Celine Dion - Taking Chances

Not one of Celine's best efforts

IMO, Celine Dion has a set of pipes second to none. There aren't too many notes that the lady can't hit. And the power of her voice is undeniable. All that said, there are maybe 3 or 4 decent songs on this CD.

Truthfully, in most of the songs, she is all over the place with her range, sometimes changing singing styles in mid-song. The lyrics are forced in most cases, almost amatuerish at times, and the entire production - music, arrangement, backup vocals, tracks, etc. - seems overly stretched. Whoever produced this CD apparently forgot the tonal quality of her actual singing voice and what Ms. Dion is capable of.

She does not need to hit multiple - make that gratuitous on this CD - high-powered crescendos in every single song she sings. While she's not the chantuese of Gershwin or Cole Porter, she is still an extraordinary artist and she has a remarkable voice.

In one bluesy-rock cut, she morphs her voice so that it mimics Genya Raven or Janis Joplin or Kim Carnes. Okay, it was interesting to hear her sing that way and the song might have worked were it not for the absolutely lousy lyrics. Rhymes that are forced make for very boring listening.

No matter, Celine Dion remains one of my favorite vocalists and for me, the magnificence of her voice will always be worth much more than the price of a CD. July 17, 2008

The New Celine

This album reflects a new Celine. If you're in love with the old Celine, you might not care for this album. If you're a die-hard fan, you'll love it all the same. Every artist must change style or die, and that's what she's doing...like it or not. There are some songs that will remind you of the old Celine style, but a lot of the tracks are quite different than what you'd expect.

This is really a CD I can listen to from start to finish. July 2, 2008

Has talent, zero originality

What I can only describe this as "an older woman trying to fit young people's style" really identifies it as a sell-out attempt. Celine Dion, who is known for her glorious talent and beaming notes really fails on "Taking Chances". The songs are all generic and would better be given to the younger voices in music who have no amount of talent. Celine undersings and does not let her true talent show. Famed for incredible ballads like "My Heart Will Go On" and "Beauty & The Beast", this album contains NO hits or anything that'll leave a lasting impression or even remotely heart-touching. It seems everyone, even the great talents, are just trying to fit the standards of the world today. That's not a good thing because musical quality has taken an unexpected plunge. Instead of singers like "Kci & Jojo" and "Brian Mcknight"...we have "50 Cent" and "Lil' Bow Wow"...instead of "Aaliyah" and "Selena", we have "Rihanna" and "J-Lo"...I would've like to have thought that America had some talent left but all is proven wrong with only a very few exceptions. What is happening? Mariah Carey is going hoarse and vocally tired, Celine Dion is trying to fit in, and Whitney Houston ruined her voice by going on crack.
Not much left these days. How degrading. May 24, 2008

Celine Dion Taking Chances

I love Celine Dion's style of singing. I heard the new CD had a little different style and there was a song that she always wanted to record...but never matched the rest of her other albums. I've played it over and over. It was everything I had imagined and more. She never disappoints when she sings! May 19, 2008

No chances are taken here!

Celine just ripped off Kelly Clarkson's and Ashlee Simpson's glossy, vanilla pop-rock style. And cover a cheesy, mainstream 80s power ballad that was already made popular again by an American Idol contestant. It would have been amazing if she had experimented with reggae, dub, punk, metal, rap, techno, folk, etc--and did it right. The only slightly risky thing she's ever done was cover AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long", and she ended up making a fool of herself. May 17, 2008

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