Friday, 6 December 2013

Celine Dion- Loved Me Back to Life Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Album- Loved Me Back to Life
Artist- Celine Dion

The biggest selling female artist of all time, Celine Dion is a household name that has just had a career that many artists would kill to have. But that career does mean that in a sense she has always had to stay relevant and produce great music, and so Loved Me Back to Life (her first full English language studio album for six years) comes not only with great anticipation but also an intense critical judgement ready to see if the singer has still got ‘it’. So is this record an amazing specimen that shows Dion is still the best, or should she maybe just stick to playing her Vegas shows and let some new artists take over?

Track 1- Loved Me Back to Life

Title track and lead single Loved Me Back to Life is an interesting song from the singer in that in a way it feels like a traditional ballad that we would expect from her, but various elements of the song push it into the modern and make it more intriguing. The song was co-written by the continually rising star and awesome artist that is Sia Furler, and finds Dion telling this person of how they have helped her fight her demons and have giving a new zest in life through their life. The song is lyrically potent and simple and is given power by Dion’s rich vocals that exude this sense of warmth and power, and a belief in the words she is singing. But what is most interesting with this song is the production, which uses some cool string arrangements and utilises a dubstep beat drop that gives more emotional weight to song and adds this great drama that is lovely to listen to. It also doesn’t feel like a sound just put in to try to keep up with modern times but totally fits the songs message and retains that Dion class, with the guitar solo at the end being an awesome finish to the song. It shows brilliantly from the outset that Dion is an artist who still has a lot more to give.

3.5/5

Track 2- Somebody Loves Somebody                         

A feisty, slightly more pop orientated number, Somebody Loves Somebody focuses on Dion lyrically telling this person who is kind of always picking these fights in the relationship that this isn’t the way that love should go, and that what she is saying is the true definition of love comes from what she is singing. The song features a really strong, commanding vocal from Dion that really builds up from the softness of the verses to the dominating, really listen to what I am saying essence of the chorus. The smashing drum beats and quirky string notes of the production gives the songs a really impactful sound that keeps you attentive throughout the track and perfectly compliments the vocals, and if you are not sold on the message by the end then you need to just keep replaying the song until you get it and get the awesomeness of the track, which I personally hope is a future single.

4/5

Track 3- Incredible (duet with Ne-Yo)

The first of a couple of duets on the record finds Dion teaming up with RnB star Ne-Yo for a powerful a slice of RnB pop. The song is lyrically inspirational as Dion and Ne-Yo sing of reminding these people that they were incredible and they have really overcome the odds. There might have been a potentially egotistical quality within the song, but Dion and Ne-Yo totally manage to avoid that and simply create a song that could be seen as a love song but which can also resonate on different levels. Both artists are vocally superb and blend together well, giving the message of the track more weight and not trying to outdo each other but simply helping each other to really elevate the song. The tracks production is simple with the pounding drums, and the sound has this almost dance ready energy that makes it primed for a remix or two, and whilst the sound may be a bit safe, the song does nicely see Dion dip a toe into the RnB genre.

3.5/5

Track 4- Water and a Flame

A cover of a song by English singer-songwriter Daniel Merriweather that features production from one of the song original co-writers, Eg White, Water and a Flame is a smouldering down tempo number that shows a different side of Dion. The song is lyrically a tug of war relationship where Dion admits her heartbreak and blame within the relationship, comparing her and her lover to water and a flame. The message is powerful and the song is vocally strong as Dion still belts out some of the notes and gives the track emotionally intense qualities, but she also nicely utilises the lower registers of her voice to bring out the track vulnerability and show a different essence of herself as a vocalist. The production is grand and soulful with a jazzy feeling drumbeat that acts as the songs base, and with some powerful string arrangement that nicely encapsulates the songs emotional qualities.

3.5/5

Track 5- Breakaway

A future single for the UK, Breakaway is a emotionally loaded ballad that has a slight soulful feel, and finds Dion giving us a bit of gritty vocal performance in places. The song lyrically focuses on the singer realising the dysfunctional essence of this relationship she is in and but she questions whether breaking away is the right thing, because she might just come out of the relationship an empty shell. The message isn’t the most orginal sentiment within the music world but the sheer volume and power of Dion’s vocals makes the song so powerful and makes the sentiment of the song really speak to the listener. The track is easily the best vocal performance of the record at this point because it builds to such a crescendo so amazingly that you will be captivated by the emotion of the track. The song features a snappy drumbeat within the production that almost gives the song this swaying Motown feel and which just adds to the songs appeal, whilst the heavy sound with the use of strings just perfectly captures the depth and honesty of the song.

3.5/5

Track 6- Save Your Soul

Save Your Soul is another song where we get a different side of Dion as she tries out a bit more of an RnB flavoured song and nicely uses the lower register of her voice to gives the song a bit more grit. The song is a lyrically strong statement where Dion expresses her feelings for this person and how they she won’t judge or preach against them but on the other hand she cannot save their soul and cannot be weighed down by their baggage. The lyrics nicely balance upon this line of love and despair, whilst vocally the piece is strong with the use of vocal layering and the lack of big Dion vocals to just give a soft essence to the track that highlights the emotional intensity. The production is strong with a vibrant guitar underpinning and snappy percussion that almost gives the track a dance feel and makes for an up tempo groove that gives some good bit of variety to the record.

