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Loved Me Back To Life is the 11th English language album from Celine in 6 years(!). So what does she have on offer for us?
Opening with the first single & title track, it’s a little unexpected and maybe a little more modern that we’re used to hear from the French-Canadian but still has those iconic vocals. Somebody Loves Somebody in some ways reminds us a little of Goyte’s Somebody That I Used To Know. But then we get the lovely little number that is Incredible, a duet with Ne-yo and we have to say that their vocals meld beautifully.
Water and a Flame is actually a cover of a Daniel Merriweather track, and comes across as very laid back…think Adele. Breakaway gives a great showcase to Dion’s vocals and is definitely sounding like a classic with a modern twist. Save Your Soul gives a bit of funky groove to the album while Didn’t Know Love gives precedence to Dion’s vocals with a minimal instrumentation.
An injection of a delicate summer bloom comes with the track Thank You a track we’re pretty sure a number of, if not all, will relate to or want to share if they can’t find the words to say…well, thank you. Overjoyed is a duet with it’s original singer, Stevie Wonder with not much changing between the versions but still, Wonder & Dion’s vocals work well in bringing new life to the track.
Thankful is very much a Celine song with moments where her vocals soar and then produce a little intimacy of small cafe or venue. At Seventeen has a nice little acoustic guitar running through it and a nice little surprise. Always Be Your Girl is another ballad but being predominantly piano driven, the inclusion of the strings midway suit and aren’t too overpowering. Finally the album comes to close with the uptempo Unfinished Songs which in some instances leaves you wanting more but in others, is just the right ending to the album.
It’s an album of two halves; the first sees Dion trying to bring a current trend to her music whilst the second is more what people probably expect from her. The voice is still there, that’s not in question. Maybe this album is trying something new out to stay current in the frequently changing world of music whilst appealing to those that know her. It’s possibly more of a grower than an instant hit.
Rating: 4/5
