Barbra's Return to Pop
September 20, 2005 - There's a line in the new Streisand ballad It's Up To You, that aptly describes the artistic collaboration of Barbra with producer-writer Barry Gibb: "I'm ready to be all you want me to. It's up to you."

Barbra has instinctively placed her trust once again in Gibb's capable hands as he guides her on this delightful pop journey of Guilty Pleasures, her latest album. The result is a musical array of scrumptious contemporary delights. Barbra offers a collection of unique performances, most of which were written just for her. The surprises come, track after track, as we listen to Barbra weave her way with jazz, bassa nova, doo-wop, and yes, even disco, an homage to the Streisand/Gibb collaboration of some 25 years ago.

There is perhaps no better performance on Guilty Pleasures than Without Your Love. The melody is gentle jazz, the lyrics are artful poetry, and the vocals are, well, they're classic Streisand. It's by far the best ballad she's recorded in years.

Out of the vintage Gibb vault comes (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away, one of the selections not written expressly for Barbra. It resurfaces here in a sophisticated reinterpretation as Barbra gives this Andy Gibb top-10 chestnut an extreme makeover. What emerges is a true Streisand performance piece. You'll hear every word and savor every note. It's Barbra performing musical theatre, and we're front row, center.

Barbra vocals are as crisp and vibrant as ever and Guilty Pleasures will surely be considered one of her finest albums. Barbra tackles the the album's stylistic diversity with such seamless ease and grace, demonstrating once again why she is the unquestioned master of modern vocal interpretation.