3.5/5

Track 7- Didn’t Know Love

Another song where Eg White takes on co-writing and producing roles but this time being a completely original piece, Didn’t Know Love is a lovely tune in that usually Dion is a person who really expresses the value and power of love. But here she expresses that frailty of the human spirit and that idea that you might think that you understand love, but then things might happen in life or just these little moments will occur when you realise that actually just don’t understand. The song sentiment is touching and is powerfully brought to life by Dion’s controlled vocal that exudes this sense of vulnerability and builds up in a way Dion makes seem easy to do. White gives the track a smouldering sound with his blend of steady drum beats, piano melodies and rich guitar riffs, keeping the song vulnerable and fresh and capturing the message with the sound.

3.5/5

Track 8- Thank You

Another collaboration with Ne-Yo that doesn’t feature his vocals (aside from some backing vocals) but which was completely written by him alone, Thank You is one of those songs on the album that feels like a traditional Dion track from the outset. Thank you is lyrically very simple, as Dion sweetly tells this person that she deeply appreciates their presence and the fact that they have shaped who she is. Keeping the message very pure makes the song more powerful and the lyrics are strong in the way that the listener can relate the song to different elements of their own life. The rich tones of Dion perfectly capture the song sentiment and when she reaches those high notes you know she really means what she is singing, whilst the production value of the track is quite simple but glamorous with a gorgeous piano melody and some subtle use of synths that makes for a light, airy sound to compliment the sweet lyrical message and rich vocal tone.

3.5/5

Track 9- Overjoyed (duet with Stevie Wonder)

The second of the records three covers, and the second duet, Overjoyed was originally sung by the featured artist Stevie Wonder himself. The song is rich in its RnB tones and puts Dion further into that field and works well on the record in pushing the singer as an artist, with the finger snapping percussion and slinky rhythm of the production giving the track a lovely sleek and modern feel. Overjoyed focuses on the two artists seemingly playing the roles of lovers who are so overcome with the emotions that they feel. For me the lyrics don’t necessarily capture your attention, but what is strong is the equally as slinky and smooth vocals that meld together nicely and show this lovely spark of love that makes the song feel more sincere.

3.5/5

Track 10- Thankful

Thankful is another track that begins with this powerful piano melody which just makes the track feel like a classic Dion track from the beginning. The song lyrically focuses on Dion expressing that she doesn’t know where she has been going in life but she is just thankful that she is now feeling alive and is perhaps in love. The message is pure and simple like Thank You but the song also lyrically highlights some of the pain of life and also layers the message with some faith elements that will make the song more potent for some listeners. The rise and fall of Dion’s voice is very powerful and the way she holds the notes of this song really shows the mastery of her voice that she has brilliantly acquired over the years she has spent in the music industry. The swaying drum beats and clunky but cool piano melody gives the song this strong, almost smoky feel that brings out the passion of the message very beautifully, with the final gospel moments of the track with the full backing choir just being a stellar bit of mastery on the side of the producers.

3.5/5

Track 11- At Seventeen

The final cover finds Dion taking on a Janis Ian classic in the form of At Seventeen. Whereas the orginal song was more about the reliastion that dreams you may have for life don’t always pan out, here Dion really makes the song her own, turning the song more into a song where the older Dion can give her younger self a few words of advice. The song is vocally pure and simple and once more the singer really shows the mastery of her voice, which is only to be expected considering the song is a staple of her Vegas shows. The song has this simple, almost summery feel to the production with the light guitar strumming and twinkling rhythms that gives emotional weight to the lyrics and really allows the listener to chill out a bit against all of the big balladry of the record.

3.5/5

Track 12- Always Be Your Girl

Penultimate track Always Be Your Girl is a stirring, piano led ballad that finds Dion telling her lover that he has brightened up her life and that she will just always be his girl and help him in life. In many ways the lyrics are quite clichéd, but for once you can just roll with the cliché and indulge yourself, particularly when it is sent against the emotionally powerful and goergous vocals of Dion. Producer Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds keeps things simple with his arrangement of the piano and strings to give and elegant, classic Dion feel to the record that make it a perfect record to mark the almost closure of the record.

3.5/5

Track 13- Unfinished Songs

Written by legendary songwriter Diane Warren and initially serving as the theme song for the 2012 film Song for Marion, Unfinished Songs is a big power ballad finish for the record that finds Dion in a very inspirational frame of mind. Here the singer sings off how we are all just like songs waiting to be finished and expressing in turn the idea that life and love is really beautiful. It is a really grand lyrical affair that finds Dion really stretching her vocal pipes and showing us a classy Celine Dion style, whilst the production features some airy electronic undertones and stomping rhythms that powers the song to a great, dramatic climax.

3.5/5

Final Review

Loved Me Back to Life is a return to form for the singer that nicely sees her remain true to her artistry that has kept her career going, whilst also utilises some more current RnB pop elements to make her work progress into a new era. Many may just see this change in sound as a need to try to stay current and sell records, but for me it just means that we get interesting sides of the artist, and she still remains herself in her delivery of the great lyrics, Her vocals are as gorgeous as ever and she utilises different elements of her voice to great effect. Basically Loved Me Back to Life is a really good English language album that will keep Dion’s career going very nicely.

8.5/10 

Best Track- Somebody Loves Somebody

Worst Track- Overjoyed (duet with Stevie Wonder)

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