Customer Reviews

Gold

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

Having fallen in love with Eder's voice back in her Jekyll & Hyde days, I was very pleased to hear this new, refreshing recording, including a collection of covers and original pieces sung as only Linda can. With a voice I find more powerful and resonant than Barbra's, she delivers a knockout with every single track on this CD (although I also highly recommend It's No Secret Anymore and It's Time). Any connoisseur of fine music and vocal stylings should get this recording-it quickly became one of my most listened to albums. From the perfectly-timed, poignant If I Had My Way and the well-arranged Here Comes the Sun to the stunning title track, this is a gem of an album. In case you couldn't tell, this is a CD I think highly of. :) It has touched me very deeply and will touch you too.

Over the years, Linda has played with her studio production style a bit, from the classic sound of "And So Much More", to the wonderful big-band sounds of "It's Time" and "It's No Secret Anymore". Her Christmas album even has a tribal, Lion-King Choir sound to it at times. With "Gold" she again takes on a new production style, with emphasis on strings, a slight country flair, and absolutely no vocal enhancements. Yet what remains on this Album, as in all her others, is the best voice I have ever heard. I have seen her live, and own all of her albums, and her voice is so amazingly strong and beautiful that it seems like it comes from another planet. With that talent, Linda can afford to experiment a little bit with production. Her best songs on "Gold" are the title song and "If I Had My Way", since they grab you and won't let you go. Though the bare-bones country sound of many songs on "Gold" isn't her best production style, this woman can sing the phone book and make it sound good. So "Gold", like all her other albums, lives up to its title.

I didn't know Linda Eder had released a new CD until I heard her sing on July 4th with the Boston Pops. My wife and I both enjoy her work, so buying this latest effort of hers was a "no brainer". She and I listened to it yesterday, and found that Ms. Eder has retained the high quality of singing and composition that mark her previous efforts. Once again, most of the CD contains songs composed by her husband, who has a definite flair for putting out the type of song perfectly suited to her vocal talents. There is a cover song from an old Dusty Springfield standard, which she does superbly, and a few others that were recognizable. It's the perfect CD to listen to when you want to spend some "quality time" relaxing with your special someone. Linda Eder sets the mood, and delivers another wondeful compilation for lovers everywhere!

The great voice, which reminds me more of Judy than Babs, takes a different track on this CD. The variety of songs is ok, but too much of a pop orientation for my taste. Some gospel hints in here as well, and she performs with her ususal stunning capabilities. If you don't own her CD's start with And so much more if you like ballads, or It's Time if you want to hear her do what almost nobody else can do like her (including Man of LaMoncha, wish I could spell).

I own every c.d. of Linda's and eagerly looked forward to this one. I'm sorry to say I was rather disappointed; unlike her other c.d.s, which are terrific and exciting, this one will just be sitting on my shelf. "Son of a Preacher Man" and "Drift Away" are unworthy of her wonderful talent; she does do a rather nice arrangement of "Here Comes the Sun", but this is a monotonous, boring song, again, not worth wasting time on. The title song is gorgeous, the only great cut on the c.d., and she sings it fabulously, but the other material is mostly forgettable. It seems as though now that Linda's becoming more popular and gaining a larger audience, she feels she has to lower her standards to please everyone. BIG MISTAKE!!! I'm just going to sweep this one under the rug and hope that in her next effort Linda returns to her usual level of excellence and impeccable taste.

This album is pretty good, but it is not the best. Don't get me wrong I am a HUGE Linda Eder fan but these songs don't show off her voice enough. It is still good though and you should add it to your collection. "If I Had My Way" is a really touching song. She also does " Son Of A Preacher Man" very well. Again this is just my opinion and I know other people have different one's. And as always, LINDA RULES!

