LEE K. (koke) from SAINT LOUIS, MO Reviewed on 4/21/2010...
One of her best!
CD Reviews
Barbra: Still A Contendah!
Steven Haarala | Mandeville, LA USA | 10/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What has Barbra delivered this time around? Since 1993, we've been "Back To Broadway", to the church and synagogue ("Higher Ground"), to her wedding ("A Love Like Ours"), to the movies ("The Movie Album"), and to a reunion from the disco era ("Guilty Pleasures"). All of these were successful to a good degree, my least favorite being "A Love Like Ours". With "Love Is The Answer", Barbra returns to her performing roots to do mellow jazz, with Diana Krall as collaborator - not so different from the standards Barbra has always excelled at.
This is no earth-shaking release, but rather a collection of restrained, relaxed, very musical songs, like her "Third Album". The Voice has deepened, and weakened a bit, but it still has that round, smooth quality. The person behind The Voice still sounds warm and wise, but a shade darker, intriguing simply because she is revealing yet another facet of herself. The arrangements are pretty basic, appropriate for this music. The sound is well-engineered, with the piano in particular coming alive. I don't find that there is one standout track, but rather that the tracks are pretty evenly realized. But I do have my favorites. On "Gentle Rain" and "Love Dance", the soft Latin rhythm and tinkling piano complement Barbra's artistry very well. "A Time For Love" is filled with bright images, and in places the song reminds me of "All The Things You Are" from "Simply Streisand". In "Here's That Rainy Day" I like the expression of strength while recognizing and accepting the end of a romance. And then there's "If You Go Away", about which I will speak again.
I must say that some of the negative comments about this album puzzle me. First, there are those who expected it to sound like one of her 60's albums. Hello? Then, many expected the album to be more "jazzy". I wonder, are they confusing "jazz" with "swing"? I've always thought of the "jazz" genre as being very understated, subtle. You know, like Peggy Lee. In a similar vein, one commenter said there is "...not even one song with a beat." Buying Barbra for "beats"? I recommend Madonna's wonderful "Celebration" collection. Further, about Barbra's French in "If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)", one said that it sounds absurd, while another said, "...her transition into French is so sudden it's unintentionally funny." Well, French was my college major, and it sounds OK to me, so, I don't know, you be the judge. Frankly, I think her French adds to the poignancy of the sad song. Even her album cover was criticized, for being air-brushed! I think these expectations are a little demanding, even nit-picking, especially for a singer in her mid-60's. Judging the album for what it is, just the next in a long string of beautiful presentations, not comparing it to past glories - on that basis, I think it works out fine.
Just one more thing. I listened to the entire CD for the first time tonight. "Funny Girl" happened to be on TCM. So, I was watching Barbra Past while listening to Barbra Present. Talk about a surrealistic experience!"
Sometimes less is more . . .
R. S. Brigham | St. Louis | 09/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Skip this version and go straight for the deluxe edition that offers these songs performed with just Diana Krall's quartet. Exquisite. I'm a die-hard Streisand fan but discerning enough to know that every album she's issued isn't golden. I approached this album with a great deal of cynicism (particularly since I've never seen her hype an album as much as this one) but concur that this one ranks among her best. Streisand herself at her Village Vanguard performance referred to coming full-circle with this album. Maybe, maybe not, but make a playlist of her very first album and this one, hit shuffle, and prepare to be blown away by the experience."
Exquisite Sophistication...Simply Streisand.
Joseph E. Mitchell | Corpus Christi, TX USA | 09/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"She hits notes on this album that I didn't thinks he could hit anymore. I am blown away, I tell you. From the first note of "Here's to Life" to the last line of "Some Other Time"...perfection. Barbra has not made an album of this particular quality, intimacy, and consistency since the sixties. No question. There are so many ultimate moments for the Streisand Hall of Fame here.
This album is easily her best whole package since "The Broadway Album." Easily. This woman's gift is ageless. Boundless."
