New English Album - "Water and a Flame" (Pre-Release Thread Part 1)

[Solan]

I'm Alive is probably one of Celine's best English songs. So I disagree. I'd rather she sings more original songs. Celine is not a karaoke artist, she's a legend. It would be sad to see her end up only doing covers in Las Vegas. Call me a harsh fan, but I kind of expect much more than that from an artist like her. Edited September 19, 2011 at 03:20 PM by Solan

[Claudette]

donpi86, you do know ''I'm Alive'' is Celine's most played song on radio, even today. It is definitely a fan favourite. I would give anything for her to record a song like that again. It is fresh and young, but without making a fool out of Celine. In my opinion it is also a very classy song. I think the main problem here is the way some people see the word ''classy''. Celine can still be classy without recording covers. Do you people really think that nobody writes ''classy'' songs anymore. I refuse to believe that for one moment.

 

Edit: Solan beat me to it. Great timing.

Edited September 19, 2011 at 03:24 PM by Claudette

[Your_Su_Phu]

Um Celine is a great vocalist but not much of an artist at all. You make covers out to be "beneath" Celine when in fact every legend before her has made standards albums from Aretha Franklin to Barbra Streisand. Celine is one of the most creatively lacking "artists" in the industry so to record some quality covers instead of the subpar cheese she's been churning out would be an improvement.

 

And LMAO at her artistry being threatened over recording more covers when half of her biggest hits are covers.

 

I'm sure "I'm Alive" is the most played on South African radio...but in the US she hasn't had an airplay hit since 1999.

 

PS I do want some new material myself, of course.

Edited September 19, 2011 at 03:33 PM by Your_Su_Phu

[Claudette]

Have you consider changing your station? It is not just SA radio, I remember for example Frida posted an article a while ago about it being the most played song in Sweden too.

 

Call me cheesy then, but I prefer ''I'm Alive'' over any of the songs she is doing now in the show. If you don't like her cheese, why did you buy it in the first place?

 

Edit: You make it sound like Celine has absolutely no creativity and that she just goes in the studio and sing the song the way they want her too. If that was the case, how did she manage to write/compose a song just last year for Marc? Not to mention she co-wrote other songs before too. Celine has the ability to write, and I'm almost 100% sure that people will appreciate an album with songs that she wrote/composed herself more than one with covers on it. That is one of the reasons people are so frustrated. It is because we know she can, but for some reason she refuses to.

Edited September 19, 2011 at 03:39 PM by Claudette

[manu23]

Because it's the path for the greatest voices in history. It's not that a beautiful voice it's wasted in "other people songs". Probably she do the best vocally in covers, listen to Mr. Paganini... so perfect. If she covers great songs, what's the problem. If she doesn't want or she can't write songs for herself, I prefer if they choose songs like At Seventeen, Goldfinger, etc... rather than if they choose "other people songs" like Eyes on Me, I'm Alive...

 

This morning I saw again The Eyes on Me video with Will I. am and sorry, call me "hater", but it was ridiculous. I love the arrangement but seeing Celine goin of "Oh Yeah! I look young and fresh, Jo Jo!!"... and then listening and seeing Goldfinger videos, and sorry.. maybe she looks older, but I don't mind, for me, she looks perfect in that way! If I want to see a hottie girl being modern I watch to a Rihanna, Beyoncé music video. For me Celine Dion it's the elegance and classy woman. And there is nothing better than the classic covers. Perfect songs for a perfect voice.

 

So, this will be the eternal fight between the fans...

 

Did I say she has to do songs like Eyes on Me or I’m Alive? Has to be an original song uptempo or electropop to be original? Can’t be an original song elegant or classy? Wasn’t last Whitney album elegant? And it was full of original songs… Celine deserves her own material and she doesn’t need to write the songs to make them her own, she didn’t write MHWGO or BYLM and everybody knows these are her songs. Furthermore, I am more fan of her ballads, that’s why I prefer original songs, if from now own she only covers old songs we will never have songs like A world To Believe or Surprise Surprise and if we don’t get this kind songs from Celine, from whom?

[Your_Su_Phu]

Have you consider changing your station? It is not just SA radio, I remember for example Frida posted an article a while ago about it being the most played song in Sweden too.

 

Call me cheesy then, but I prefer ''I'm Alive'' over any of the songs she is doing now in the show. If you don't like her cheese, why did you buy it in the first place?

 

Yeah that's pretty much irrelevant. Her last true big hit was years before that as she had already lost major radio support by 2002. "I'm alive" is a fan favorite though.

