Our weekend was all about home working...grocery shopping, shopping at Ikea, cleaning, organizing and cooking...I can't work on my studio when it's messy...at the end,W and I were exhausted but the best part of it was that we got to do all around the house listening to 5 recently released albums.
Yes, it was all about divas...one Brazilian diva ( Maria Bethania ) and 3 Americans - all fabulous and brilliant with a very distinguised work. No comparisons... let's just talk about the pleasure of listening and decoding the intentions behind their work...but don' take it too seriously.
To Barbra Streisand " Love is the answer" and she released an album that is purely romantic and soft. Diana Krall produced the album and the result is fantastic. Barbra's voice still incredibly beautiful and she is singing better than ever ( like...when she did not sing well?!? duhhhhh). This is an album to listening and feel the words. An excellent chance to learn very good English (thank God, at least one) ...her pronounciation is incredible and I really love when I can understand the lyrics and learn with the artist how to say it correctly.
Mrs. Streisand sounds magnificent and the album is pleasant from the first to the last track. There are 2 jazzy bossa nova songs performed nicely by Barbra. Her rendition of "Ne me quitte te pas"a French standard composed by Jaques Brel is quiet different from previous versions and worthy to mention. Other tracks include:"Smoke get in your eyes", "Make someone happy" and "Gentle rain".
Definitely a must have for the holiday season - this is Barbra on her best -great lyrics and great arrangements.
Jay Landers and Johnny Mandel signed the arrangements.
Credits: Photograph of Barbra Streisand by Firooz Zahedi for Columbia Records.
www.columbiarecords.com
www.barbrastreisand.com
"Memoirs of an imperfect angel" is the title of Mariah Carey last record. The song "Obsessed" is already a radio hit and Mariah has released a video as well. The above image is the cover of its booklet that came on a Elle magazine format - very clever and fresh. I loved it!
Mariah is delivering to her fans a great package that includes a second CD with 4 Remix versions of "Obsessed" and 2 versions ot the video - let me tell you something - the remixes are fabulous! Great "boom boom" and it's going to rock on the dance floor. I can see all the gay clubs playing it over and over and over...hahahha
Getting back to the CD 1 - Mariah continues to extract as much as she can out of the hip hop and most of the tracks are loaded with layers and layers of voices. At first I did not like that much but I have to say that the album grows on a second and third audition - so it might be one of those records that will take a while for people to understand it and MC might benefit of it.
I think is formidable when a record requires more than the normal time to be appreciated. W and I love her work but we can't wait for her to get back to big songs and great lyrics.
MC doesn't need to keep up with all the other female vocalists that are out there. She is above all simply because she can really sings. I miss more new renditions for classic songs and more great songwriters giving her outstanding material so she can make it timeless.
But as I said, you need to play it more than once to start getting into... if you want something immediately rewarding begin playing the remixes CD...it's fabulous.
I'd say,yes, you got to have it - at the end we all want to be cool!
Credits:
© 2009 Mariah Carey photographed by Michael Thompson.
www.mariahcarey.com
www.islandrecords.com
It amazes me how MC can turn "okay" songs onto instant "fabulous" remixes!!!
Wow, dahhhhhling! The big female vocalist of all times is back and she is stronger than ever!
Whitney Houston new album is marvelous! "I look to you" was named after one of the tracks. You must buy it because the quality is high and Whitney is still a great singer. Lots of great material, enpowering lyrics and all sounds personal. I liked the overall mood and arrangements. Her musical phrasing is fenomenal and her voice guides the beats. I look to Whitney and see a woman in control of her life and destiny again and she will give to her audience many years of joy thorugh her music.
The image above was taken from the album booklet and I loved her on this red dress...very chic! The cuff bracelets look great and I loved her hair style. She looks amazing! I hope I can see her performing one day.
Red is passion, is love, is war and is triumph.
We need her voice, her art.
*****
Credits:
© 2009 Whitney Houston photographed by the fabulous Patrick Demarchelier for Arista Records
www.whitneyhouston.com
www.arista.com
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