Fine Standards Album
Musac Critic | 10/09/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"On this Diana Krall produced/assisted set, Barbra Streisand once again shines. Even sweeter may be the fact that the set surprisingly tops the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, beating out stiff competition from continually rising rock band Paramore (Brand New Eyes) as well as Pop-R&B diva Mariah Carey (Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel), albeit numbers were within 12,000 copies of each other. Conservative in scope, spacey, and achieving a certain jazzy ambiance, Love is the Answer, may not be revolutionary by any means, but it is one incredibly solid album. Most noteworthy is the fact that at a 'young' 67 years in age, Barbra Streisand sounds as if she's barely aged, vocally. Her voice is still pure, and subdued as a jazzy-club singer. Through the fifty-nine minute effort (in the standard edition), Barbra sounds astounding. The grand orchestration further makes 'Love is the Answer' as a worthy Grammy contender when it is eligible (2011; it misses the cut-off for the 2010 awards).
The album opens with the beautiful, spacey "Here's To Life", which finds Ms. Streisand accompanied by an extremely well mixed grand piano and lush string orchestrations. The track proves to be a perfect opener. Followed by another sensitive, though beautiful "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", Mrs. Streisand once again maintains a certain purity, almost ethereal quality about her vocals; there is a natural innocence one can hear and feel as they imagine Streisand hearkening back to music's 'glory' days. As the tempo picks up, one can imagine they are in a jazz club sitting with their lover and feeling the 'romance' in which Streisand so magnificently extracts from these classic pop and jazz songs.
"Gentle Rain" doesn't deviate from the laid-back, pure style of "Here's to Life" or "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", providing yet another lovely and restrained performance in which space contributes to the overall potency. "If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)" begins with a simple acoustic guitar, giving the track a different flavor, sans acoustic grand piano. Slightly over a minute into the performance, upright bass, grand piano, and strings join in and provide a fine background to support Streisand's sensitive, yet passionate vocals.
"Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" finds Streisand evoking the vocal affections of jazz with 'speech-like vocals', jazz phrasing, and impeccable nuance. While "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" should sound incredibly dated, a new beauty is born; something is special about this performance. Jazzed-up, modest piano work opens up the sweet, endearing standout "Make Someone Happy". "Where Do You Start?", "Time for Love" are as lush and solid as everything else. "Here's the Rainy Day" begins with a lovely flute solo with accompaniment before Streisand places her signature vocal stamp on the track; additionally a fine piano solo appears performed by Diana Krall.
"Love Dance" begins with sparse guitar, accentuating the timbre of Streisand's vocal, again shaping the track into an 'atmospheric' feel, not unlike Krall's solo album work. Streisand does great justice to one of my favorite songs of all, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", a timeless classic. "Some Other Time" and bonus track "You Must Believe in String" don't break the consistency established by Streisand from the get-go.
Well produced by all means (kudos to Diana Krall), exceptional song choice, and great, spot-on vocals by Streisand make Love Is the Answer a fantastic traditional pop album. Don't be surprised if 'Love' is a top Grammy contender in the 2011 ceremony. 4+ stars.
"
Get the Deluxe Version
Kelena | Oceanside, CA USA | 10/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Would you like to have a legend in your living room? This is the recording. You will wish you had a better sound system, and you may want to get the long play record album version of this. This is both a throwback and a daring step forward -- at the same time. When you first listen to this recording, it may not sink in. You have to "turn up the quiet" and tune into what is taking place here. It is a torchy, jazzy, intimate departure from anything you have heard her --or maybe anyone-- do before. Her phrasing on this recording is exquisite and she uses the fact that one of the world's most famous instruments is changing a little to her advantage, in the most clever and unexpected way. Each song is a well acted story and they all work together to create an exquisite masterpiece.
This recording causes me to look at this artist in a completely new way. My hope is that jazz stations throughout the country will begin to play some of the songs on this recording. The jazz aspect is best heard on the Deluxe CD which has an extra disc without orchestration. The orchestration is nice, but they shouldn't have bothered. That is the only flaw in this recording -- she should have had the guts to issue it without the orchestration. Once you have heard the more intimate version, it is the only one you will listen to.
This is an album that grows on you from an artist who (if you are like me) you may have almost forgotten. Once you listen to it just a few times, you will know you are hearing a legend, right in your living room.
Our next task is to persuade her to leave HER living room and to do a small club tour, holding a lottery for the tickets. I mean, you can only dig in the garden so much."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
LEE K. (koke) from SAINT LOUIS, MO 