 

No one denied your right to like or dislike certain songs, just giving my two cents. I buy her cheese because I like her voice. LOL at you whining in other threads about not being able to express negative opinions and then you jump down my throat for calling some of Celine's s*** cheezy

 

By the way I want to clarify to everyone that I would love some new material from Celine as well, I'm just not totally against the idea of her doing some more covers or even having an entire album of standards. She's only 43, she'll be making music for decades to come and there's room for everything. I just don't agree with the idea that standards are only for 80 year olds who are minutes from the grave

Edited September 19, 2011 at 03:40 PM by Your_Su_Phu

[Solan]

Her two most well known songs are not covers: "Because you loved me" and "My heart will go on".

 

I didn't say covering songs were beneath her, but to now become like Barbra and do only just that... well, that's sad.

 

You don't need to write your own songs to be an "artist". Her voice is her talent and her interpretation is her artistry. I do concede that her English material can be quite subpar quite often. Most of her english albums are filled with, well, fillers and amongst the fillers are a few gems. I always consider her French career as her most artistic and most successful.

 

But that doesn't mean she can't try and bring fresh material to the English side of the table.

 

Personally, I consider "A new day has come" as her best English album. It's fresh, pop, classy and suited to her voice. It was not tryhard, it was not flat... it was good. So good. And it's now such a UFO album in her english career too. No other albums of hers sound like that. The 90s albums all had the same sort of sound and the ones after New Day went into the pop/rock direction. "One heart" is almost like a lightweight version of "Taking Chances".

 

I'm not asking for a "A new day has come part 2" but at least an album thought with the same approach.

Edited September 19, 2011 at 03:40 PM by Solan

[Claudette]

Yeah that's pretty much irrelevant. Her last true big hit was years before that as she had already lost major radio support by 2002. "I'm alive" is a fan favorite though.

 

No one denied your right to like or dislike certain songs, just giving my two cents. I buy her cheese because I like her voice. LOL at you whining in other threads about not being able to express negative opinions and then you jump down my throat for calling some of Celine's s*** cheezy

 

By the way I want to clarify to everyone that I would love some new material from Celine as well, I'm just not totally against the idea of her doing some more covers or even having an entire album of standards. She's only 43, she'll be making music for decades to come and there's room for everything. I just don't agree with the idea that standards are only for 80 year olds who are minutes from the grave

 

Yes, because there is negativity and then there is negativity. You basically said Celine has no creativity and called her previous recordings cheese (and now you've even went as far as to call it s***). I'm just confused as why you listen to her then. Being negative about one album or the latest interviews is one thing, but your post was just a bit too much, don't you think? I can only take so much negativity.

Edited September 19, 2011 at 03:47 PM by Claudette

[Your_Su_Phu]

You don't need to write your own songs to be an "artist". Her voice is her talent and her interpretation is her artistry. I do concede that her English material can be quite subpar quite often. Most of her english albums are filled with, well, fillers and amongst the fillers are a few gems. I always consider her French career as her most artistic and most successful.

 

But that doesn't mean she can't try and bring fresh material to the English side of the table.

 

I agree with most of this. But even in terms of interpreting a song Celine is often inconsistent, she CAN be great though. I am just happy to see that her voice is in such great shape, I want to see her continue to develop her interpretive abilities. I think I kind of gave up on her developing better original material because I've been disappointed so many times..but it would be amazing if she could take new risks with original material.

 

Personally, I consider "A new day has come" as her best English album. It's fresh, pop, classy and suited to her voice. It was not tryhard, it was not flat... it was good. So good. And it's now such a UFO album in her english career too. No other albums of hers sound like that. The 90s albums all had the same sort of sound and the ones after New Day went into the pop/rock direction. "One heart" is almost like a lightweight version of "Taking Chances".

 

I actually kind of think the opposite. ANDHC for me was very drab, and OH was a disgrace (the Chrysler logo was the crowning jewel of that failure) but that's just my opinion. I actually think her first album "Unison" is one of her most interesting since half of the songs are uptempo but she was able to pull it off with an authentic late 80's sound without being cheesy like she was with later recordings.

 

The concept of Taking Chances was great..but ultimately I think it just ended up being more manufactured pop that didn't take any risks with the only difference being the presence of overdubbed electric guitars. Maybe Celine will prove me wrong in the future, that'd be great

[donpi86]

Did I say she has to do songs like Eyes on Me or I’m Alive? Has to be an original song uptempo or electropop to be original? Can’t be an original song elegant or classy? Wasn’t last Whitney album elegant? And it was full of original songs… Celine deserves her own material and she doesn’t need to write the songs to make them her own, she didn’t write MHWGO or BYLM and everybody knows these are her songs. Furthermore, I am more fan of her ballads, that’s why I prefer original songs, if from now own she only covers old songs we will never have songs like A world To Believe or Surprise Surprise and if we don’t get this kind songs from Celine, from whom?

