Céline Dion is a vocal goddess. Very few people on this earth still can compare to her vocal prowess, and the fact that she has been around since 1981 and is still churning out quality music is an incredible feat. She has had an illustrious career that has culminated in her current residency in Las Vegas which is one of the most profitable in history. In a new era in music where it's all about sex and over-produced EDM jams, Céline isn't giving up just yet and proving that music can still be good with beautiful melodies and a strong vocal. Loved Me Back to Life is Dion's first English-language studio album since 2007's Taking Chances. The album was put together by the likes of Sia, Ne-Yo, Babyface and Tricky Stewart, among others. Sticking with tried and true producers and song writers, Loved Me Back to Life should have been a phenomenal album. Especially with the title track as the lead single and having heard 'Somebody Loves Somebody' my expectations were high. Sadly those were not met. The album is strong in places, but it lacks in originality and excitement, especially in the latter half. That being said, I've never been a huge fan of Céline (expect of course my love affair with 'My Heart Will Go On' cannot be put into words), but this new era has made me a solid fan and I really want to go see her show in Vegas when I go see Britney Spears's Piece of Me spectacle.

The album starts off strong with its more contemporary sound, echoing the pop divas of today. This is mainly fueled by the strong lead single 'Loved Me Back to Life' that the incredible Sia Furler wrote. The song is a power ballad unlike no other and is an instant standout. The momentum stays steady with the ethnic sounding 'Somebody Loves Somebody' which is another track that instantly gets stuck in your head. If Céline had done more dance pop songs like this I think the album would have been much stronger. Dion's duet with Ne-Yo could have been fantastic, but it tapers off after a few listens. The hook of 'Incredible' is great, but this is another instance in which Ne-Yo comes close but never accomplishes the perfect recording. It's weak in the verses and never goes anywhere.

'Water and a Flame' is great because it's a much different route for Céline, allowing her to show off her lower register which doesn't usually get showcased. It's a grittier sound which I quite enjoy. 'Breakaway' and 'Save Your Soul' are the last instances of Top 40-esque pop that we hear on the album. 'Breakaway' benefits from a fantastic chorus that gets Céline belting, and 'Save Your Soul' is the closest she ever gets to doing a contemporary uptempo. It may be a bit generic and I could hear a plethora of Selena Gomez's and Ke$ha's singing it, but I think Dion brings something special to it.


The album then leaves behind the 2013 sound and delves more into Céline's comfort zone. This is nice because it shows she isn't compromising her integrity, but at the same time it comes off very dated and blah. 'Overjoyed' is a cover and features Stevie Wonder, a duet that is quite beautiful. It's awesome listening to two legends feed off each other, but it doesn't have the impact you hoped it would. Continuing with the R&B sound that reminds me a lot of Mariah Carey (duh, because Babyface is quite present here), we have 'Thankful' and 'How Do You Keep the Music Playing'. Both are smoky piano ballads that you would expect to hear in a dimly lit lounge as the starlet leans against a grand piano seductively smoking a cigarette. It provides a nice ambiance, but is largely forgettable.

The final element of the album is of course the simple and raw piano ballads that Céline is known for. 'Thank You', 'Always Be Your Girl' and 'Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)' all sound similar, but they let Céline pour out the emotion through her vocals and they're quite beautiful. None of them particularly stand out, though, which is a shame. 'Lullabye' leaves the album on a low note, and doesn't particularly make the listener want to give the album another spin.

Tracks to Check Out: 'Loved Me Back to Life', 'Somebody Loves Somebody', 'Breakaway', 'Overjoyed'

Overall Rating: 7/10