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35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beauty, power and brilliance caught on a CD, April 26, 2000
Very few times have I ever seen an album title so perfectly describe an artist and release. Forget comparing her with her past (and present) in the Eurythmics; with Diva, Annie Lennox makes audiences stand up and take notice of her power and talent as an individual. With poignant lyrics, lush orchestrations, and her incredible voice, Annie Lennox puts together a brilliant and powerful piece of aural beauty. Even before Lillith Fair and the "women's movement" in music came along, Annie Lennox was showing the world how women really were "doin' it for themselves." And she was doin' it with style, grace, beauty, brains, power, and finesse.The release begins on a very strong note with "Why" which showcases the strength, power and beauty of Annie's voice, accompanied by lush, beautiful orchestration. It's no wonder this song was a huge success as a single in 1992. "Walking on Broken Glass" was also released as a single and had a lot of success; it still gets played a lot today on light rock stations. This is a very strong and uplifting song. Unfortunately for me, some of its initial power and edge has been lost because it has been overplayed, but that's just a personal interjection. "Precious" gives us a bit of the soul rock flavor that Eurythmics' fans are familiar with; this is a fantastic and strong attitude song. "Legend in My Living Room" is another fantastic soul-rock attitude song that tells it like it is; you'll be struttin' around with your hands on your hips and singing along. "Cold" returns us to the deep, lush, melancholic feel we started with in "Why" with just a bit of attitude thrown in. "Money Can't Buy It" is a power pop attitude song enhanced by powerful lyrics; you'll be swaying, clapping, and singing along to this one. "Little Bird" is a catchy, fantastic, happy dance-and-sing-along song. However, this is one of those rare occasions where the dance remix of the song actually surpassed the brilliant original (thanks to Utah Saints, this song was a resounding dance floor smash). Other reviewers have nailed the beautiful "Precious" with a single word - atmospheric. The beginning orchestration to "Stay By Me" had me thinking this was going to be a sappy pop song. But as soon as Annie begins to sing, you become mesmerized by the beauty of her voice; this is a beautifully crafted song. "The Gift" is a powerful yet subtle piece, very deep with emotion; it reminds me of the Blue Nile's release Hats. The CD concludes on a wonderfully fun note with "Keep Young and Beautiful." This is Annie's remake of an old classic, which is executed perfectly, from her voice down to the old style sound and record scratches. I can totally see Annie as a flapper singing this in a speakeasy! Falling in among my top 20 releases of all time, this release easily gets a 5 star rating. Whether you let this album stand alone or compare it with other Annie and Eurythmics releases, this is one of the (if not THE) strongest albums released by Annie Lennox. Furthermore, this is a strong piece of art in and of itself, and anyone who appreciates great pop rock will love this album. Whether you are a fan of great orchestration, fantastic and talented voices, or well-written and thoughtful lyrics, this album has everything for everyone. I would recommend this album to almost anyone. The only qualifier I would place is that a certain level of maturity would enhance listening to this release, allowing the listener to really understand the lyrics and let them truly make an impact. This is a fun, brilliant, powerful masterpiece. Buy it. If you already own it, play it. The experience will be worth every moment.
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~ Annie Lennox
~ Annie Lennox
~ Eurythmics
~ Annie Lennox
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