 

hehe.. If the next album goes in the style of Surprise Surprise, Right next to the right one, That just the woman in Me, New Dawn and A song for you, and some classic style songs ,covers or not, I would be on wonderland...

 

And in the case of "I'm Alive", I don't mind if it is a hit, In my opinion its a bad and simple pop song, nothing interesting, and I repit,in my opinion. Transformers, the movie, gross a lot of money, it has a big success but it is an awful movie..

[Solan]

I do love Celine's early records because the way she used to sing was a bit different. Not as polished as now and kind of raw with a touch of nostalgia in her voice. It showed especially on her French records at the time. "Billy" is like the peak of that way of singing. The power is there, the softness is there too, but that nostalgic touch that just gives it that... special charm.

 

I know "A new day..." does divide fans lol. Not a fan of "One Heart", I think it was mostly to promote her Vegas show and give it a boost in the media buzz. I do love her version of "I drove all night" though. She definitely gives it much more oomph than the original.

[Your_Su_Phu]

Yes, because there is negativity and then there is negativity. You basically said Celine has no creativity and called her previous recordings cheese (and now you've even went as far as to call it s***). I'm just confused as why you listen to her then. Being negative about one album or the latest interviews is one thing, but your post was just a bit too much, don't you think? I can only take so much negativity.

 

LOL you should've seen me gushing over her performance of the Prayer recently. I'm just harsh sometimes.

 

Celine has the talent to be one of the all time greats, she just often lazes by and lets it go to waste. I have memorized practically every vocal inflection from her 90's albums even if I find them cheesy now That's how much I love her voice. And I do love lots of cheese myself, but even I have limits. I shudder at "treat her like a lady" or "lovin proof"

[empress]

Umm they ONLY mentioned putting on 3 songs from the Vegas show - 3! So that's not a full album worth. I would love a studio version of Open Arms, it's amazing. Don't be so negative - have faith - it'll be great!!

 

Sorry, but I find the news on the contents of her new english album a bit disappointing also. I saw the show in Vegas. It was fabulous to hear her live, but I did not like serveral of the songs at all and found it a little slow moving. I, too, would like to hear new music from her. She is still a fabulous singer/artist. She deserves to sing new material as much as we, her fans, deserve to hear it!

[Javito]

Barbra has been singing standards since she first started in her early 20's. Some people might think that an artist turning to making cover albums is nearing the end of their career, but honestly I think Celine's mainstream pop career is practically dead. Her new show received rave reviews for the very reason that she chose a lot of these unexpected standards or interesting covers that explored different aspects of her voice and persona. People have always accused Celine of being too old fashioned, but it seems to me that actually embracing that and going the standards/jazz/art songs route might actually for the first time garner her some critical clout, as it fits her very dated and over the top persona. More importantly, with her voice seemingly at its peak now, it might make for her most vocally accomplished album.

Barbra is Celine's ultimate idol, so it's not a stretch at all. Besides, this won't be her last album.

 

I agree with the other posters on here. I've had enough second hand embarrassments over "Eyes on me" with Will.I.Am. or other attempts to be "modern" and "edgy". Celine just can't do it. It's not in her blood to ever be cool or edgy.

 

The problem is that she hasn't to sing songs like "Eyes On Me" or "I'm Alive" to be cool or edgy. She just has to sing them to compensate the impressive and increasing LACK of uptempo songs that her shows have, in benefit of slow, boring and old songs that make her current show slow and lifeless (like Humberto Gatica himself has said). She herself acknowledges that she "needs" those uptempo songs, because she has a lot of slow songs in her repertoire.

 

Have you consider changing your station? It is not just SA radio, I remember for example Frida posted an article a while ago about it being the most played song in Sweden too.

 

Call me cheesy then, but I prefer ''I'm Alive'' over any of the songs she is doing now in the show. If you don't like her cheese, why did you buy it in the first place?

 

Between a world of old songs, classics, covers, and duets with 60 year old singers, I TOO prefer songs like I'm Alive, which are lively, cheerful and break the mould of the 99% rest of what she does

 

Long life to different albums like "A New Day Has Come"!

[browseceline]

Hi all,

 

I must say I love this thread! call it bitching or whatever.. but it shows we do care for Celine! and we also like to show our different opinions, whether they are positive or negative. I agree that some people in here have Celine somewhere high on a cloud and worship everything she does.

