"Loved Me Back To Life" album - Official Topic

[LuisMa]

 

 

I don't need to fight for my man...I'll just sick the dogs on whoever tries to get in my way.

 

This time I see you were so diplomatic, but you used a Back Off, Betch!! on me the other day.

 

[Javito]

He's already taken

 

I know... However Spain is closer to Greece than the USA muahahahahahaha

[amelie]

I said '100% original' because she added things to the covers, 'Nature Boy' remains one of her best interpretations. The English and Spanish adaptions of the French songs were also a fresh and creative effort on their part. Talking about the covers in 'Falling Into You'... '(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman' remains one of her worst attempts to do the original justice, since she would strain her voice to come off as soulful. Same goes for the painfully screamed high note in 'River Deep-Mountain High'. Her singing in 'A New Day Has Come' is far superior than her singing in 'Falling Into You'. (And before people come for my comment, they can also ask Your_Su_Phu about it who has an interest for vocal pedagogy).

 

...

[CelinesDIVO5]

I know... However Spain is closer to Greece than the USA muahahahahahaha

 

Frequent flyer miles, and a Buddy pass for flights = fly whenever i want for free

[LukeD]

Will there be any promo in US next week?

[DionFanAlways]

Will there be any promo in US next week?

This is it I guess? I would love to be wrong! Withdraws are setting in at this moment....

[LuisMa]

Yes, she's so addictive. There should be the Celinette chewing gum or Celinette patches to calm down the anxiety.

[LukeD]

This is it I guess? I would love to be wrong! Withdraws are setting in at this moment....

'The Voice' appearance was pretty much a surprise, now that I'm spoiled I'm expecting more surprises!

[DionFanAlways]

'The Voice' appearance was pretty much a surprise, now that I'm spoiled I'm expecting more surprises!

I forgot about New Years also! But I guess that'll just be for Canada???

[Prima_Donna1]

Sad No more appearances!

[smw]

There's a lot to look forward to.

 

I hope Incredible continues to take a journey. Maybe NeYo can fly to duet and they broadcast a live performance. It would be fantastic if they could do one more appearance together -- or, in this case, I really think a music video would do wonders. I hope the song becomes an adult contemporary hit. An appearance on Ellen in January, with NeYo, would be great.

 

There's also the NYE appearance coming up.

 

Celine's incorporating songs into her Vegas show... So she's got a lot on her plate.

 

The Voice and the Christmas Special were so special. And if that's the last big push for the album, I'm very content. She was introduced to a younger crowd on The Voice. So many people who have just heard her name but hadn't really seen her perform before got a taste of why she is the Icon she is.

 

I imagine Celine will be focusing on the Vegas show and settling back into her stability -- but 2014 will also bring some surprises. I hope there will be a few more TV appearances to promote LMBTL. And I imagine there will be a handful of English concerts outside of Vegas. With Jamaica's tremendous support and love, she should strike while the iron's hot and head back there too!

 

We've got so much to look forward to. But I certainly don't take this promotional era for granted. There are still performances and interviews I look forward to watching/re-watching and concert footage from Europe and the release of her Quebec concerts and more studio footage from LMBTL sessions. Etc, etc. I look forward to catching up on all of it!

 

I hope Celine's been reminded that she can surprise herself. And she is missed outside of Vegas.

 

Maybe another Christmas album or a duets album or a jazz album should be released next?

[LuisMa]

I would love it if it becomes her third R&B hit.

[mike_z]

SONY MUSIC GLOBAL just posted this:

 

@celinedion discussed her new sound in "Loved Me Back To Life" with LA TIMES

 

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-celine-dion-life-album-20131218,0,4553951.story#axzz2nrdvWAD3

 

Celine Dion's new, easygoing 'Life'

 

The power singer shows a laid-back side in 'Loved Me Back to Life' that even includes some R&B.

 

 

 

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-celine-dion-life-album-20131218,0,4553951.story#ixzz2nwdftRN5

[LukeD]

The contradiction between making a modern album and supporting it as if it was an album of old covers is frustrating! Who would have thought there would be no music videos, no proper single releases, no I-tunes banners for the new English album of CELINE DION, who sold 1.5m copies of a f****** French album in f****** 2012! Both 'Loved Me Back To Life' and 'Incredible' have objectively shown their potential to be hits, they both cracked Top 40 on I-tunes and 'Loved Me Back To Life' reached Top 20 in Uk, the only market where it was properly promoted. I hope the best for Celine but things seem pretty tough to me, as I see contradictions everywhere: She has this big classic show filled with oldies and all of sudden she is going to add modern songs, then the album itself is divided, same goes for the promotion. It's as if Celine is playing between being 'old-school' and 'modern', I see no real balance so far.

