Barbra Streisand - What Matters Most (Album Review)
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Written by Catherine Rea
For a thirty third studio album, Barbra Streisand proves to her loving fanbase that her 48-year era of being one of America's most well produced artists hasn’t come to an end yet. With her mix of contemporary jazz and a well written story of well-sophisticated musical collaborations, Streisand has yet to let her fans down with this new album. ‘What Matters The Most’ was eagerly awaited by fans after her previous effort, ‘Love Is The Answer’ produced in 2009 which went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic, making her the only artist to achieve Number One albums in five consecutive decades. However, this new self-produced album of 2011 showed Barbra Streisand in a different light as she enlisted help from favourite long-time lyricists the Bergmans, having recorded 51 of the Bergman’s compositions, including those from her 1983 film ‘Yentl’, she decided to only take on songs she had never recorded before to add to this romantic album.
Critics said that the concept of Streisand producing a new album was a bit of an iffy proposition with her 70th birthday just around the corner, though this hasn’t stopped Barbra upping her game with an even more appealing sound than her previous albums. The album is a love fest of romantic songs drenched in guitar string and empathy, which proves to be a fitting mood for these theatrical over sentimental collection of songs – written by the Bergmans with the themes of the struggle of commitment, the torment of passion and the loneliness of love. Streisand uses these themes to create her own mark on the songs in her performances, dragging out the drama of the ballads and singing over pop tunes, setting the tone for psychological thriller by singing the first few verses of ‘The Windmills Of Your Mind’. Streisand sings a good proportion of this standard cappella including swing passages that show off the expertise of the orchestra. Though the occasional rasp in Barbra Streisand’s voice, this adds to each song making her seem almost human with this connection of near-perfection showing that her sure and lovely tones are not shaken by age. Streisand still has the voice, but more importantly the urge to inhabit the persona of a girl with epic romantic fantasies. Some of her high notes may have slipped away, but the body of her voice has more than ripened and matured.
‘Nice ‘N Easy’ is sung in her cover of a 1960’s Frank Sinatra album title that describes the pace of her new album, this track is sung nice and slow which is the main aim of this unhurried album – arranged with a full-bodied, artful and engaging mood so the album doesn’t drag. Rather than a note-for-note reproduction of this Sinatra favourite, which listeners would surely have accepted, Streisand refreshes the tune taking is at a leisurely, relaxed tempo, accentuating the ‘nice and easy’ command of the lyrics, finally building steadily to the tempo.
‘Something New In My Life’ is a real highlight of the album, bringing out a new expressive vein in the Bergmans’ famous lyrics. Fans of John Williams will also be able to note his unique harmonic touch in ‘The Same Hello, The Same Goodbye’ which was originally composed for Sinatra.
The other songs featured on the album are romantic and frequently nostalgic in tone, including many titles from well off the beaten track. Some come from the world of jazz, including compositions by Johnny Mandel and Dave Grusin. The state of the art recording ensures that this is another unmissible feast of song from an artist seemingly unstoppable in her continuing quest to present something new to her worldwide audience.
If this album goes to Number One, Streisand will have topped the charts during six decades, demonstrating that even in pop, there’s such a thing as timeless talent.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
‘Nice ‘N Easy’ is sung in her cover of a 1960’s Frank Sinatra album title that describes the pace of her new album, this track is sung nice and slow which is the main aim of this unhurried album – arranged with a full-bodied, artful and engaging mood so the album doesn’t drag. Rather than a note-for-note reproduction of this Sinatra favourite, which listeners would surely have accepted, Streisand refreshes the tune taking is at a leisurely, relaxed tempo, accentuating the ‘nice and easy’ command of the lyrics, finally building steadily to the tempo.
