Jan 219 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 This guy is 8 months late Why now? http://oxfordstudent.com/2015/05/13/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennett-dont-mean-a-thing/ By Benjamin Huston on 13/05/2015 I’m not a fan of Lady Gaga or Tony Bennett. What’s more, I’m inherently sceptical about any big album release of swing standards by superstar singers. It’s too easy these days to default to sycophantic vocal mush half-disguised by generic arrangements for an underutilised big band (yes, Michael Bublé, I’m thinking of you). Regardless, I promise to keep an open mind. Unsurprisingly perhaps, this album plays it safe. There are 11 songs but the total playing time is just over half an hour and five of the tracks are under three minutes long. Many of the performances are padded out with instrumental solos, all of which add colour to the overall offering, but I would have preferred a bolder use of the band as a whole in shout sections and there is certainly time for them to have done so. The best number is definitely the last: It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing). Unlike most of the others, there is a sense of a true progression with the arrangement which increasingly involves the band in an exciting crescendo to the end. On the whole, the arrangements might have tried a great deal more: phrases in the upper register for the trumpet section, more loosely enforced rhythms and improvised instrumental fills. However, at a basic level, the only criteria that truly matters in this genre is the impression of how much of a good time the singers and musicians seem to be having. Unfortunately, this album sounds like a collection of well-rehearsed impressions of jazz standards rather than originals. There isn’t the sense that anyone has a true connection to the music or takes any risks in their performance. The instrumental solos all sound roughly the same and there is little or no room for improvisation in the accompanying sections. In essence, this is a charmless offering: easy to listen to but mechanical. And then there is the question of the vocalists. I’m slightly surprised to have to say that Lady Gaga completely carries Tony Bennett. His vocals are too often flat, strained and with little or no colour or expression, which are all the signs of a singer near retirement. Lady Gaga’s performance is pretty much the polar opposite: pitch perfect, flexible and expressive. Firefly demonstrates this perfectly. Bennett’s opening vocals border on painfully out of tune, but as soon as Lady Gaga takes over the piece is somewhat redeemed – she handles the acrobatic rhythms and difficult intervals with style and the band comes alive behind her. Her solo effort for Lush Life also deserves considerable praise and shows the versatility of her voice on all the important levels of jazz singing. Her command of the open tempo and sparse texture is really very nuanced, her voice at points fragile and lilting and at others rich with powerful vibrato. However, in some of the musical numbers she attempts too much and her vocal interpretation isn’t consistent throughout. In the first number, Anything Goes, she begins with a relaxed and open characterisation which suddenly turns harsh and nasal. Having said that, I’d rather try too much than default to Bennett’s uninteresting drawl. In all, this is an enjoyable album with some good moments, particularly from Lady Gaga. However, if you want to get into the genre of swing, jazz and musical vocal classics, you’re better off going to the old masters: Ella Fitzgerald, Fred Astaire, Billie Holiday or Ol’ Blue Eyes (Frank Sinatra) himself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop 15,163 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 tl;dr But slay (I hope it's a positive review) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolev 866 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 too l8 they won a grammy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan 219 Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 tl;dr But slay (I hope it's a positive review) It is not :air: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop 15,163 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 It is not :air: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan 219 Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 Actually I just read it and it's surprisingly positive toward Gaga though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gagadisiak 539 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Poor Tony :( Où est-tu ma Salope ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986 629 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 BUY BEAUTY BEHIND THE MADNESS ON ITUNES. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonsterMum 2,532 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 He did Tony so wrong Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry 2,374 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 "His vocals are too often flat, strained and with little or no colour or expression, which are all the signs of a singer near retirement." "Bennett’s opening vocals border on painfully out of tune" Mess. Leave Tony ALONE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Bromance 5,809 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 First of all, this guy is 8 months late. Second of all, how could he be so scathing towards Tony???!!! Tony did an amazing job on this album, as did Gaga. It's his opinion, I guess. At the end of the day, Gaga and Tony won a Grammy for their collaboration along with endless praise. I don't care what you think about unless it is about me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild 1,296 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 I agree with nearly everything the article says especially in regards to Gaga vocally outshining Tony. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinthesheep 2,947 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 I think people forget that tony bennett is 88 years old? He is a legend and this review is a disgrace Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yves 1,891 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Not them scalping Tony. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battle 4 Ur Life 6,198 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 1st he actually praises Gaga.but he drags the album in a way only a bored frustrated-because-I-don't-get-as-much-sleep-as-I-should oxfordstudent .com would do. this guy is anything but a critic. Smash With a Smile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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