complete without giving special attention to Streisand's immortal, radically-revamped version of the Depression-era standard "Happy Days are Here Again" - which is still arguably her best-loved signature song.

One of the most important and influential recordings in the history of recorded sound, the album was the first major success of Streisand's multifaceted career, becoming one of the best selling albums of the year and winning the 1964 Grammy awards for "Album of the Year" and "Best Female Vocal Performance." For once, such prestige was greatly deserved. Streisand has continued recording many classic albums, yet she has rarely (if ever) done anything that has approached the quality of her first release. A very important milestone in American music.

Barbra Streisand was at her best in the 1960's with raw and pure talent. I recommend this album if one wishes to start a definitive Streisand collection. Her renditions of "The Man in the Street" and "A Taste of Honey" are simply exquisite. And of course her re-invention of "Happy Days are Here Again" is a joyous classic. This album is based on the songs she performed in the Village nightclubs, and the listener can truly appreciate the potential star that would emerge.