Celine Dion - Taking Chances
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Free Music Notes for Taking Chances
Free Music Review: 'Surprise Surprise!' Unequivocally the best album of her carreer
Hit: 5 Stars
'Taking Chances,' Celine Dion's 2007 English language release can only stand to serve as the best work in her long and illustrious career--no small accomplishment. Over 26 years Celine Dion has released in excess of 24 solid hours of original recorded material in six languages. So when it was announced that her new album would be something different--edgy and playful, risky and unique--one had to wonder what else she could bring to the table.
Well, as it turns out: A lot.
Packed into 16 solid tracks, Celine runs the musical gambit from 80s ballad covers to R&B, Gospel to the edgy Rock that was promised. And don't worry, there are even a few traditional-style Celine ballads thrown in the mix for good measure.
But its far more than the genre landscape that sets 'Taking Chances' apart from Celine Dion's 33 previous full length releases. The lyrics are simply far and away the best Celine has ever had to work with. The subjects of the songs are as varied as they are focused and detailed. Astonishingly devoid of tired clichés, the lyrics tell real stories with beautiful images. The result is a foundation of memorable, catchy lyrics upon which a wide instrumentation and Celine's masterful vocals build songs that simply stand up and stand out.
Particular highlights of the album include a remake of Heart's classic 'Alone.' Celine breathes new life into the song and takes complete ownership of the material with her powerful voice. 'Eyes On Me,' might be her most adventurous undertaking since 'Refuse to Dance' on 1993's 'The Colour of My Love.' After a few careful remixes 'Shadow of Love' could be the hottest thing to hit dance clubs in the last decade, and 'I Got Nothin' Left' will leave listeners stunned by the apt attitude Celine works into her voice. The hoarse, gravelly--yes, GRAVELLY--vocals on 'That's Just The Woman In Me' defy all expectations and show us that the veteran chanteuse is still learning some new tricks.
But the song that may best describe the album--and Celine Dion's career--is 'Surprise Surprise.' Appropriately, the chorus taunts "Just when you think you've got me figured out/Just when you think you know me well/Baby you barely even broke the ice/My river runs white/And you're not in sight/But you're closer than you were."
In recent years it has been difficult to watch Celine Dion struggle to remain relevant. Since 2003 she has released a string of less than satisfying 'concept' albums that, while containing gems of their own, have felt rushed and tired. 'Taking Chances' defies this sad precedent and will certainly catapult the chanteuse back to the top where she belongs. This album is a window into the world of a mature woman who knows exactly what she wants, exactly what she's got, exactly who she is, and exactly what she's doing.
Free Music Review: Taking Chances and Succeeding...
Hit: 5 Stars
Ah, Celine Dion. All of us know her and most of us love her, even if we tend to buy her CDs in sunglasses and disguise them in Bob Dylan jewel cases. However, her long-awaited new English album "Taking Chances" is a startlingly impressive, aptly-titled departure from her typical adult contemporary sound. Brimming with weighty themes and fierce versatility, it should win her newfound respect.
Throughout its 16 tracks she runs the gamut of emotions as skillfully as always, but the sappy love ballads take a backseat to darker subject matter and solid rock sounds, courtesy of fine production work from the likes of John Shanks and ex-Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody. Singing with wild abandon, slow-burning passion and all places between, she sinks her teeth into themes of unrequited love ("Shadow of Love", the Ne-Yo penned "I Got Nothin' Left"), escaping spousal abuse ("This Time"), and grey day melancholy ("Skies of LA"). The soaring, graceful title-track mirrors some of her best known hits but still befits its title.
Refreshing is the fact that she is no longer over-sings needlessly. A cover of Tim Christensen's slinky "Right Next to the Right One" as well as the sexy, Middle Eastern flavored "Eyes On Me" both prove this, as does the offbeat, guttural blues-rocker "That's Just the Woman In Me." The insecure attachment of Linda Perry's "My Love" and a cover of Heart's desperate, clawing "Alone" are absolutely spine-tingling and demand attention, while "Fade Away" sounds as tortured as it does resilient amid its angst-ridden guitar riffs as her vocals surge high enough to scale Everest.
A few songs in the middle of the album are unremarkable, but with such a thick track list that is relative - this release is a definite winner. Dion is a singer in every sense of the word, infecting each song with grace, power and agility, and she indeed takes chances and succeeds which is sure to win her new admirers and keep the already initiated more than sated.
