New reviews posted on allmusic.com

[Céline's Blues]

Live A Paris:

 

Review

by Jose F. Promis

"Are you ready to rock & roll?" is the question that the leather-clad Celine Dion poses before breaking into song on her 1996 live import album Live à Paris. This album, in fact, has more of a rock feel than any of her other live or studio albums. Dion raises the roof and proves just as adept with harder material as she is with adult contemporary ballads, especially on "Destin," "Priere Paienne," "Regarde-Moi," and "River Deep Mountain High." This album also features its share of ballads, including the set's opener, "J'Attendais," the chart-topping "The Power of Love," the ever-popular "Un Garcon Pas Comme les Autres (Ziggy)" (as evidenced by the audience singing along to the song), and "Vole," in which the singer brings new meaning to the term "sing your heart out." The album closes with the full-length studio version of "To Love You More," which can be found on the U.S. edition of her Let's Talk About Love album and, in edited form, on her collection All The Way: A Decade of Song. All in all, this good live album from one of the biggest stars of our time serves to showcase her not only as a balladeer, but as a first-rate rock star.

 

Olympia:

 

Review

by Jose F. Promis

Celine Dion's A l'Olympia was recorded live at the legendary Parisian venue shortly after she scored her first U.S. chart-topper with "The Power of Love," which is included here. Therefore, the material on this disc consists mostly of early English-language hits ("Where Does My Heart Beat Now" and "Love Can Move Mountains"), and selections from her first U.S. French-language release, Dion Chante Plamondon, including the rousing "Des Mots qui Sonnent," "Le Blues du Businessman," and "Ziggy." There are two tracks on this collection which are unique to this album, those being the beautiful "Elle" and her version of the Bagdad Café theme, "Calling You." Also included is her take on the Jacques Brel song "Quand on n'a que l'Amour" and a medley (titled "Medley Starmania") of Luc Plamondon songs. The material sounds great live, her voice as always a technical marvel, but with three live import CDs already on the market, and with some songs repeated, this album is destined for collectors. However, the album's allure is the fact that it was recorded before she became a massive superstar (in the U.S. anyway) in the mid-to-late 1990s. The liner notes and all segues are in French.

 

Plamondon:

 

Review

by Jose F. Promis

In 1990, Celine Dion had enjoyed her first taste of success in the United States with her English-language debut album Unison. The album's first single, "Where Does My Heart Beat Now," was a number four hit, and the follow-up, "(If There Was) Any Other Way," made the Top 40. Her 1994 album, Dion Chante Plamondon, was her first U.S. French-language release, and found the singer interpreting the songs of renowned French-Canadian lyricist Luc Plamondon. On this relatively early album, Dion sounds as self-assured and mature as on her latter-day recordings as a world-class superstar. Her voice exudes a passion beyond her young years, especially on the album's rocking opener, "Des Mots Qui Sonnent." As is often the case with Dion records, this album spans a wide musical spectrum, including the dramatic "Le Fils de Superman," the funk-tinged "Je Danse Dans Ma Tete," the bluesy "Les uns Contres les Autres," and the mega-power ballad "Le Blues du Businessman." Also on this album is one of her biggest French-language hits, "Un Garçon Pas Comme les Autres (Ziggy)," as well as a song that was an English-language European hit for Cyndi Lauper, "Le Monde Est Stone" ("The World Is Stone"). This album was a labor of love for the composer and the singer. Despite some middle-of-the-road fare, this is a strong collection of songs and a must for the singer's legions of fans.

 

Plus they at last corrected her profile 80's to 00's - she's now up there with Madonna!!!! QUEEN OF EVERYTHING!

[ferjaacu]

Thank u !!! Interesting reviews...

[Davey84]

Plus they at last corrected her profile 80's to 00's - she's now up there with Madonna!!!! QUEEN OF EVERYTHING!

 

She has always been Queen of everything!

 

 

Cool reviews, though I have read the LAP one years ago. Cool they are on allmusic now!

[celinesounds]

nice review we all have to agree Olympia and A Paris are her best live albums ever and will remain forever

[Matej]

Great reviews, thanks for sharing!

[Bell]

It was very interesting reading them, thanks!

[duri]

Great that reviews are on allmusic. Thanks for sharing.

[frana]

Wow

Great thank you for sharing

[NeliCD]

I'm so proud to read these reviews about our 'Queen of everything'. Very great words,thanks!

[celinemaniacaik]

Queen of everything- OH YEAH!

[celinecolombian]

Wow, very nice reviews.

"nice review we all have to agree Olympia and Live A Paris are her best live albums ever and will remain forever"

[agentwigs]

Just listened to both of these albums back to back this morning. They are truly the best live albums!

 

I love the fact that even though they were recorded only one year apart, the set list is almost entirely different!! She would never do this now. It's also a great shame she's now abandoned most of her Olympia songs!!

Edited October 13, 2016 at 10:29 AM by agentwigs