Search - Tina Arena :: Songs of Love & Loss

The Voice of the Century

DJD | The East Coast, USA | 02/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I almost passed on this CD because of the sound samples which I thought weren't very good. But I'm glad I didn't. This is an amazing collection of songs. I won't bother giving you the song by song rundown since other reviewers have covered them quite well. But I will say that the production of the CD is also simply amazing. The sound quality is so crystal clear and undistorted that I thought I was listening to one of my SACD's.



It's no secret to Tina Arena fans that she has, to a great part, "moved on" from making pop records. It has been something like 6 years since her last english language CD. In the interim she has released a few CD's in french, and she has moved from the studio to the stage starring in musicals like Chicago. I am, however, a non-french speaking fan who does also own her french CD's, and I often wonder where, since she is Sicilian, are the Italian language CD's (move over, Laura Pausini).



But as this CD played I thought of the 15 years I have been been in love with her voice (the silk in her voice just turns me to Jello). I realized that it really doesn't matter if her CD's are in english or french, or if they are made up of cover songs or gut wrenching originals about her life. Because the star here is actually her voice and what she can do with it. She truly does have, in my humble opinion, the voice of the century.



Buy this CD. It has been in my player since I bought it. And I am about to push play again."

An Arena of Worthwhile Covers

T. Yap | Sydney, NSW, Australia | 12/25/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Prime Cuts: I Only Want to Be With You, The Look of Love, So Far Away



In a perfect world Tina Arena would have been a superstar with a cardinal prominence in the league of Celine Dion and Whitney Houston. Her expressive vocals has the ability not only to soar to great heights, but she has a way of incurring an array of emotions especially in the way she croons a ballad. Fortunately, in her native land of Australia, this lady's talent has had not been overlooked. This is evidenced by the fact that "Songs of Love and Loss" has charter a career high for this diva when it debut at the ARIA album charts at a lofty number 3 position. According to the album's liner notes this sixth studio CD s a labor of love for Arena. Carefully chosen by the lady from the vault of popular songs from the 60s and 70s performed by women artists (save for 2 originals), these paeans deal primarily with the falling ins and outs of relationships (hence the album title). Backed by London Studio Orchestra conducted by Simon Hale, there is a lush and classy gloss that makes Arena's reflection of love's ups and downs even more romantic and nostalgic.



Of the two originals, "Woman" which first appeared on Arena's "Don't Ask" deals with the social discrimination ladies faced without giving in to overt male-bashing. Though thematically "Woman" fits the tenor of the disc, it is a melodic jigsaw without much of a structure and like many modern pop ballads it falls into the trap of trying to be hip without being memorable. "Until," a brand new track coming from the pens of Arena and Mark Backwell, is more promising with its distinct drum loops with Arena sounding like Kelly Clarkson in her "Breakaway" days.



Nevertheless, the cynosure is in the covers. Arena lounges with class as she kicks up her heels with a jazzy take on Dusty Springsfield's "The Look of Love." Springsfield's repertoire is reprised with Arena's take of the late singer's "I Only Want to Be with You"--this time this Aussie diva has taken a more languid approach dressing up this song about love's yearning in a dreamy overall. While the gentle pickings of the acoustic guitar at the start of Carole King's "So Far Away" adds an air of homesickness enhancing the song's lyrics poignantly. Digging into Diana Ross and the Supremes' discography, Arena has come up with two of their biggest hits. Unfortunately, Arena sounds so eerily close to Diana Ross' phrasing of "Do You Know Where You're Going" that it almost makes this Aussie's version redundant. More innovative is Arena's take of "Love Hanger:" the responsive backing vocals and the doo-wop beat bring out an R&B sass that is quite seductive.



As with almost any cover CDs, comparisons are inevitable especially when these are popular music's most played songs of yesteryears. It may work even better for Arena if she had chosen a couple of lesser known chestnuts: maybe a track or two from Australian women artists might have made this CD even more interesting. Nevertheless, as with all of Arena's albums, the highlight has always been the lady's voice: she has such an engaging vocal presence that is hard to tune out. And that's a compliment few are worthy of.

"

TINA ARENA "SONGS OF LOVE & LOSS"

Pete Doherty | UK | 07/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tina Arena has been one of my favourite artists for years now, her voice is exceptionally brilliant, it's so powerful and clear, because of this, it doesn't matter in the slightest whether she does her own material or whether she does covers.



On "Songs Of Love & Loss" (which was originally going to be an album of Dusty Springfield songs) she covers some of her favourite songs by some of her favourite female artists and (due to her record label wanting her to cover it) R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts." Tina's kept most of the songs on here close to the original versions, "Love Hangover" and "I Only Want To Be With You" being the exceptions, "Love Hangover" is almost like a completely different song (for the better) and "I Only Want To Be With You" has been slowed down which makes the song sound very sad. "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself," "So Far Away," "The Windmills Of Your Mind" and "Until" are defintely the best songs on the album and all show Tina's very powerful voice off to a fine art. Her version of Kate Bush's "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" has surpassed the original in my opinion, as has her version of Lulu's "To Sir With Love" and "Do You Know Where You're Going To" by Diana Ross.



I just find that like Susanna Hoffs, Tina Arena's voice sounds perfect singing either original material or cover versions. The album does not disappoint in any way at all, I'm looking forward to "Songs Of Love & Loss Vol. 2" :)"