The Performance [Import]

Shirley Bassey (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 17, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Polydor UK
• ASIN: B002RKXO68
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,054,758 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A majestic statement!, November 17, 2009

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Performance (Audio CD)

It's hard to believe that Dame Shirley Bassey is 72. Her powerful pipes would put some of todays divas to shame. Still very much relevant, she performs at the Glastonbury Festival with acts less than half her age, and this CD just made the UK top 20 albums chart.

Her last album "Get the party started" was a covers project with edgy and experimental production dramatically transforming songs like Lionel Richie's cheesy smash hit "Hello" into a Trip Hop classic (rather cool), among others.

For her new CD "The Performance", she treads the same path Nancy Sinatra did on her 2004 eponymous disc. Contemporary British acts (some huge fans of the Dame) have written new songs for her and David Arnold handles production duties. The result? a sweeping, majestic statement that sounds like it was recorded in the 60s, much like Duffy and the like are emulating.

The Pet Shop Boys provide the sweeping theatrical sounding "The performance of my life" and she gives it that. A string swathed ballad with a nice horn break.

Tom Baxter provides the delicate almost lullaby-like "Almost there" which builds to a bombastic climax. "Im not quite so long, I'm not quite so foolish" she reminisces. Rufus Wainwright provides the Flamenco-tinged "Apartment". Gary Barlow provides the horn-sprinkled "This time". Nick Hodgson provides the sweeping "I love you now", John Barry (who wrote 3 James Bond theme songs for her) provides "Our time is now" (which starts off deceptively subtle but builds up to a sax-filled Bond-style ballad).

David Arnold and David McAlmont provide "As God is my witness", David Arnold and Don Black provide the cinematic "No good about goodbye", Manic Street Preachers and David Arnold provide the sunny "The girl from tiger bay" (already sounding like a theme song and remniscent of Propellerheads' History Repeating featuring the Dame herself), KT Tunstall provides the edgy horn-peppered Bluesy "Nice men", and Richard Hawley provides the melancholic spare piano cello cymbal-framed ballad.

This is a collection of sweeping dramatic and heartfelt songs. Beautiful!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, November 21, 2009

By 

Ian Barnard (Los Angeles, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Performance (Audio CD)

This is a stunning album. But don't spend $50 buying it here--you can buy it at less than half that price (including international shipping to the US) on amazon.co.uk. Also, note that the Amazon.com descriptor is incorrect: this is not a live album.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS DIAMOND IS FOREVER!!!, November 29, 2009

By 

Burton D. Shapiro "cd master" (Ft Lauderdale, F l. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Performance (Audio CD)

At 72, the Grand Dame, sings better then most of the younger singers that are performing today. The album is breathtaking. 11 new tracks, by todays best writers. The Pet Shop Boys have written her a new Anthem "The Performance Of My Life"

This album is already a major hit in Europe, so let get it released in the USA. Every track is great, pure Bassey at her best. Best of all the voice is still strong and vibrant, with no signs of dimming.

I urge all Bassey fans to buy this CD. it is a must have. You will not be dissapointed!!