Thursday, 19 December 2013

Cher- Closer to the Truth Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Album- Closer to the Truth
Artist- Cher

Cher is a female artist who will definitely go down in music history and leave a big mark on the earth, due to her long career that has seen her become the only artist to have a number one single on a Billboard chart in each of the past six decades. Closer to the Truth marks what can be seen as an unexpected musical return for the singer, as her last album was released 12 years ago and was accompanied by a tour that was titled ‘Living Proof: The Farewell Tour’. Whilst many will be happy for new music from the singer, others may question whether she still has what it takes to be successful in this industry, and so in reviewing this album I aim to see whether Cher is still a great artist, or whether she should just have rested on previous success and let new acts take over

Track 1- Woman’s World

Opening track and lead single Woman’s World is a club ready, dance pop number that finds Cher in a very powerful and confident frame of mind, as she sings of rising stronger than ever after being heartbroken and telling someone to tell the truth of how the world actually belongs to women. The lyrics may not exactly make a whole lot of sense but they are catchy and memorable nonetheless, with the vocals being powerful and commanding in a way that adds to the songs catchiness. The vocals also feature some signature Auto Tune from the singer, but as this was a part of her pop persona in the past and is a style of vocal that she brought to commercial success, the vocal style doesn’t seem that bad, and things aren’t too intense that we get a robot Cher. The stomping disco beats and pulsating rhythms of the song are infectious but slightly stereotypical and too commercially driven in sound, making this a feisty and dominating comeback song but not necessarily an I am still amazing and can bring new qualities to music kind of track.

3.5/5

Track 2- Take It Like a Man  

After the stomping vocal power of the first track things might have gone down a notch, but with the opening declaration that leads this track, this seems to be an album that shows that the singer doesn’t do things by halves. Yet whilst the confidence and dance vibe of the previous track was fun and infectious, this song lacks the same pizazz and features some sloppy lyrical composition and poor vocals. The chorus is a stomping piece of pop where the singer tells a prospective lover that if he wants her heart he has to take it like a man. This is a catchy statement, but it doesn’t feel like it says anything interesting in today’s pop landscape, and the chorus is definitely let down by the clichéd verses. The dance driven production features snappy tones but just seems to simmer, never grabbing your attention in the way that the sound of the track should. And what is probably the worst element of the song is the vocal performance, as although the singer really belts to her best ability in the chorus, the verses are so Auto Tuned it is just annoying and too robotic, making this a rather dull offering.

1.5/5

Track 3- My Love

My Love is a nice track in that things are still kept up tempo and dance floor ready, but there is also a softer edge to the song both in terms of the production and the vocals. Here Cher tells this person they are not meant to be alone, because they belong to her heart and should feel her love and be her love. The message is sweet and crafted in a way that builds to a strong pop chorus, although the statement is slightly clichéd. What is lovely about this track is that the singer shows off some nice range and also plays with her voice in a soft way to really bring out the sweetness of the tracks lyrical sentiment, although at times she perhaps goes a bit too hard in belting out certain sections. In terms of the production this is a stronger effort in that it is very dance driven but is not an I just want this played in a club kind of sound. Rather through the mixtures of ambient synths, pulsating beats and lovely piano rhythms, we are given a layered sound that builds in intensity and which makes the lyrical theme of the track seem that touch more believable.

3.5/5

Track 4- Dressed to Kill

The first of three covers on the album, Dressed to Kill was originally by the singer Preston and focuses on Cher telling this person that she is going to dress in a way that causes people to fall hopelessly in love with her. The song is lyrically catchy but the vocals ruin the song because Auto Tune is too forcefully used, with the verses sounding ridiculously annoying and creating a lack of emotion for the tune. Producer Mark Taylor provides a simple, synth heavy dance sound for the track that is vibrant and fun but which does little to hide the poor quality of the vocals and the overall delivery of the song, making this a poor cover and a poor addition to the record.

2/5

Track 5- Red

Red is a simple dance and synthpop tune that finds the singer comparing love to the colour red and singing about the passion and destruction of this relationship she was in. Whilst the idea of the colour red and the emotions connected with it has already been monopolised and sung better by other artists (in particularly Taylor Swift) the song has a solid pop chorus that is quite catchy. What is much better with this song is that the Auto Tune is taken down a few notches and we get to hear a stronger vocal from Cher that reminds you why she has been in the industry for as long as she has, with the songs high notes really creating a powerful, emotive quality within the track. The shimmering synth notes and stomping dance beats create a simple club and top 40 ready sound, but the simplicity actually acts in the tracks favour, and this song kind of makes you wish that some of the previous tracks weren’t produced in the way they were.

