{"id":1816,"date":"2013-08-11T13:20:17","date_gmt":"2013-08-11T13:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cherscholar.com\/cherblog\/album-pre-reviews-appearances-gossip\/"},"modified":"2023-02-20T08:25:45","modified_gmt":"2023-02-20T15:25:45","slug":"album-pre-reviews-appearances-gossip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cherscholar.com\/cherblog\/2013\/08\/album-pre-reviews-appearances-gossip\/","title":{"rendered":"Album Pre-Reviews, Appearances, Gossip"},"content":{"rendered":"

Closer to the Truth Reviews:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cher's PR team hosted a listening party for critics. Reviews have been encouraging:<\/p>\n

Bradley Stern from Muumuse<\/em>: <\/p>\n

For about two hours, me and about two dozen other journalists and industry types schmoozed, danced and swayed (and indulged in one too many sweet treats) to the sound of Cher\u2019s first studio album since 2001\u2032s Living Proof. Sadly, I still have to keep mum on a majority of the record (as per Liz Rosenberg\u2018s direct orders \u2014 and I\u2019m not about to cross Liz), but there are some things I\u2019m allowed to discuss. And so, some initial thoughts. For one thing, Closer is a healthy between punchy uptempo dance tracks (including \u201cWoman\u2019s World\u201d) and big emotional balladry \u2014 a half-breed, one might say. The dance tracks are all fierce, stomping club-pop anthems with equally fierce names: The most instant highlight, though, is \u201cTake It Like A Man,\u201d which \u2014 as I breathlessly tweeted during the party \u2014 is clearly a new gay anthem from the get-go. (Then again, you probably could have assumed as much from the title alone.) It\u2019s a very big, anthemic call-to-arms for the dance floor, a la \u201cSong For The Lonely\u201d \u2014 except rather than being a dedication to the lonely, it\u2019s about those who, err\u2026 take it.<\/em><\/p>\n

There\u2019s plenty of variety to get truly excited about, including not one, but two songs penned by P!nk (who assists with background vocals on one). One of the two is called \u201cI Walk Alone,\u201d which has a defiant chorus that sort of reminded me ofGeri Halliwell\u2018s \u201cBag It Up.\u201d Lots o\u2019 sass.<\/em>
The ballads, though, are where Cher\u2019s diehards will likely be beside themselves. (The term \u201cclassic Cher\u201d came up quite frequently throughout the night.) There\u2019s big, bold chops on this record \u2014 especially on the slower numbers, including a heartfelt dedication to 9\/11 and \u201cI Hope You Find It,\u201d a devastating post-break up coming-to-terms that underscores why Cher\u2019s the original #GrownWoman.<\/em>
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While classics like \u201cBelieve\u201d obviously remains immaculate, Closer To The Truth is also closer to the natural vocals \u2014 no real Auto-Tune play to be found here. A little more organic, one might say! … Though it\u2019s obviously hard to make a solid assessment from only one spin or two in the middle of a party (and a few glasses of Prosecco), the impression I got from the smiling faces and tapping toes (my own included!) was that Closer To The Truth is going to be a genuine fan pleaser. The uptempos will serve nicely at the gym and getting ready for a big night out, and the ballads will serve nicely for a good ol\u2019 4 AM sob session. It\u2019s danceable, it\u2019s heartfelt \u2014 and most of all, it is very, very Cher.<\/em><\/p>\n

Daily Front Row<\/em> (Sergio):<\/p>\n

..\u201cCloser To The Truth\u201d, her first full album of new material in 11 years, and it\u2019s a helluva drug! The world isn\u2019t ready. First single, \u201cWoman\u2019s World\u201d reached #1 on the dance charts this week and the rest of the album is MAJOR! There are two chills-down-your-spine ballads written by P!nk (\u201cLie To Me\u201d and \u201cI Walk Alone\u201d, latter of which P!nk sings background vocals on). A pop tune produced by Timbaland and co-written by pop-music\u2019s wizard Bonnie McKee (who\u2019s worked with Katy Perry and Britney Spears) called \u201cI Don\u2019t Have To Sleep To Dream\u201d. Future dance floor classics \u201cTake It Like A Man\u201d, \u201cDressed To Kill\u201d and \u201cI Hope You Find It\u201d produced by Mark Taylor, the man behind Cher game changer \u201cBelieve\u201d and finally my fave by far, \u201cSirens\u201d, a tear-jerker which made every hair on my arms (and only god knows where else) stand up, also produced by Taylor. This is a drill and you have been warned! Cherilyn Sarkisian is ready for war and she\u2019s not afraid to take down every biatch that came after her, one by one..<\/em> <\/p>\n

ABC News Radio:<\/em><\/p>\n

The first part of the album is stacked with dance-floor anthems, in the vein of \u201cBelieve\u201d and \u201cSong for the Lonely.\u201d The latter half features mid-tempo songs and slower numbers, where the lyrics and melodies are highlighted, and where Cher\u2019s distinctive voice can be heard at full force, imbuing every word with an emotional heft that can only come from having truly lived, loved and lost.<\/em><\/p>\n

Boy Culture<\/em>:<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sworn to secrecy on the tracklisting, but everyone knows there\u2019s a tune called \u201cTake It Like a Man.\u201d It\u2019s fantastic, a much worthier club #1 than Cher\u2019s current club #1, \u201cWoman\u2019s World.\u201d The album has particularly strong ballads (especially toward the end), Pink contributes two winners and there is even a track that\u2014due to its title\u2014I suggested should have a music video featuring Cher masturbating in the shower.<\/em><\/p>\n

And there is a song whose title is a color. And also, one of the songs sounds like something Cher would have sung to the Bagel Boy when their relationship ended.<\/em><\/p>\n

More on this album as we get closer to September 24, but I think its 11 ditties will supply Cher ecstasy for her millions of minions.<\/em><\/p>\n

For full texts, visit Cher World<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Cher At the Rasputin Club in West Hollywood<\/strong><\/p>\n

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YouTube video<\/a><\/p>\n

See Cher with Chad Michaels (everyone is throwing him shade for looking too much like Cher; but last night I saw old Petula Clark footage on PBS and he looks more like her than Cher IMHO. He does do a solid Cher act though.) Cher thanks her fans for making her song #1. I just watched The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour<\/em> episode #7 last night. (Due to an Ask Cher Scholar question that just came in, I'm tackling all the episodes.) Sonny and Cher thank their fans for liking their summer replacement show enough to get it on the air full time. Very gracious. That Cher's a good kid!<\/p>\n

More photos and video on Cher News<\/a> and Cher World<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cher on Extra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\"Extra\"<\/a>Cher did Extra<\/em> last week with Jerry Penacoli. See Cher World<\/a> for video. Another great interview. <\/p>\n

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Other News\/Gossip<\/strong><\/p>\n