[DionFanAlways]

It is so puzzling to me. I can't wrap my brain around it. I guess they did think it would sell on name alone? (in the States)

[LuisMa]

It is so puzzling to me. I can't wrap my brain around it. I guess they did think it would sell on name alone? (in the States)

 

It seems she's really zigging with the album release.

[DionFanAlways]

It seems she's really zigging with the album release.

Lol! Well she should try zagging then! Because I don't think zigging is doing it!

[LuisMa]

Lol! Well she should try zagging then! Because I don't think zigging is doing it!

 

Either that or zapping to another label.

[Javito]

The contradiction between making a modern album and supporting it as if it was an album of old covers is frustrating! Who would have thought there would be no music videos, no proper single releases, no I-tunes banners for the new English album of CELINE DION, who sold 1.5m copies of a f****** French album in f****** 2012! Both 'Loved Me Back To Life' and 'Incredible' have objectively shown their potential to be hits, they both cracked Top 40 on I-tunes and 'Loved Me Back To Life' reached Top 20 in Uk, the only market where it was properly promoted. I hope the best for Celine but things seem pretty tough to me, as I see contradictions everywhere: She has this big classic show filled with oldies and all of sudden she is going to add modern songs, then the album itself is divided, same goes for the promotion. It's as if Celine is playing between being 'old-school' and 'modern', I see no real balance so far.

 

Thank God, I feel understood

 

I've noticed this since the first listen I gave to the new album. She's trying to do two different albums, to capture two different fanbases, and sorry, but general public doesn't buy that. Either go in one way or another, but please stick to one project at a time. Don't mix two different kind of albums anymore, Céline, please? If you want to be modern, go for it, but all the way and with all your heart and soul into it. Don't stay in the halfway because its so confusing and the album is not credible

 

And about the Vegas show, her career and the new abum, they are like polar opposites today

[CelinesDIVO5]

The contradiction between making a modern album and supporting it as if it was an album of old covers is frustrating! Who would have thought there would be no music videos, no proper single releases, no I-tunes banners for the new English album of CELINE DION, who sold 1.5m copies of a f****** French album in f****** 2012! Both 'Loved Me Back To Life' and 'Incredible' have objectively shown their potential to be hits, they both cracked Top 40 on I-tunes and 'Loved Me Back To Life' reached Top 20 in Uk, the only market where it was properly promoted. I hope the best for Celine but things seem pretty tough to me, as I see contradictions everywhere: She has this big classic show filled with oldies and all of sudden she is going to add modern songs, then the album itself is divided, same goes for the promotion. It's as if Celine is playing between being 'old-school' and 'modern', I see no real balance so far.

Thank God, I feel understood

 

I've noticed this since the first listen I gave to the new album. She's trying to do two different albums, to capture two different fanbases, and sorry, but general public doesn't buy that. Either go in one way or another, but please stick to one project at a time. Don't mix two different kind of albums anymore, Céline, please? If you want to be modern, go for it, but all the way and with all your heart and soul into it. Don't stay in the halfway because its so confusing and the album is not credible

 

And about the Vegas show, her career and the new abum, they are like polar opposites today

 

 

There are only 2 Vegas covers on the album...She didn't truly do a half concept/half new album. Everything else was new songs, regardless of whether or not you consider "Breakaway" a cover, it's still a modern song...WAAF yes, a cover, but it is still a modern ballad...and she's pretty much only been promoting this album with new songs. I haven't seen her do any TV promo performing "At Seventeen" or "Overjoyed"...she's kept it in with the newer songs, SLS, WAAF, LMBTL, and now INCREDIBLE and DKL. Why isn't SONY doing more to promote the album? That remains to be seen. They aren't really promoting it as any kind of album to be honest lol.

 

The Vegas show has nothing to do with this album anymore. It did with the original concept, but now it's a new album which is not promoting the Vegas show or vice versa. Yes, they will be adding new songs to the show, but who knows how else they will re-vamp? We just have to sit back and wait. We can't do anything else.

[LukeD]

There are only 2 Vegas covers on the album...She didn't truly do a half concept/half new album. Everything else was new songs, regardless of whether or not you consider "Breakaway" a cover, it's still a modern song...WAAF yes, a cover, but it is still a modern ballad...and she's pretty much only been promoting this album with new songs. I haven't seen her do any TV promo performing "At Seventeen" or "Overjoyed"...she's kept it in with the newer songs, SLS, WAAF, LMBTL, and now INCREDIBLE and DKL. Why isn't SONY doing more to promote the album? That remains to be seen. They aren't really promoting it as any kind of album to be honest lol.

