The name of Barbara Streisand is known to all true music connoisseurs all over the world. This singer, theater and film actress, film director, composer and political activist has made and continues to make an invaluable contribution to the world culture, and her songs always remain popular. Streisand is a symbol of success and has been an idol of millions for many years now – her albums always get to the chart tops, and the concert tickets are sold within an hour. Speaking more precisely, the artist’s new record Love Is The Answer released this autumn has left behind Mariah Carey’s album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel released on the same day and Paramore’s creation Brand New Eyes occupying firmly the first position on Billboard 200. The album Love Is The Answer has set a new record for Barbara Streisand – her albums get to number one during five decades in a row. Her fans are surely not surprised to know that for they know: only Barbara Streisand can sing like Barbara Streisand, and her voice sounds just as deep, rich and soulful on Love Is The Answer as it did fifty years ago.
The album producer is Diana Krall who really knows how to make beautiful soulful music; she also accompanies Barbara on her piano. Besides, the songs on the record, jazz standards none of which Streisand has sung before, are refined with orchestra arrangements by Johnny Mandel, Anthony Wilson and Alan Broadbent. Each of the compositions on Love Is The Answer is filled with deep emotions. This album can be called conceptual – its main theme is a woman’s love for man. It can be sad, happy, live in her memories or, on the contrary, in her dreams. The protagonist of the songs is a woman who can love and wait, and what is happening in her heart is in the center of attention. Whichever track you choose, none of them will disappoint you: the slow and reflective opener Here's To Life, Gentle Rain with a sad flavor, and the most romantic A Time For Love. A splendid ballad full of live and care If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas) in Barbara Streisand’s interpretation sounds even more penetrating, and the soothing number Where Do You Start? can help everyone who is in a difficult situation to understand oneself and realize one’s mistakes. The album’s Deluxe edition offers the same tracks without orchestra arrangements which allows us to appreciate the possibilities of Barbra Streisand’s splendid vocals and herself who is as faultless in every way as ever.
No doubt Barbra Streisand is a unique personality worthy of admiration. Her voice has not only preserved its strength and brightness with the years, but also become even softer and more pleasant to hear. It goes without saying that it still plays the leading part on each of Love Is The Answer tracks. Naturally the piano, that appears on songs not as often as one could expect, and the orchestra instruments bring some soulfulness to this music but in the majority of cases they are meant only to underline the vocals. Sometimes Johnny Mandel, the leading arranger on the album, allows the voice to sound with no accompaniment at all, and these moments can be rightfully called the most touching on the album. Barbra does not only give sense to every line – every single sound here is thought through, felt and filled with meaning. Therefore for those who still does not have a Streisand collection Love Is The Answer is a perfect variant and if you are still not acquainted with this incomparable singer’s creative work, this collection has no rivals as an album to begin with.
Guilty Pleasures
Songs From The Sparkle Lounge 2008
Monsters of Rock never surrender. It seems like this phrase was the motto of Def Leppard while they were recording their new album Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, which turned out to be their best attempt to get back to their classic sound
