Search - Diana Ross :: I Love You

Diana Ross in 'Stardust' mode

JohnFTL | 12/25/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Diana Ross is a living legend, and I think its amazing that she's still recording and selling out shows 40+ years after she first began way back in the 1960s. She certainly has an impressive repertoire, with countless top 40 hits. But, when it comes to I Love You, even Diana Ross' fans are either going to really like it or really hate it. For one thing, there's only one original song on the album (the title track) and the arrangement of that song is a bit dated---not the type of song that could ever be a hit in modern times. Diana Ross is better known for catchy pop songs, great ballads, and quite a few dance hits. This album doesn't contain any of the above. Its a collection of mostly really old songs that, to me, don't even fit the mold of what Miss Ross herself claims she was aiming for, according to the blurb on the CD. There are far better songs that she could have selected for an album of classic love songs, and the really unfortunate thing is that none of the songs on this album seem to fit her recording style.



Even at 63 years of age, Diana Ross still has the vocal range to sing just about anything at all. Why she would choose to hide her amazing talent covering this sad collection of songs is a mystery to me. It would have been a better idea to re-record some of her own classic hits and include a few new songs, preferably songs produced by cutting edge R&B producers. Even old school producers like Clive Davis or Quincy Jones could have arranged a much better collection of songs for her. The songs on I love You are ok to listen to, but they're not all that great. To be honest, they are quite boring because they really are from 'long ago and far away', too long ago and too far away for most Ross fans to care about. This again raises the issue that Diana Ross is largely to be blamed for the decline of her Top 40 career during the late 80s and going into the 90s because she insists on having full control over the production decisions, which was a major reason for the fallout between her and RCA records during the 1980s. How does such a huge R&B diva have problems getting a recording contract? She's still world famous and performs to large audiences, but despite that, she was unable to get a recording contract for many years after being dropped from the Motown label in the mid 90s. By her own admission, she had to "really struggle" to get the record company to release this album because she had a lot of trouble convincing them that it could have even moderate commercial success. Turns out they were right because I Love You quickly flopped after making a brief appearance on the Top 40 album charts. Suffice it to say that these are not the type of songs that most Diana Ross' fans want to hear her sing. And if she insists on recording this type of material she may never get another record deal so this may very well be her last commercial release.



But, Diana Ross has had a great run and an extremely successful career, so its not like she's doing this because she needs the money. Still, there's no doubt in my mind that this album will not be remembered as one of the highlights of her career.









"

A Welcome Return and a Classy Concept

L. Boki | San Francisco, CA | 11/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, after waiting several years for new material from Diana, it actually took me awhile to get use to hearing her sing songs that were new to her repertoire. Wrapping "Remember" as the opening and closing concept song was a minor stroke of brilliance. It is not unusual for artists that have been around as long as Diana has to do an album of their favorite covers. But what is not fair, is that Diana has always interpreted the Great American Songbook from the beginning of her career as lead singer of The Supremes. (Not that all these songs will deserve such a place in the American musical lexicon). Her renditions of McCartney's "I Will" is simple and hearfelt, "What About Love" from "The Color Purple" cast album is dramatic and divaesque. She tips her hat to her mentor Berry Gordy in her treatment of his penned cover of "To Be Loved". My favorite has to be the Ross/Motown-like "More Today than Yesterday", one of those one hit wonders by Spiral Staircase that never grows old. Two well worned songs could have been disappointing but she manages to put her stamp on an edited version of Rod Temperton/Heatwave classic "Always and Forever" and the Joe Cocker "You Are So Beautiful". I even like the county fair muzak sound of "This Magic Moment".



Where she underserves is a nondescript reading of one of my favorite songs, "The Look of Love", a limp reading of the tired "Take My Breath Away" and her staid interpretation of Bill Wither's "Lovely Day" and the okay too-MOR-ish original "I Love You". One of the pleasant turns is the wild and fun take on Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" complete with an authentic guitar solo from Brian May.



This is a nice addition to my comprehensive catalog of Ross' music while we await an album of new songs.



I only wish she would have used the concept of "Remember" in her critically and commercially acclaimed return to performing. It would have at least infuse some newness to a repertoire that her hardcore fans know verbatim."

Ageless

M. D. Cummings | Kanosh,, Utah United States | 12/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Diana Ross is ageless and still sings as beautiful as ever. I don't usually care too much for love songs, I am a "Deep Purple" kind of guy, but Diana Ross has always been a class act and she continues that style in her CD and video. I know this CD has been out for awhile, but I went to her website just for nostalgia sake and the site played four songs including "I love You" (and that's all that really matters)she has made such a wonderful CD that I couldn't resist buying it. I suggest you go to her official site and just listen then come back here to buy it--you wont be disappointed.



Marv"