I am more of admiring her incredible voice and what she can do with it.

A couple of months ago I was listening to one of the bootlegs of the Celine-Vegas show and I showed it (the bond medley and lullaby) to a friend, who is not a Celine Dion fan at all.

He said.. yes the songs are nice,, but I prefer the originals..not saying she sings bad but why is she doing covers? .. well that is my concern too; maybe Celine isn't a writer, but there are so many gifted songwriters and producers in the musicbusiness who make great compositions and great songs. They offer Celine their songs and hope she will sing them, therefor bringing their masterpieces alive.

That is why I think it is a shame that the new album will be about the (same)covers the Vegas show has. Not saying that those songs are not good, but they have been done before and sometimes even better. I agree the power of love became Celine's version and exceeded the original of Jennifer Rush, but as for Open Arms, the stage presence is gorgeous with the gown and the curtains opening.. but that first song should have been one of Celine's classics. Not saying that this version is bad, but one other Diva of the 90s had a big hitrecord with it, Mariah Carey, and that version touches me more than this version. Celine where are your own hits in this show, too less of them. I mean the show is called Celine.. you have dozens of great songs.. I bet some people don't know lullaby or at seventeen, you could have easily used one of your own songs, so many to choose from.. but that is about the show.

 

So I think it is very fair that most of us want some new stuff on her new album. After all she sings these covers every time in her Vegas show, so why even make studioversions of them? I think it is indeed lazyness, or lack of creativity?

The French Album has a new turn I read and they are gonna go that direction.. so why not do that with the English Album as well. I don't want a rushed noninspirational album purely to attract new Vegas visitors, I want to listen to material written for Celine, or maybe cowritten by Celine, and I don't care what the style is, but please no more covers of songs been done before.

And as a fan I certainly will buy the new Album, but I am still hoping something interesting might happen, and not the same tracklist as Vegas has, but interesting new songs like "us" and "where is the love" and "Surprise Surprise" etc. Celine Surprise your audience!

Edited September 19, 2011 at 09:12 PM by browseceline

[browseceline]

oh and one more thing. Some people call the people who have critique on her new album or show - haters. Well that is not hating that is just having different opinions about the direction Celine's music is making.. hoping to hear new songs instead of repeating yourself over and over again. I am definately not a hater but I am just dissappointed in the choices Celine and her management make. Celine is one of the singers in this world who give me goosebumps so very often. She can sing everything, she even can sing the Phonebook ( see youtube). I know she can sing every song and cover it. But I don;t want her to be a fantastic karaoke singer in the end. And I know when I speak about Madonna some people get so frustrated and mad, but read between the lines - I am not comparing with Madonna in terms of being like her, but just saying Madonna reinvents herself each time and brings new stuff each time. That is called fresh. Celine will never be trashy, she is classy but I expect something more of such a big artist as Celine Dion is, not a coversinger. Edited September 19, 2011 at 09:24 PM by browseceline

[donpi86]

I would like to see Mr. Frank Sinatra coming from the dead and some of you saying in front of his face that he is a Karaoke singer...

[I Love You]

I would like to see Mr. Frank Sinatra coming from the dead and some of you saying in front of his face that he is a Karaoke singer...

 

 

Yeah really, Frank Sinatra will always be a legend. I would, also like to see you all also say that to Elvis if he came back from the dead.

[celinesounds]

There is nothing wrong with I'm Alive - it's fresh and reminds African sound.

 

Maybe it was her biggest hit, she might needs other songs like that even to perform on stage

 

I'm Alive it's her signature, its radio friendly and it is still disco

[anewdayhascome]

If we are commenting here on everything, I will write sth about the show too. It's after I've seen Le Forestier with Celine but it's not about the album. Look... even if the show has such a concept and we have to deal with lack of Celine songs... ok I can stand it but in this interview, if you didn't know Le Forestier went to see Celine, you wouldn't know it's her as there is no footage of 'original' Celine. They promote her with OA, G, NMQP and finally RDMH - ALL covers, even if you count RDMH as more 'Celinish" it's quite sad because, of course, there is our Celine, her great voice, nice songs but none of it shows her own repertoire which is better! and because of her original songs, she is known these day, not because she sang covers! (WDMHBN, TT, PQTME, BYLM, MHWGO, TTWII, ANDHC, IA are all her biggest hits that she is known for - of course there is TPOL or IDAN but the proportion is clearly visible!)... That's my two more cents

