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 Lifts you up. Jun 17, 2009
If you flap your arms fast enough while listening to this you might fly away!
 Before The "Edginess" Crept In. Feb 18, 2009
You really don't want to mess with Celine Dion fans. They brook absolutely no criticism of their diva. You start using words like "overkill," "hackneyed," "schlock" or, uh, "carp" around them, and you better reach for your track shoes and get out of Dodge Cite, Quebec. And really, it's a pointless argument. Basically, people know where they stand when it comes to Celine Dion's musique. Obviously, the fans find it simply divine--emotionally authentic, and overpowering (in a good way)--and the rest of us who find it overdone, overwrought, overproduced and, despite the megasales, stylistically over the hill.
Having said all that, I gotta admit I kinda like Ce-LYNN, as she's been known to refer to herself when she lapses into her native Quebecois. I don't mean the music so much, although I can put up with a song or two just fine (though much more than that, and it gets waaay too grating). But she just seems kinda likeable. I mean, she's a Superduperstar and all, but she's still kind of gangly and even a little shy. Her English is still not perfect (though it's pretty good) so her interviews have a certain non-native speaker charm (also known as gaffes).
In fact, since I come from a part of New England with a large French Canadian population (and am about 1/4 "franco" myself), I kind of look on her, figuratively, as something of a hometown girl who made good. Before makeup, she looks like someone I might have gone to high school with. I mean if New Yorkers have something of an innate spiritual kinship with Streisand, those of us who stem from more northerly environs may find ourselves relating a bit to Celine, perhaps despite ourselves.
But the music is not my thing. Some tunes I like better than others, of course. The Swedish produced "That's The Way It Is" has a certain bounce that evokes ABBA (again in a good way) and has fewer vocal histrionics than some of the other tunes included here. That's the closer. The opener is more indicative of what some of us find so problematic about Dion. "Power of the Dream" was penned, of course, as an anthem for the '96 Olympics, and those are never supposed to be subtle. But it's still just too, too much. You've got the gospel choir, the brass, the whole schmier. Not a drop of irony or wit to be found.
Well, except that the first few bars echo the SPAMALOT "tour de force" "The Song That Goes Like This" almost note for note. Now, I'm guessing that "Dream" was penned first, so I'm not accusing anyone of plagiarism. All I'm sayin', folks, is that it provided a rare moment of unintentional humor on a Celine Dion record.
It's probably no surprise that Dion's albums have such earnest prosaic titles: FALLING INTO YOU; LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE; THESE ARE SPECIAL TIMES; THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE. She can belt (although am I the only one who finds some of those high notes a bit too pinched). Like her contemporary Mariah Carey, and the many younger singers who have been influenced by the Sturm und Drang breastbeating (only some of whom have the chops), her appeal will be mainly among those seeking vocal acrobatics and emotionalism with next to no leavening touch.
Having said all that, the technical skill is often very impressive (if sometimes showy, and ballad heavy collections like this one may show off her strengths better than the more recent attempts to get a little edgier. I prefer this collection to some of the rockier stuff. Covering the Roy Orbison/Cyndi Lauper "I Drove All Night" or Ann Wilson's "Alone" is close to pushing the envelope for Celine. But AC/DC? Mon dieu!
Nice addition to your Celine collection Aug 22, 2007
Yes there are a few repeats but I didnt mind so much because ther other newer songs are all very pretty. I pretty much own ever Celine album so I had to add this one, and I'm glad I did.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A must have if you're a Celion fan Aug 04, 2007
A beautiful collection for those who love her voice. With all the different language songs in the CD you'll be amazed.
0 of 2 found the following review helpful:
The Collector's Series, Vol. 1 Jan 03, 2007
Celine Dion is one of those great voices, I love the lyrics of her songs. Definetely she has as good a voice as Barbra Streisand.
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