Customer Reviews

Beginnings

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Quite an enjoyable CD, with some good new tracks. Would really like to see Cilla do an original song again which was specially written for her.
All in all a good return album, which I hope EMI will follow up with some original material.

Almost 10 years after her last offering (Through The Years) the Liverpudlian legend surprises us all with a new studio album.

Having vowed in recent years that her music was just a faded memory it seems quite a miracle to be listening to 11 recent recordings. Furthermore, the quality of production here combined with a much rejuvenated sounding Black, completely overshadows her musical offerings from the last two decades!!

It would be fair to say that her re-signing to the EMI group, who launched her career back in 1963, has spurred quite a transformation as she takes on some really credible and diverse song material. In fact the whole package from artwork down to her choice of songs is a serious attempt to prove she can still cut it alongside her contemporaries, such as Streisand, Midler and Bassey, who each have stayed true and committed over the years to their musical roots.

Stand out NEW songs on this fusion of rock, pop, ballad and jazz would be the title track "Beginnings" penned specially by old pal Burt Bacharach, "Beautiful Goodbye" a hit country song from Nashville, the timeless "Let There Be Love", Faith Hill's "This Kiss", 70s classic "My Man (You've Changed My Tune)" and "Photograph" written by George Harrison - intended for Cilla and a massive hit for Ringo Starr.

If there is any justice this release will pave the way for her 16th which will no doubt continue the rebirth of a truly great singer.

I wasn't sure what to make of the concept of yet another Greatest presentation of Cilla's hits, this time packaged within new songs. I am, however, extremely delighted with the end result. The "Hit" songs (alas, mostly not in the USA but just about everywhere else) sound extremely contemporary in amongst the new recordings; almost giving them new life.

The "Hit" selection included here ALL made the Top 10 in the UK between 1964 and 1971 but only represent SOME of the hits that Cilla had in the UK, Europe, South Africa and Australia during that time. This selection includes Cilla's outstanding No. 1 sellers "Anyone Who Had A Heart" (which has remained since 1964 the biggest selling single ever in the UK by an English female artist) and "You're My World" which hit the top spot in almost every country it was released. All of these 60's songs serve to remind just how superb those original recordings, all produced by George Martin, were and still are!

The new songs are equally excellent, revealing a Cilla for 2003 who is extremely contemporary. Stand out tracks for me amongst the new ones include "Beginnings", "Imagine", "Let There Be Love", "Photograph" and "Anyone Who Had A Heart (Late Night Version)". This comes down to personal taste and doesn't mean that I don't also adore the tracks I haven't mentioned.

Cilla is the original 60s Brit diva and she proves with this recording that she can still very much cut it. I especially love the surprise inclusion of the unlisted track 21, Cilla's updated "Step Inside Love". Pure 2003.

I recommend this CD to anyone who has ever wondered whether Cilla could still be regarded as a contemporary artist. Hats off to Ted Carfrae for pushing Cilla where David MacKay (Cilla's mid 70s to early 80s producer) feared to tread and BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Cilla. You still rock babe!!!!

The new album, "Beginnings", which mixes `greatest hits` with new tracks, is a great way for anyone who knows nothing about Cilla, to start.

The `greatest hits` tracks, include both her UK No.1s: `Anyone Who Had A Heart` and `You`re My World`, as well as `Step Inside Love` (written fro her by Paul McCartney), `Alfie` and `Conversations`. In total there are eight classic tracks.

Of the new tracks, `Beautiful Goodbye`, `My Man (You`ve Changed My Tune)`, and `Imagine` (with backing vocals by Sir Cliff Richard), stand out.

Cilla shows that she has lost none of her talent, and retains a voice as good, if not better than in her 60s heyday.

The re-working of `Anyone Who Had A Heart`, `I`ve Been Wrong Before` and `Step Inside Love`, also show that she isn`t afraid to update her sound, and that new producers want to work with her.

As Cilla celebrates 40 years in showbusiness, and her 60th birthday, this new album is a deserved winner.

I know that all of Cilla's fans will be thrilled that she's back in the studio and recording again; I guess it's just a shame that they'll be in a small minority. There's no doubting that the Liverpool lass has legions of fans who have made her one of the most enduring and popular TV celebrities in the UK over the past thirty five years. Equally, there can be no argument either that back in the 1960's she was one of the most successful female singers of the era, chalking up over twenty hits, including two number one singles. But when the hits dried up in the early seventies, she was wise to focus more on her TV career. A few albums were sporadically released in the 70's and 80's with the occasional flop single to match, but her last venture into the recording studio was as long ago as 1993 with a one-off album to celebrate her thirty years in the biz. In the meantime, to keep all the fans happy, her vast back catalogue has been issued on CD. Over and over and over again. And again. There have been two 3 CD box sets alone released in the past couple of years, one just three months ago. And yet, her much heralded "new" album is in fact another re-issue project which seems very unfair to her hardcore fans who've been waiting so long for something new. What there is of the new material is mainly cover versions of other peoples hits (always a Cilla habit) and it's of a very mixed standard. My problem with Ms. Black is that she has never found a range that suits her limited vocal talents. It's not fair to say that she can't sing, but it's perfectly true that there's an awful lot she shouldn't try to sing. And amazingly, after 40 years of trying, she still doesn't seem to know what that material is. "Beautiful goodbye" is far and away the standout track here and is a great example of a rhythm and range that works very well with her talents. Rocky, raunchy and very hip, it really is a great vehicle for the famous "big" voice and (since there's a video already recorded this is probably a given) would make a great single with the potential for a big hit. "This kiss" and "Photograph" are also suitable choices of tracks, but alas, that's about it. "My man" has to be the most painful track she's ever committed to disc. The octave is so out of touch for Cilla that you wonder why she even attempted it. "Imagine" and "Kiss you all over" are both way too breathy and soft for Cilla to handle them well. The three 2003 versions of her earlier hits also disappoint hugely. The remix of "Step inside love" (hidden as the uncredited 21st track) is very lame and could have been so much better. I know Cilla fans will be aghast at such blasphemy. Ah well. The potential is here; it's just such a shame it's been missed. Hopefully it will be another 10 years before we have to go through it all again.