 

The Vegas show has nothing to do with this album anymore. It did with the original concept, but now it's a new album which is not promoting the Vegas show or vice versa. Yes, they will be adding new songs to the show, but who knows how else they will re-vamp? We just have to sit back and wait. We can't do anything else.

Ok, I'll explain what I said. To me the album is divided into 'modern' and 'old-school' with songs 1-8 being either modern or cool and songs 9-13 being 'old-school', since both 'Thankful' and 'Always Be Your Girl' sound ''been there-done that''. So it's not just about 'Overjoyed' and 'At Seventeen'. The promotion seems divided as well, since one night she appears all sexy singing 'Incredible' with a slutty dress and next day she's back on her gowns, it's obvious she tried to apply to a younger audience on 'The Voice' and an older one during her CBS TV Special. I never thought she was supporting her Vegas show and it's a great thing she only performs new songs during the promotion. That said, the image she created with her successful show from 2011 to 2013 has nothing to do with the sound, style of her new album. One has to see if the public will receive well the addition of modern tracks in this show that is filled with timeless oldies. I personally expect a rather cold reception. Edited December 21, 2013 at 03:13 AM by LukeD

[CelinesDIVO5]

Ok, I'll explain what I said. To me the album is divided into 'modern' and 'old-school' with songs 1-8 being either modern or cool and songs 9-13 being 'old-school', since both 'Thankful' and 'Always Be Your Girl' sound ''been there-done that''. So it's not just about 'Overjoyed' and 'At Seventeen'. The promotion seems divided as well, since one night she appears all sexy singing 'Incredible' with a slutty dress and next day she's back on her gowns, it's obvious she tried to apply to a younger audience on 'The Voice' and an older one during her CBS TV Special. I never thought she was supporting her Vegas show and it's a great thing she only performs new songs during the promotion. That said, the image she created with her successful show from 2011 to 2013 has nothing to do with the sound, style of her new album. One has to see if the public will receive well the addition of modern tracks in this show that is filled with timeless oldies. I personally expect a rather cold reception.

 

The Vegas show part was directed at Javito.

 

I think they did a decent job updating "Unfinished Songs" with the album mix they did...although, after watching the recording session, and hearing part of the original version in decent quality, I personally don't think the song was really that far off the map from sounding fresh anyway.

 

As for her wardrobe for the 2 TV appearances, not only were the demographics different, the setting and concept of the shows were different. "A Home For The Holidays" wasn't a flashy spectacle like "The Voice" is. It was a special about adoption and family, which is a little more conservative in nature. Her boobs should not have been hanging out for a Holiday special like they were for "The Voice" (although I loved the dress and she looked insanely hot) I don't think she was catering to the demographic of people with her wardrobe, she was catering to the type of event she was at. It's like going to The Grammys and going to the MTV VMA's. The Grammys have a bit more of a classier dress code as it is a classy event. Wardrobe should be tasteful at The Grammys. As for the VMA's, it's a free for all because MTV has always been everything BUT classy.

Edited December 21, 2013 at 03:19 AM by CelinesDIVO5

[Cuquito]

I will never understand why she didn't film any music videos for this album.

[LukeD]

The Vegas show part was directed at Javito.

 

I think they did a decent job updating "Unfinished Songs" with the album mix they did...although, after watching the recording session, and hearing part of the original version in decent quality, I personally don't think the song was really that far off the map from sounding fresh anyway.

 

As for her wardrobe for the 2 TV appearances, not only were the demographics different, the setting and concept of the shows were different. "A Home For The Holidays" wasn't a flashy spectacle like "The Voice" is. It was a special about adoption and family, which is a little more conservative in nature. Her boobs should not have been hanging out for a Holiday special like they were for "The Voice" (although I loved the dress and she looked insanely hot) I don't think she was catering to the demographic of people with her wardrobe, she was catering to the type of event she was at. It's like going to The Grammys and going to the MTV VMA's. The Grammys have a bit more of a classier dress code as it is a classy event. Wardrobe should be tasteful at The Grammys. As for the VMA's, it's a free for all because MTV has always been everything BUT classy.

