Customer Reviews

(2): Duets

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was pleasantly surprised when I bought ONJ's latest endeavor. After releasing countless tired compilations of old material, this new CD is like a breath of fresh air.
The first track Sunburned Country with Keith Urban really caught my attention with its electric guitar opening. It's an empowering tune about the love of their homeland down under. It makes you want to visit!
Lift me Up with Darren Haynes is absolutely charming! The duo sound great together!
I'll come Runnin' with Tina Arena is another gem. The two singers have great harmony. I'm not familiar with Tina here in Canada, but she is a promising young talent.
Tenterfield Saddler with Peter Allen is a mournful ballad. Not being familiar with Australian history, this song is a bit lost on me, but I respect the artists' endeavor to sing it with heart.
I will be Right Here with David Campbell is a beautiful but predictable ballad, written by Diane Warren. Again I thank Olivia for exposing me to some of Australia's talent.
I Love you Crazy with Human Nature combines Olivia's vocals with the group's chorus.
Bad About You with Billy Thorpe is a stompin' country tune designed to get people off their feet and on the dance floor. I wish Olivia would sing more songs like this! This tune rivals anything you will hear on country stations.
I'm Counting on You with Johnny O'Keefe is a country ballad reminiscent of the 1950's sound. It's a real treat.
Never Far Away with Richard Marx is beautiful and poetic ballad. I haven't heard anything from Marx since the 80's I'm glad to hear that he is still around.
Happy Day with Jimmy Little is a cute ditty, but my least favourite song on the CD. Maybe it'll grow on me in time.
Act of Faith with Micheal McDonald is reminiscent of that famous Doobie sound. Who would have thought - Olivia with Micheal McDonald!! But it works! Another gem worthy of airplay.
The mambo version of Physical repackages an old hit from the 80's. Actually I kinda like this version better than the original.
I hope ONJ has great success with this release. Some of her previous CDs like Soul Kiss and Gaia failed to inspire. Hey if Cher can still have hit songs there is no reason why Olivia can't enjoy a resurgence of popularity.

Olivia Newton-John's latest album is easily among her best ever. The choice of songs and singing partners is diverse and she manages to blend with them all seemigly effortlessly. Olivia's voice used to always sound so young and innocent and it was a shock to me when it started developing qualities more associated with a fading talent. However, as another reviewer commented, the practise that she has had through lots of touring over the past few years has now paid due dividends and her voice has grown into it's maturer self with class. She sounds absolutely great on this collection of duets, which has been superbly produced over a variety of styles. There is a little country, a little pop, a country rocker and it effortlessly runs the gamut, displaying a versatility drawn from Olivia's career to date. Unless you are an Aussie music fan, some of the names may be unfamiliar but the US artists Richard Marx and Michael McDonald should be well known to most - unless you have been living in a cupboard for the last couple of decades. Personally, all the tracks I prefer are with the Oz gang (Darren Hayes, Tina Arena, Human Nature et al). The posthumous duets are superbly and respectfully carried off too.

In short, it entered my CD player a few weeks ago, entered my head a couple of days later and hasn't left either since!

My congratulations to Olivia and the team for a return to top, top form!

Now Livvy - get yourself over to the UK where the wealth of warmth for you must be experienced to be believed!

In these bleak days when pop radio is full of cheap, "sound du joir", bubble-gum, hip-hop, electronica, throw-away garbage, it is SO wonderfully refreshing to know that classy artists like ONJ continue NOT to follow that path, and continue to put out such high quality music as is evident on this latest disk.

I agree with most reviewers: Olivia's voice sounds stronger and clearer than ever. Definitely, her past couple of years of touring have improved and toned her vocal quality. Not that her voice was really in bad shape, but during the years in which she did not exercise it, there was a definite decline in quality--although even then, she could run circles around the likes of most other pop singers.

I also love the choices Olivia made as to whom to duet with on this CD. Most names are relatively unknown to American audiences--again, a refreshing change, since most "duets" albums are all with hugely popular artists. This CD provides the chance for lesser known singers to meld their voices with ONJ's--and a work of art has resulted.

If only some of these songs could make it to American radio, O might have a chance to hit the big time again. Still, sometimes I think she is better off doing her own thing, enjoying her own quiet and successful life away from the chaos and fickleness that IS the American music industry and music-buying public, in general.

Great job, Olivia. You are truly Australia's shining star--and you deserve to be America's as well!

