Listen to Donna Summers New Club only Single.."I'm A Fire"

[SandraDee]

Why didn't Donna get together with the people behind Cher's 'Believe'. I'm sure they could come up with something that would please her fans more. This track is quite good classy house but doesn't suit Donna; she suits a more commercial sound.

[Westwood]

OK I need to resurrect this thread because I also cannot believe the mumbojumbo that Donna Summer has been releasing for the last years.
I think "I Will Go With You" was really good, it has a LOT of really hard driving mixes (expecially the Hex Hector ones", and "Love Is The Healer" was a total success in my book and ultimate anthem of hers, however I know that it didn't sell much, right? I mean, the only cd issued was the one for Europe..
After that, the Pokemon single, was ok, the mixes were a bit too extreme, but I still liked it.
"I Got Your Love", I could not believe my ears, that was complete dullness and I have never heard such non-songs like that, I'm A Fire (and why does she sing "I AM a fire" then?) and even the official first single "Stamp Your Feet" (certainly not to this album Donna).
I cannot believe that this is the sound she wants. Nor the songs she wants. I simply cannot believe that the woman who gave us dozens and dozens of genuine anthemic songs and classics, wants to do this.
The mixes are nondistinct as well.
If Kristine W or Suzanne Palmer can get those easy as pie songs and make them so clubby why can't DOnna. Not what she wants? Well what does she want? I cannot really believe that she is that powerless that she has to go along with whatever her producers or label stick her with.
I'm sure they would like some more sales too.
It's not that hard to pull a club hit with DOnna Summer.
However, what's with her voice now, I really feel that it's been computerized, it does not sound genuine, it sounds so unnatural.
Sorry, I cannot get my head round ALL OF this.

[SandraDee]

I feel your pain westwood! Do like I did, forget all about this brave new world, slip into something comfortable, pour yourself a nice long drink & stick on 'I Remember Yesterday' at full volume.

[Westwood]

Well I will never stop having hope. I'm still gonna buy all the releases like I have for two reasons: you can never know when you will start to like something. So many times I hated somethign at first (usually when I had high expectations, due to previous music of that artist, loving the artist, or the worst in my book, rumours and opinions of people who have heard it before, or heard it on a bad quality medium. That is why I hate that side of youtube.), you need to give them time, listen to it several times to appreaciate the many levels it may have, or listen to it from different perspectives. The other is that you know you will regret not buying it because you'll likely want it in the future (maybe to keep your collection complete) and it will cost way more than when you could have bought it in the first place.
Nobody has yet commented on my question about her voice in this album, that it sounds not natural, not like her previous recordings. Is it just me?

[discokicks]

Originally Posted by Westwood

Nobody has yet commented on my question about her voice in this album, that it sounds not natural, not like her previous recordings. Is it just me?

I find her vocal is very computer manipulated but I have a feeling that this is very much the norm with pop vocals of today. Perhaps, because we're very close to Donna's earlier work and used to her natural vocal beauty, these filtered/technically-enhanced techniques are blatantly obvious to us. I can't help but think that it all fits in with current society's efforts and need for perfection.

For younger artists like Rihanna, Beyonce and the like, who knows what they really sound like. We...or at least the rest of the world....seem to enjoy the completed recorded projects thrown out on the airwaves and for the most part, are caught up in the hype and overly-marketed image of that artist. Knowing the true natural voice is a non-issue for an aggressive society that's become impatient with any signs of flaws and imperfection.

[Westwood]

I know what you mean, however maybe because we know Donna has such a distinct and great voice, for it to be manipulated this way, it stands out even more.
I can't say when I'll be able to play her album without this voice standing out so much and not allowing me to enjoy the album...
However I have found nobody else's vocals to be this odd-sounding.

On the other hand, an artist whose latest album must have been heavily computer-manipulated in every way possible, Britney Spears' Blackout, it does not annoy me one bit.
For those who aren't familiar withthe album, I cannot recommend it enough. On the wave of the hype of it I even bought ther previous albums only tofind them atrocious. This one is something else.

[discokicks]

Originally Posted by Westwood

On the other hand, an artist whose latest album must have been heavily computer-manipulated in every way possible, Britney Spears' Blackout, it does not annoy me one bit.

I think, most likely, it's the fact that Ms. Spears vocals are not that distinctive to begin with so computer-enhancing almost seems necessary. We have more respect for Donna's talents so it must bother us that there were those who thought trendier techniques seemed appropriate.

[Westwood]

I think you've hit the nail on the head kicks ;)