In addition to the standard CD version there is a CD/DVD featuring live performances from her "A New Day..." Vegas showcase as well a special gift pack with the CD, DVD and a sample of Dion's latest fragrance - she really needs to stop with the perfume.
Free Music Review: Worth the chances taken!
Hit: 5 Stars
The album is a great step for Celine. In the past, she has made her mark as the sweet chanteuse with beautiful ballads and some more danceable tracks too, but what is the exasperation that people have with her breaking new ground? If they want to hear all the same stuff they should listen to the older albums.
The reality is that Celine has made a GREAT album and has allowed herself to grow as an artist, and to my mind it works. I know her music through and through as an avid collector, and this is a wonderful body of work. I think that doing the Vegas show might have influenced the direction of the album, because she really got into dancing more and being a more visually kinetic artist on the Vegas stage... hence the rockers and uptempo tracks on the album.
As with any album, there are some tracks I love and some that I listen to less than others, but I am hard pressed to find anything I do not like on the album. Hearing her rock out, be more adventurous with her voice and sound a lot like she just had a great time making the album, to my mind certainly has its rewards.
I encourage people that have been scared off by the negative reviews to take a listen for themselves, as many people that simply do not like her have posted reviews bashing the album and Celine simply because it's Celine. Take a chance, take a listen and you will find something on this album that you really will like.
Awesome, Celine, keep it up and keep growing as an artist, THIS fan appreciates you giving us something new, not merely serving up the 'same old, same old' on safe-street.
Free Music Review: an impressive one...taking chances
Hit: 5 Stars
With all that has or hasn't been said about this one. Celine did take more than a couple chances on releasing this cd. But from what i've listened to. I believe it was risk worth releasing this cd. As it isnt the same ole Celine..powerful ballads and high vocals. Taking Chances is so much more than that. She has the ballads on here but she also has some uptempo and soulful songs on the cd as well. Check out track 15 (That's Just the Woman in Me) for further proof on that last statement. Also of note is the closing track written by (Christopher Stewart/Terius Nash (The Dream)/Thaddis Harrell). It has such a dreamy, soulful feel to it like it was meant to be sung by her.
Also has I Got Nothin Left (written by Shaffer Smith (Ne-Yo)/Charles Harmon) he also does backing vocals on this one as well. I thought that it was a Ne-Yo song and looked at the liner, sure enough.
She keeps taking risks throught out the cd as evidenced by the other writers and producers she works with like Kara DioGuardi/David Stewart (Taking Chances, Suprise Suprise), Alone (produced by Ben Moody/written by Billy Steinberg/Thomas Kelly), Linda Perry (My Love & New Dawn), This Time (David Hodges/Ben Moody/Steven McMorran).
The songs range from pop ballads to uptempo songs to r&b with some hints of gospel and folk thrown in for good measure. The result a wonderful mix of songs and music sung by one of the premiere female vocalists of our time...no pun intended. She took a chance and is rewarding us with an album that any can love and will enjoy as well.
Free Music Review: Celine is a bit reinvented-and better than ever!
Hit: 5 Stars
I've listened to this CD over and over now, just can't get enough of it. Wonderful Celine has definitely taken the time with her "periods of silence" to nurture, save, expand, and slightly improve her voice.(didn't think this was possible, thought it was as good as it could get!!) But she is proving as she is aging so gracefully, that she can still stretch her voice into new places it's never been before. And beautiful places it does go! I hear her vocal range taking on more colorful notes, expanding beautifully in her softer ranges and Celine's lower registers are just so breezy. Love all the songs, enjoy them for what they represent. The true person that Celine is, makes her a genuinely caring, loving person. Now combine that with a voice that is so pure, like a glimpse into what heaven may be like.. and you have a super grand package that cannot be topped.- Except by only herself! I think Celine has the purest voice of anyone in the singing industry. I appreciate all the things she does to preserve her voice so she can continue to sing for us and introduce new sounds to us. This CD is a pure joy to listen to, as most of her CD's are. My other favorites are her French CD's. There's something incredibly special and moving about listening to Celine sing in French. I listen to her French CD's just as much, and ohh...they can have such a positive impact on my day! Thank you to all who make Celine happen!! I saw Celine in Vegas 5 times. Wish it could have been more...