You are right in everything but what I said remains valid. It is as if Celine is trying to please everyone and as much as I agree with you said, I also think that probably her 'older' fans did not like her appearance on 'The Voice' (Someone said there were mothers complaining about her dress) and on the other hand the 'young' audience probably found her TV Special boring. The fact that she is trying to please everyone, does not mean she will actually achieve that. I like both versions of 'Unfinished Songs', by the way. The first one sounds as if it was taken from 2000 and the second one from 2003-2005. It is a cool song though, I don't think it's out of place. To me the songs that sound dated are 'Overjoyed' and 'At Seventeen' and unfortunately 'Thankful' and 'Always Be Your Girl' mostly because of the album's sequence. It's as if they get carried away but the 'old-school' sound of 'Overjoyed' and 'At Seventeen' and sound more dated than they would had a couple modern songs used instead of these old covers. Edited December 21, 2013 at 05:40 AM by LukeD

[Javito]

There are only 2 Vegas covers on the album...She didn't truly do a half concept/half new album. Everything else was new songs, regardless of whether or not you consider "Breakaway" a cover, it's still a modern song...WAAF yes, a cover, but it is still a modern ballad...and she's pretty much only been promoting this album with new songs. I haven't seen her do any TV promo performing "At Seventeen" or "Overjoyed"...she's kept it in with the newer songs, SLS, WAAF, LMBTL, and now INCREDIBLE and DKL. Why isn't SONY doing more to promote the album? That remains to be seen. They aren't really promoting it as any kind of album to be honest lol.

 

The Vegas show has nothing to do with this album anymore. It did with the original concept, but now it's a new album which is not promoting the Vegas show or vice versa. Yes, they will be adding new songs to the show, but who knows how else they will re-vamp? We just have to sit back and wait. We can't do anything else.

 

You think so, really??? Deluxe edition of this album has 2 bonus tracks which both of them are Vegas covers used in her show, and the japanese album has another extra Vegas cover. This album has always been dominated by their initial project of doing an album with Vegas covers, and still is, no matter if you only take the 2 covers in the standard edition or the 5 covers that finally made its way into the "Loved Me Back To Life" complete album tracklist. So having in the end up to 5 Vegas recordings in this album and that you say that "this album has nothing to do with Vegas" is a little ironic, don't you think? If only of those 3 extra tracks we had got 3 BRAND NEW songs from Sia, NeYo or Play Production (for example), we could be saying different things and say that they went truly for the modern concept even with the bonustracks they given us, but that's not the case right?

 

We have Vegas songs in the standard album and we have Vegas songs as (the only) bonus tracks in the deluxe edition. With this move, one can clearly realize that their main effort was -and always have been- to keep the "classic Celine" of the Vegas show at any cost in this album. And *just in case!*, they threw in the album some modern songs to please "that small portion of her fanbase" and to keep her "cool" and in the loop of contemporary music.

 

So to my view, *If only*, they TRIED to hide the Vegas influence in this album including some "modern" songs in the first half of the album, but the resemblance to the CLASSIC "old school Céline" (like Luke described it very appropriately) is clearly there. I'm not talking only of the 2 Vegas covers in tracks 9 and 11, I'm refering also to songs like Didn't Know Love, Thankful, Always Be Your Girl, which are clearly a classic Céline that we've had in the past.

 

And about "Breakaway" and "Water and a Flame", yes they can fit into the category of "modern ballads", but if you compare them with the "ultra modern" sound that she delivered in "Loved Me Back To Life" or even "Somebody Loves Somebody", which open the album, those are still LIGHT YEARS BEHIND the latter, in terms of sound and production. Sometimes I think that the problem maybe is that the song "Loved Me Back To Life" is too modern for this album.

 

There are only 2 Vegas covers in the standard tracklist yes, but that's enough space taken up in the disc for an album that pretends to be modern and then you find in the second half of it that there's more of the same she has done during her whole career. There are certain songs which totally break the flow of the album and that contrast like night to day with the first half of the album. They'd better had replaced these 2 Vegas covers in the second half of the album with 2 more Sia, Audra Mae or Play Production songs and the album would be much more coherent . Or at least respect much more the message when they say that here you'll find a "modern" Celine that has freshened up her style. Yes and no. Only with certain songs (which honestly, these are the minority). It's half true, half a lie

 

I didn't say a complaint about her promo in TV, which like I said in previous posts, to me it has been amazing and she couldn't have done better because she has performed all brand new songs this time (for the very first time in many years)

Edited December 21, 2013 at 09:39 AM by Javito

[Celine Fan 77]

I agree with Jav. I remember when I first listened to the 13 songs of the album's standard edition, the first thing that came to my mind was: great versions of Overjoyed and At Seventeen, but what the hell are they doing here?

 

Another good idea, from my point of view, would have been not to include any Vegas cover in the standard edition, but release them as bonus tracks instead.

[Javito]

I agree with Jav. I remember when I first listened to the 13 songs of the album's standard edition, the first thing that came to my mind was: great versions of Overjoyed and At Seventeen, but what the hell are they doing here?

