Charlie Louvin - Less And Less And I Don't Love You Anymore (1964)

Charlie Louvin scored more hits as a solo artist than as one-half of the Louvin Brothers, but his solo recordings are not nearly as well remembered. Although his solo sides for Capitol are less essential and were less successful on the charts overall, they are very good and deserve to be reissued. The title of Less and Less & I Don't Love You Anymore is an example of that weird '60s convention of naming an album after two of its songs, both of which in this case became hits. "I Don't Love You Anymore" was Louvin's only Top Five solo hit and "Less Is Less" was a minor hit. Another track on the album, the wonderful "See the Big Man Cry," became his only other Top Ten entry. The album tracks include covers of hits like Connie Smith's "Once a Day" and "Just Between the Two of Us," a hit for Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens. The few originals include two songs Charlie wrote with his brother and one written solely by Ira Louvin. This strong album is notable for containing Louvin's two biggest hits, but a greatest-hits collection is needed. © Greg Adams