3.5/5

Track 6- Lovers Forever

Co-written by Cher and initially being lined up for the soundtrack to the 1994 film Interview with a Vampire, Lovers Forever is a fuzzy disco and dance number that finds the singer imagining a life where her and her man could be together forever if that person would only have a moment of pain. The lyrics definitely lend themselves to a vampire theme but with the romantic feel of the album the track still works on this record. The song is vocally good in the way that Cher doesn’t go too powerful with the vocals but instead shows great control and also shows some of the depth within her voice. At times the Auto Tune borders on annoying but for the most part things are kept minimal in that department. Production wise the song smartly blends a vibrant dance sound and clattering beats with some nice strings and a cool pop rock sound, making this track still feel very relevant even if it was created so many years ago.

3.5/5

Track 7- I Walk Alone

I Walk Alone is the first song of two on the record in which American singer Pink takes co-writing duties, whilst she also performs background vocals on this particular track. The song is fun in terms of creating diversity within the record and showing people that Cher isn’t just a one trick pony. This is because the songs sound utilises more of a funky, country guitar based production that creates a fun and different type of dance vibe within itself. The sound is intriguing and mastered well, with the singer vocally sounding comfortable and passionate against this more acoustic based backdrop. The song is lyrically strong as the singer emphasises that she must move on from this relationship to better herself as things are just wrong and this man has treat her wrong, and the chorus is instantly catchy.

3.5/5

Track 8- Sirens

From the up tempo, intense dance vibes of the records first half we turn to ballad territory with Sirens, the second cover song that was originally sung by Neil Bryden. The song is lyrically a potent love song in which Cher tells her lover that she will always be there for them, especially when things are hard. The lyrics have a strong narrative quality, and the songs emotional quality is really enhanced by the singer’s vocal performance, as she utilises her range to create a big build-up of power within the song and make the whole sentiment of the track feel more sincere. Mark Taylor does a great job with the production, creating a delicate sound that intensifies towards a strong rock tone with stomping drums and lovely electric guitar riffs, which just makes the sound really match the lyrical and vocal substance.

3.5/5

Track 9- Favourite Scars

A mid tempo pop ballad, Favourite Scars sees Cher team up with pop maestro Wayne Hector and rising production team TMS. The song focuses on Cher trying to renew this person’s feelings and ask them to take a chance in love, as although you get hurt you will have stories to tell and the marks people leave sometimes really make us who we are. The lyrics are quite clichéd and although the singers vocal performance feels passionate it doesn’t do anything to make the song feel less bland lyrically. TMS do make the song a little stronger with the production, using marching drum beats and mixing this with snappy piano melodies and some nice strings for a sound that makes more of a dramatic impact.

2.5/5

Track 10- I Hope You Find It

The final cover song on the album is another pop ballad that was originally sung by the singer Miley Cyrus for the soundtrack to her 2010 film The Last Song. I Hope You Find It finds Cher singing of the end of a relationship in which she tells the person that she hopes that they find what they are looking for in life and that they will be happy, bringing with her words a sense of personal closure. The lyrics are strong in that they can be related to various types of relationships, and vocally Cher is strong in the way that she brings a true sense of weariness to the track and makes the song very emotive. The song blends snappy strings with country pop guitar and drums for a strong sound that shows the singer at her best and lets the soulfulness of the vocal really impact on the listener.

3.5/5

Track 11- Lie to Me

Final track Lie to Me is the second track co-written by Pink. The song focuses on Cher telling her lover that she has given him everything and she doesn’t want to know the truth of their relationship, so instead he should just tell her sweet lies. Like the previous track the singer’s vocals are powerful as she readily conveys this sincere sense of weariness, and the lyrics of the song are powerful in their simplicity and honesty. The song also finds the singer in another more acoustically driven, country pop style with lovely strings and guitars, showing that behind all the dance pop craziness that is Cher’s persona, there is also quite a good artist underneath.

3.5/5

Final Review

Closer to the Truth is by no means an innovative and great dance pop record from Cher, as some tracks are really bad and the Auto Tuned Cher is more annoying than fun, especially in today’s music market. However, the positives of the record definitely outweigh the bad, and the balance of a dance floor ready first half and a ballad heavy second act actually works for this record. Cher is vocally strong when she really gets to show off her voice, and whilst some lyrics are clichéd, most of the songs are structured well. The singer also delves into a few other genres to show that she has still got some artistic growth left in her, and so this album will really excite avid Cher fans, keep dance pop fans happy for a bit, and allow her to have a good, steady career, just not the amazing one she once had.

6/10

Best Track- I Walk Alone

Worst Track- Take It Like a Man

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