Bette Midler
Bette
(Warner Bros.)
Grade: C
Whether it be the improvements in recording instrumentation or Bette Midler's talent, many of the songs on her latest album, Bette, present a vocally unrecognizable diva.
The opening track on Bette, "That's How Heartaches Are Made," is a soothing, jazzy ballad sung in a tone never attempted in Midler's 30-year singing career. But the problem is that it does not fit her at all.
Thankfully, though, she falls back into her Broadway-inspired numbers with the songs "In These Shoes" and "Moses."
These songs, some of the few original tracks on this cover-laden album, provide a punchy beat in a mostly ballad-inspired collection.
"Moses" may in fact be a religious song, as Midler belts out reasons why she turns to the bearer of the Commandments for spiritual advice during her everyday woes. Midler has made spiritual attempts in years past, with songs like "The Rose" and "From a Distance." These songs worked in their time, but "Moses" comes off more corny than spiritual.
Midler's personality is her strongest asset, as it has assured her many years of fame, but she falls short in terms of range of pitch and creativity.
Sadly, Midler like many 40-plus female artists today (Cher, Madonna) bought into the technical voice-altering trend with the track, "Bless My Child" - a techno dance tune, which Midler should really shy away from attempting.
Bette is essentially a mix-and-match album, with only a few stand-out tunes. One can only hope the new TV show will fare better.
-Vanessa Francis