......and NBC was too careless to make mention of it during their broadcast. Anyway, if you're looking for the song that Kristi Yamaguchi skated to that night, you've found it, and what a song it is! I can't often make claims like this when reviewing a CD, but it's worth the price just for this one track; it's THAT good! With a melody that soars, inspiring lyrics, and a knock-out vocal performance, it's without a doubt the standout song in this collection, but it's certainly not the only one worth hearing, either. Some fans are upset that Linda has tried to branch out and do a couple of different styles of music on this CD than she has done previously, but THIS fan applauds her for taking risks. No, it's not like earlier recordings, but I really don't want to purchase the exact same thing over and over, either. This collection has more pop songs on it than anything else Linda has released, but there are still moments when that "note" shines through......you know, the high-powered belting voice that her fans love. Highlights include "If I Should Lose My Way", (a lovely ballad that will bring tears to your eyes), "Until I Don't Love You Anymore", (the first radio-single), and the powerful "If I Had My Way", which closes the album. There really isn't a bad track at all, actually. I've read elsewhere that "Gold" deserves to go platinum. I'll second that.

For those of us who have loved Linda Eder for years, "Gold" admittedly does take some getting used to. Unlike her prior three releases that featured big band/swing with some broadway tunes, this one is pure pop with some country and broadway songs. But once you play the CD a few times, and get over the fact that this is an entirely different style for her, you'll really start loving this CD. My guess here is that someone who is new to her will have less of a problem than her older fans.

Simply put, Linda Eder has one of the best voices I've ever heard and its on fine display on this CD. The title track recently heard in the Olympic opening ceremonies has a lush symphonic orchestration and Linda's delivery is emotional and hearfelt as it is in "If I Had My Way." "Here Comes the Sun" is a fresh, original take on the classic and a wonderful tribute to George Harrison that had my music critic friend constantly hitting the repeat button on the CD player.

Other highlights include the pop/country "Gently Break My Heart",the latin hip sounding "Her Gypsy Heart" and one recently released as a single "Until I Don't Love You Anymore." I could see any one of these becoming a radio hit.

Linda is still a well kept secret that is slowly starting to become better known. Her recent and upcoming March Bravo specials and her Olympic exposure will help. But the only real thing standing in her way is better management and PR. By now, she should be more visible promoting "Gold", especially because of the Olympic exposure, but apparently shes not as ambitious to become a huge star that many agree is well within her grasp. Her family life is more important to her..imagine that!

If and until she becomes more famous, its now an excellent opportunity to see one of her phenomenal concert performances. They are filled with songs that take full advantage of her amazing voice and range and she is one of those rare performers who even sound better in person. I also recommend you watch a March 4 Bravo concert special where she appears along with Trisha Yearwood, Cindy Lauper, Mandy Moore and others and steals the show. In addition, She will be featured later that month in Bravo Profiles.

..but this album doesn't glitter and it is GOLD.
Linda Eder is one of the most talented artists on the music scene. The strength and clarity of her voice cannot be matched. The only problem of having such a fabulous voice is the difficlut task of trying to find material that does it justice. A majority of Linda's songs are written by her husband, Frank Wildhorn. He may be a fair composer, but Linda needs to expand her horizons. His songs become formulaic and the listener is left with the feeling of "Haven't I heard this music before with different lyrics?" Even though this album has its share of Wildhorn tunes, they have been given a new feel. He has also worked with different lyricists and that can give the music an extra lift. The orchestrations are lighter and have a bit of a country feel to them. The style of this album is mostly light and easy and I think it suits Linda perfectly. I have a few of her albums and GOLD is fastly becoming a favorite. I prefer the over-all sound to that of her previous albums, which can get a little too jazzy/big band for me. The cover songs are wonderful - Here Comes The Sun is very refreshing, although Son Of A Preacher Man never really seems to get up and go. Drift Away gives her voice a different edge that is pleasantly surprising. Her Gypsy Heart is a great story song with a soft Latin flavor that paints a vivid mental portrait of the girl dancing on the boulevard and falling into her lover's arms. The beautiful duet How In The World is pure feel good pop. The Wildhorn songs are predictable, but not too bad. Linda seems to be growing more and more into her voice and I think her best is yet to come. There is something about listening to this album that is homey. It's like sitting on the front porch with an old friend and talking late into the evening. It doesn't smack the listener in the face with heavy orchestrations or spectacular songs, but the softness and style are easy on the ears. This album may not glitter, but it is GOLD.

No one has a voice quite like hers! Linda Eder may not have went with her traditional style, but the result was amazing! From George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun" to "Drift Away," "Her Gypsy Heart," and finally the beautiful title song played at the 2002 Olympics, "Gold," Linda proves she can change styles and still have listeners dropping their jaws as they realize and discover her incredible talent.