[browseceline]

maybe calling her a karaokesinger was not okay, and you cannot make comparisons with elvis or sinatra, it is just that Celine has made so much albums in the past, enough material to fill a show with, that singing covers is almost like she is saying i am not confident of my own repertoire. But she has enough to work with. About the karaokesinger comment I made, I just tried to point out that by singing only covers she becomes a coversinger, singing songs done before, no original material. My Heart Will Go On was written for her and it became her biggest hit, because you loved me was written for her as well and we can go on and on. Edited September 20, 2011 at 09:18 AM by browseceline

[joaofilho]

if you've noticed this new album is to attract more people to the show in Las Vegas, is his new style to show, in 2007 she released the CD and went on a tour, the concept of the new show are classic songs, slow film, let's not expect too much from the new album in English, what she needs is to get out of Vegas, touring, releasing albums like the style of his shows

[Celine Fan 77]

if you've noticed this new album is to attract more people to the show in Las Vegas, is his new style to show, in 2007 she released the CD and went on a tour, the concept of the new show are classic songs, slow film, let's not expect too much from the new album in English, what she needs is to get out of Vegas, touring, releasing albums like the style of his shows

 

I know many of you will disagree with me, but I think that she has come to a point in her career that she doesn't have to prove anything to anybody, she can do what she wants without having to care about the charts. joaofilho, why did you say that she needs to get out of Vegas? She doesn't need to do it but she'll do it in four years and half. Guys, she did all you are asking her to do during the 90's; she didn't take a year off or anything during that decade; SHE EVEN PERFORMED VIA SATELLITE DURING HER HONEYMOON!!! Give the girl a break, now she has 3 kids and, as we'll see in the upcoming documentary, things were not easy for her since the birth of the twins, I mean, having to start a new show almost right after you've had the child you had been dreaming of during the last 2 years. Like she said many times, she can't please everybody.

 

Please, accept that we might not listen to Celine on the radio stations as much as we did during the '90s again, even René said during a documentary about him called The Man Behind Céline Dion that Celine couldn't be on the spotlight forever; her fame would start going slowly down one day but she'll never be forgotten.

Edited September 20, 2011 at 11:19 AM by Celine Fan 77

[anewdayhascome]

Yes I completely agree let her have a BREAK! but really a break to rethink everything but this means no such rubbish like cd with covers. Yes she has taken a lot of pressure returning to LV so early but it was her and Rene's decision. But no one wants a new album from her tomorrow. So if we are waiting, we are waiting for sth good and NEW! not covers. not in such amount Edited September 20, 2011 at 11:26 AM by anewdayhascome

[celinefanonline]

now i dont' get some people why can't Celine do a mostly cover album??? is that wrong??? i dont' get it cause Dion Chante Plamondon it's mostly cover songs too with 4 new songs only and it's one of her really good french albums so yeah....

[Celine Fan 77]

now i dont' get some people why can't Celine do a mostly cover album??? is that wrong??? i dont' get it cause Dion Chante Plamondon it's mostly cover songs too with 4 new songs only and it's one of her really good french albums so yeah....

 

That's what I was going to say. There shouldn't be any problem with Celine recording covers, but some fans want her to record an album with most of the songs written for her, which I understand and respect, but I particularly don't care if a Celine song is a cover or a song written for her because, if it's a cover, she'll make it her own, like she always does!

[jeje03100]

I hope we will have only six titles on Vegas and at least 10 new songs

[Anna1990]

Yes I completely agree let her have a BREAK! but really a break to rethink everything but this means no such rubbish like cd with covers. Yes she has taken a lot of pressure returning to LV so early but it was her and Rene's decision. But no one wants a new album from her tomorrow. So if we are waiting, we are waiting for sth good and NEW! not covers. not in such amount

 

I agree with you.

[Céline's Blues]

I don't understand the opposition to Céline recording covers. Some fluffies here are not aware that she will be recording second-hand garbage the first second she will be in studio for her "brand new" English album. It's inevitable, logical and understandable for any fans that has been following her career throughout times. So why would one prefer second hand pop to true songs that her voice does more than justice is just beyond me. These songs will get the best of her talent, poppy fluff will not.

[Javito]

now i dont' get some people why can't Celine do a mostly cover album??? is that wrong??? i dont' get it cause Dion Chante Plamondon it's mostly cover songs too with 4 new songs only and it's one of her really good french albums so yeah....

 

One thing is to do french covers and other is to do english covers of worldwide well known classics. You can't compare "Les fils de superman" or "Piaf chanterait du rock" with "Open Arms", "Goldfinguer" or Jackson's "Man in the mirror" Some are fresh and still so rare that its as if they were new to Céline, others have been sang zillion times by many people that does not represent anything new.