[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

I'm a huge fan and I know there must be other forumzers who enjoy Barbra, so here's our thread.

Barbra has a new album coming out on August 23rd called "What Matters Most" where she basically records the Marilyn and Alan Bergman songs that she hadn't recorded yet. Three songs from the album are already "out there" and it sounds like it will be a mixed bag of wonderful and her standard "Till I Loved You"/"A Love Like Ours" tripe.



Here's the Amazon EPK:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permali...ef=ent_fb_link

___

Currently she is finishing a movie with Seth Rogen called "My Mother's Curse" which is due spring of next year. It will be her first starring role in a film since 1996.

[Wheldcobchoto]

I loved her last outing, especially the intimate live cd/dvd she put out, and she looks beyond lovely in that shot. You definitely have to wade through the schmaltz with her albums though, but it's worth it.

[grinaJanoDant]

I'm not a major fan of the Bergmans, but I'll definitely check out this album!

Btw, is Babs channeling her 70's-self with that hairdo in the Amazon video?

[EHjEjdqe]

misty watercolor memories..

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

I'm not a major fan of the Bergmans, but I'll definitely check out this album!

Btw, is Babs channeling her 70's-self with that hairdo in the Amazon video?

She sure is! Gah! My favorite Streisand era. Pre-fro 70's.

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

A new album of unreleased material from Barbra's master tape vault is being released this October. It's called "Release Me."

Barbra Streisand’s private music vault holds all the master tapes she’s recorded for five decades. Now, she’s sharing 11 previously unreleased songs, spanning a cross-section of her career from 1963 to the present. The collection titled, Release Me will be available on vinyl September 25th and CD October 9th, but you can pre-order right now at Amazon.com.

In an unparalleled career, Barbra has released more than 60 albums. Many of the sessions for these albums yielded extra recordings, which weren’t included on the albums they were intended for. They’ve all been stored in her vault until now. Over the past year, Barbra has painstakingly gone through the recordings to come up with this collection, Release Me.

Highlights include: “Didn’t We” written by Jimmy Webb - recorded in 1970 for an unreleased album project titled The Singer; the standard “Willow Weep For Me” - an unreleased track recorded in 1967 for Simply Streisand, arranged by Ray Ellis noted for his legendary work with Billie Holiday; A striking version of Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going Rain Today,” with Barbra on vocals and Newman on piano - from the 1971 Stoney End sessions; an unreleased studio version of “With One More Look At You” from A Star Is Born; Two tracks from the unreleased sequel to the acclaimed The Broadway Album, titled Back To Broadway - “Home” (from The Wiz) and “How Are Things In Glocca Morra ? / Heather On The Hill” (from Finian’s Rainbow / Brigadoon).

Reflecting on the album, Barbra noted, “The thing I’m happiest about is that I still have great affection for all these songs. They appealed to me at the time... and still do. Listening now, I actually think to myself, ‘The girl wasn’t half bad.’”

With the exception of two songs where the original masters couldn’t be located, all the tracks on Release Me were transferred from first generation master tapes. Every attention was paid to preserving the sonic perspective of the sessions as they were originally recorded and mixed.

Speaking of the unreleased recordings that reside in Barbra’s music vault, her long-time A&R man and co-producer of Release Me, Jay Landers says in his liner notes, “All of Barbra’s glorious music... her ideas... the collaborative efforts of the fortunate songwriters, arrangers, mixers and producers who have come into her orbit... the experiments... the occasional missteps and the many triumphs - all driven by the unstoppable force of one woman’s vision.”

The complete track listing for Release Me features:

Being Good Isn’t Good Enough (from Hallelujah, Baby!)
Didn’t We
Willow Weep For Me
Try To Win A Friend
I Think It’s Going To Rain Today
With One More Look At You (from A Star Is Born)
Lost In Wonderland
How Are Things In Glocca Morra? / Heather On The Hill (from Finian’s Rainbow/Brigadoon)
Mother And Child
If It’s Meant To Be
Home (from The Wiz)

Pre-order the vinyl now at Amazon.com, and stay tuned for more special surprises from Release Me!

[Infiseeenvelp]

I wasn't a big fan for a long time, but discovering her early performances won me over. Stuff like this is undeniable:

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

That's really the only way into her, in my opinion. She was such an otherworldly talent in the '60s. I'm also a huge fan of the majority of her early-mid '70s work.

This performance blows me away every time:

(You have to watch through to the end.)

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

Her film with Seth Rogen, formerly called "My Mother's Curse," is now entitled "Guilt Trip" and will be released around Christmas. Here's the first official promo pic. Barbra looks fabulous.

[rasiasertew]

Oct. 8 – Philadelphia, Wells Fargo Center
Oct. 11 – Brooklyn, N.Y., Barclays Center
Oct. 13 – Brooklyn, N.Y., Barclays Center
Oct. 17 – Montreal, Quebec, Bell Centre
Oct. 20 – Ottawa, Ontario, Scotiabank Centre
Oct. 23 – Toronto, Ontario, Air Canada Centre
Oct. 26 – Chicago, Ill., United Center
Oct. 29 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Rogers Arena

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

Her little mini tour! Exciting!

[BaselBimbooooo]

Most looking forward to hearing "I Think It's Going to Rain Today." Eveything from the Stoney End era was wonderful. She did an amazing job with Laura Nyro's songs and I'm sure she'll bring that same lyrical quality to the Randy Newman classic.

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

Most looking forward to hearing "I Think It's Going to Rain Today." Eveything from the Stoney End era was wonderful. She did an amazing job with Laura Nyro's songs and I'm sure she'll bring that same lyrical quality to the Randy Newman classic.

I'm looking forward to that one as well! And I totally agree about Stoney End. That was such a great sound for her.

Why the woman never did an all-Laura or all-Joni covers album in the '70s is beyond me.

[Heaneisismich]

Does it seem like Barbra's actually showing quite a bit more humility in the last 10 years or so and not taking herself so seriously? I find myself liking her more lately, although I've never disliked her.

[shiciapsisy]

I love her albums from the 60ies: The Barbra Streisand Album, Simply Streisand and Je m'appelle Barbra are amazing. So are the rest, but those are my favorites.
I also like her last two albums a lot. They are kind of a return to the raw and less polished sound from her earlier works. Like PoorMatty said, she is taking herself less seriously, and she clearly knows how to chose songs that fit her current older voice.
I've never been much a fan of most of her movies, but What's Up Doc is one of the best movies ever. I think I've watched it a million times. Also Up The Sandbox is underrated.

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

^ Completely agree with just about all of that.

[myspacepro]

Does anyone else love The Owl and the Pussycat?

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

Barbra released "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" to promote the new album. This is an outtake from the "Stoney End" album sessions and it's just gorgeous.

[grinaJanoDant]

That's really the only way into her, in my opinion. She was such an otherworldly talent in the '60s. I'm also a huge fan of the majority of her early-mid '70s work.

This performance blows me away every time:

(You have to watch through to the end.)

This is absolutely awesome. Thanks for that, Joey. I hadn't seen this performance before.

[shiciapsisy]

^ Yes, her TV specials are great, especially the first two, My Name Is Barbra (where that clip is from) and Color Me Barbra.