One Size Fits All

• Artist: The Nylons
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1982
• Total Time: 30:09
• Genre: Vocal Music

Review

The Nylons' performing career began in 1980 at a time when a cappella outfits were not in vogue. The fact that the Nylons were unlike any a cappella act on the scene made them stand out and earned them accolades and a devoted audience almost immediately. The band has existed in one form or another for 25 years, but it is the original quartet of Claude Morrison, Arnold Robinson, Paul Cooper, and Mark Connors that created their most beloved recordings. One Size Fits All, their second album, was released the same year as their debut, in 1982, and remains one of the finest modern a cappella albums released since the genre's heyday in the '50s. With production and arrangements provided by Peter Mann, the quartet steps out of the semi-restrictive constraints of a cappella and creates its own sound. On this outing, their strong voices blend together even more tightly than on their debut, and their performance is warm and soothing. Connors' treatment of "Town Without Pity" is stunning, breathing emotion and life into a song that hadn't sounded this good since Gene Pitney's hit version nearly 20 years before. Claude Morrison proves that not only is he a fine vocalist, but also a great songwriter, with "Heavenly Bodies." Paul Cooper, who wrote or co-wrote some of their finest songs, shines here with "Bop Till You Drop" and the opener, "That Kind of Man" (the U.S. CD suspiciously edits out the original intro to the song which mentions "discos and gay cabarets."). Robinson's fantastic lead on "Silhouettes" is one of the album's real highlights. The most exceptional track here is "Please," a gorgeous ballad written and passionately sung by Connors and Cooper. Fans of AOR, doo wop, rock, pop, soul, and jazz will be fully satisfied with what the Nylons offer on this sophomore release, a rare case of the second album being better than the first. ~ Steve "Spaz" Schnee, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
That Kind of Man (Lyrics)	Paul Cooper	The Nylons	(3:18)
Silhouettes	Bob Crewe, Frank Slay	The Nylons	(2:46)
Town Without Pity (Lyrics)	Ned Washington, Dimitri Tiomkin	The Nylons	(3:55)
Prince of Darkness	Paul Cooper, Marc Connors	The Nylons	(3:27)
Romance (If I Can Get It)	Paul Cooper	The Nylons	(2:19)
Up the Ladder to the Roof (Lyrics)	Vincent DiMirco	The Nylons	(2:30)
Heavenly Bodies	Claude Morrison	The Nylons	(2:59)
Bop 'Til You Drop	Paul Cooper	The Nylons	(3:08)
Please (Lyrics)	Paul Cooper, Peter Mann, Marc Connors	The Nylons	(2:54)
So Long (Lyrics)	Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino	The Nylons	(2:53)

Credits

Peter Mann (Producer), Steve Negus (Beats), Mike Jones (Engineer), Peter Mann (Arranger), Barry Keane (?), Dean Motter (Art Direction), Arnold Robinson (Percussion), Patrick Harbron (Photography), Barry Keane (Beats), Vic Pyle (Assistant Engineer), Dean Motter (Cover Design), The Nylons (Performer), Steve Negus (?)