It has a traditional pop vibe to it, where the iconic songstress covers some of the biggest Broadway standards. The album opens with “At the Ballet,” where she collaborates with Anne Hathaway and Daisy Ridley. Patrick Wilson (Little Children) also lends his velvet voice on “Loving You.” Speaking of Wilson, it was great to see him perform this duet live with Streisand at her show at the Barclays Center.
With the help of modern technology, Streisand collaborates with the late Anthony Newley on “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me).” A pleasant surprise is seeing Alec Baldwin showcase his singing talent on “The Best Thing That Has Ever Happened.”
Australian actor Hugh Jackson is terrific on “Any Moment Now” and his voice blends well with Queen Barbra. Comedian Melissa McCarthy stuns on “Anything You Can Do,” as they tips their hats to the musical Annie Get Your Gun.
Seth MacFarlane showed his “Pure Imagination” on a track from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the inclusion of Antonio Banderas on “Take Me to the World” was an added bonus. The album closes with a medley of “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” with heartthrob actor Chris Pine, as well as the soaring “Climb Every Mountain” with fellow Oscar winner Jamie Foxx.
The Verdict
Overall, the new Barbra Streisand album is a tremendous smash. All songs on there are well-polished and her special guests bring a little extra to the table on each recording. It garners two thumbs up.