Wake up, America! The unceasing evolution of Olivia Newton-John has entered a new chapter. Her latest effort is a lush collection of irresistibly appealing NEW duets with a whole slew of her buds from Down Under (as well as Yanks Richard Marx and Michael McDonald). From the opening anthem to Oz, "Sunburned Country", with Keith Urban, to the sweetly simple "Happy Day" with Jimmy Little, Olivia effortlessly glides from track to track with a palpable exuberance for each and every note. She's having a ball, and she sounds better than ever. Other gems on the disc include the Savage Garden-influenced "Lift Me Up", "Tenterfield Saddler", a posthumous duet with Peter Allen, "Bad About You" with Billy Thorpe and two Diane Warren confections - "I'll Come Runnin'" with Tina Arena and "I Will Be Right Here", with David Campbell (son of Jimmy Barnes). There is also an uncredited bonus track - a sultry, samba revision of her biggest hit, "Physical".
This is an album that needs to be heard. It's a crime that it's not available for retail in the USA: it's about time that the prejudice against ONJ in America ended. "2" is just 2 good 2 be kept on the backburner.

Olivia Newton-John is one of the most underrated female singers of all time. Her range and different musical choices are the reasons I'm a long-time fan. She's never been afraid to take chances and do what she wants to do. I really like and respect that about her. With the newest CD titled "2" Olivia does it again. Each song varies from upbeat pop/rock to slow to country. She really sounds like she's having fun. The guest vocalists also seem to be having fun. The songs are quality produced songs. Within each song Olivia shows us her range of highs and lows (the new "Physical" is a wonderful example of that). She sounds incredible. Proof positive that physical age doesn't matter, the spirit stays young and free if it wants to. Olivia has a real confidence in her these days and it comes through. It also comes through in her stage show. I highly recommend going to her show as well. She's very down-to-earth and connects with her audiences like nobody I've ever seen. That makes her a true superstar. Add "2" to your collection. It's well worth it!

A wonderful album, so rich that it deserves to be a top seller. Hearing Olivia in such a variety of songs is a joy, the album has a rare unity despite the different styles and partners. There are some knock out tunes, the best the song with Darren Hayes from Savage Garden : that IS adult pop, elegant, sexy without all the high drama and over production that is the common thing in these so arid years. The song with Tina Arena is a winner, please DJ 's, play the song it must be a # 1 . The rest is fantastic and the bonus track, Physical, is a classic reworking of a song, sooooo sexy. A great song is the rocker Sunburned Country with Keith Urban, a potential # 1 in country charts

Olivia is a legend, she deserves to be treated with more respect and this album proves that the voice IS the personality, not the "volume" of it., as sometimes some think.

Pop lives, long live the queen!!!(...)

Olivia is sounding better than ever, and has put together duets with the creme de'le creme of Aussie (and US) artists on this CD! It's clear this was a labor of love for her. From rockers to ballads, light & fun to duets with artists from beyond the grave! Stand-out tracks... Well, ALL OF THEM, but "Sunburned Country" with Keith Urban would have to be a favorite.

This album debuted GOLD and at #5 in Australia the first week it came out! That has to tell you something: BUY IT! You won't be disappointed. Whether Olivia fan, or fan of just one of the spectacular guest stars, it's worth it. (And like me, you'll be wishing "2" was a 2-disc set!)

PS: The "bonus" untitled track is a PHENOMINAL Samba-style version of her biggest hit, "Physical" -- Such a crowd pleaser on her last tour she had to record it!

Olivia Newton John is a woman who is into surprising her fans.
the "2" album is a great album with great artists whom i am glad Olivia made some business with.
Olivia and Tina 's song is ok but Humans nature and Savage garden songs are so so so good!
the best of all is "heaven wait for us " with Richard Marx...
I wished to have the disco "Physical 99" instead of the boring physical in the "2" album.
Olivia did a great job in this album , because she was really happy!
in brief , this cosmopolitian exotic album deserves to be not only a top five in the Australian charts but also in the US , German , english top 5 charts as well ......
thanks and nice to hear from a super star like Diva Olivia !

Her first album with inedited songs since 1998, this CD is a real joy for her fans. Not only her voice is as wonderful as ever, but she offers with it a fresh and very contemporary sound: result of her ability to mold her voice to her collaborators' style, without losing her own distinctive signature. A combination of upbeat songs and ballads, this album is full of an optimism and strength that show how determined she is to go ahead with her career. There are some numbers that could even become hits, like her songs with Daren Hayes (ex Savage Garden), Tina Arena or Human Nature.
It would be a pity not to listen to it and witness how Olivia keeps evolving with the times.

I haven't listened to Olivia for quite awhile. My girlfriend bought this cd. I was amazed! This is not the "Sandy" I grew up on. It is edgey and upbeat. Plus I believe it has a couple of songs on it that should be playing on the radio--- Sunburned Country with Keith Urban is awesome---kind wild--rock and country wrapped up together. The song I'll come runnin with Tina Arena is also very easy listening and nice. I rock with the song Bad About You. This is Olivia singing it---it's way cool--I didn't know she sang like that. I Will Be Right Here and Lift me Up are nices ones to cuddle with.

Hope these wll be on the radio----Good Job Olivia---You have a new fan-----