 

Another good idea, from my point of view, would have been not to include any Vegas cover in the standard edition, but release them as bonus tracks instead.

 

Yes Carlos, I think a lot of fans supported that idea here too, to release all the Vegas covers either as bonustracks and respect the new contents and the "novelty" concept for the standard tracklist, or also to release them in a "Vegas EP" sometime during 2011/2012. But of course René had to insist on mixing everything in one single project instead of doing 2 different releases, like has done many times during Céline's whole career. With the difference that THIS time, the contrast between the new original and modern material with the old covers and ballads is enormous.

 

Of course, that's not an obstacle to enjoy these collection of songs, as I do for example, listening each song individually considered. But as a part of a whole, of something called an "album", I am unable to find their place in it. To me, "Loved Me Back To Life" is and will be the most incoherent and -ironically- rushed up album she's ever released, despite they had 6 years to put it up

Edited December 21, 2013 at 03:37 PM by Javito

[couldawouldashoulda]

Yes Carlos, I think a lot of fans supported that idea here too, to release all the Vegas covers either as bonustracks and respect the new contents and the "novelty" concept for the standard tracklist, or also to release them in a "Vegas EP" sometime during 2011/2012. But of course René had to insist on mixing everything in one single project instead of doing 2 different releases, like has done many times during Céline's whole career. With the difference that THIS time, the contrast between the new original and modern material with the old covers and ballads is enormous.

 

Of course, that's not an obstacle to enjoy these collection of songs, as I do for example, listening each song individually considered. But as a part of a whole, of something called an "album", I am unable to find their place in it. To me, "Loved Me Back To Life" is and will be the most incoherent and -ironically- rushed up album she's ever released, despite they had 6 years to put it up

 

What I will never understand about your point of view is that your favorite album is ANDHC and, in the track sequence for that album, it goes immediately from At Last to Sorry For Love. Those tracks are such different styles it's unbelievable. Why don't you take issue with that? I realize you don't have a problem with those covers because she hadn't sung them in a Vegas show previously but how can get you past the jarring styles of the 1950's to modern (for the time) dance pop?!

[Javito]

What I will never understand about your point of view is that your favorite album is ANDHC and, in the track sequence for that album, it goes immediately from At Last to Sorry For Love. Those tracks are such different styles it's unbelievable. Why don't you take issue with that? I realize you don't have a problem with those covers because she hadn't sung them in a Vegas show previously but how can get you past the jarring styles of the 1950's to modern (for the time) dance pop?!

 

You've got me there, you're right, and I don't know to explain it. I just think that "At Last" fits in ANDHC and has a reason to be there, much more than "At Seventeen" and what it talks about in LMBTL. "At Last" speaks about love and someone who has been waiting so long in life for his/her loved one to come (in Céline's case that could be related to her newborn son in 2002 or for us it could be our new boyfriend/girlfriend). The pivotal theme for ANDHC is love with capital letters, and a song like "At Last" or "Nature Boy" greatly fit in the tracklist, however "At Seventeen" lyrics are sooo personal. A song that's talking about adolescent cruelty, the fears of teenagers and so, and then comes "Always Be Your Girl", a song where Céline speaks as a mother to her children and says that "she will always be her girl" (its not even clear when you're listening if the song is more suitable for her children or for her husband ), maybe its too much of a contrast for these songs to fit one with each other?

 

It would be more suitable for "Open Arms" to be in "At Seventeen" place for example.

 

And about "Overjoyed", I don't have a problem with the song per se, but the duet with Stevie Wonder is a major shock in an album where Sia and NeYo are also present

 

Sometimes these things are not easy to explain but somehow you know and realize when a song fits in an album because it has a place in it, and when it just doesn't And let's not forget that "At Seventeen" and "Overjoyed" where NOT conceived to be recorded for an album. One was conceived for a very specific purpose, a tribute section of a live Grammy Awards event and the other for a live show which was based on classics of the american repertoire. They were not conceived to be recorded for an album, let alone for an album whose main purpose was to be "modern" and that it would ultimately feature a lead song written by the most "modern" songwriter of these days, Sia However "At Last" and "Nature Boy" were chosen to be recorded for an album (with a very specific and defined concept) since the start. They come from very different worlds and backgrounds .

Edited December 21, 2013 at 06:50 PM by Javito

[LuisMa]

I think the most rushed up album was One Heart, but that's a matter of opinions. I love "LMBTL" but it won't take from "ANDHC" the title of Celine's best comeback album. Edited December 21, 2013 at 06:39 PM by LuisMa