Guilty

by

Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb

Edit

Her biggest selling album, GUILTY is easily Barbra Streisand's best contemporary pop effort to date. Barry Gibb's skilled production hand gives GUILTY an added sense of cohesiveness, something that was sorely lacking from many of Streisand's late-seventies pop efforts. Gibb (along with Albhy Galuten and brothers Robin and Maurice) also had a hand in writing every one of the nine melodic songs and even duets on two of them.

Their pairing produced a monster hit with the riveting title track (#3 Pop, #5 Adult Contemporary), however it's actually the other Streisand-Gibb smash duet "What Kind Of Fool" (#10 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) that proves to be the disc's show-stopper. Gibb's production and voice are an inarguable key to GUILTY's success, but it is Streisand's magnificent vocals that provide the album with it's soul - that's right SOUL! The chart-topping smash "Woman In Love" (#1 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) was the leadoff single and stands a slice of pure pop perfection, with Streisand's performance as thrilling as any ever captured on record.

Amazingly enough for a pop record, the remaining six tracks more than hold up to the three big hits. The restrained ballads "Run Wild" and "The Love Inside" are absolutely gorgeous, while the seven minute-plus "Make It Like A Memory" plays out like mini-pop symphony. Barbra even ventures into dance territory with "Life Story" and the international hit "Promises" and really brings these tracks to life with a sexy exuberance. Even the slightly dated light funk of "Never Give Up" is a slinky delight. GUILTY was a massive hit upon release, hitting #1 on the Hot 200 and achieving Quintuple Platinum status in US sales and selling nearly 20 million copies worldwide. This success is hardly surprising as GUILTY is simply everything a pop album should be.

I'm probably one of the few people reviewing this album who isn't a huge Streisand fan. She is very talented, but I have found much of her recorded music a little campy and over the top. I imagine she is probably great in concert. And I do think "Stoney End" is a very, very good album. "Streisand Superman" which I recently heard for the first time really didn't do much for me.

This is good pop/rock from the 80's which has aged very well. I am a former Bee Gees hater (I now kind of like their stuff in small doses) but I have to say that Barry Gibb does a very nice job of production, bringing the best out in Miss Streisand's voice.

The last couple of songs don't really do it for me. The finale, "Make Me A Memory" goes through too many tempo changes for me. It sounds like a mini-musical.

So, anyway, good pop/rock from her diva-ness, which even a very fairweather fan like myself can enjoy from time to time.

P.S. One minor point. If I was Barry Gibb, I might have insisted that my name be put on the front cover. I mean he's in all those cuddly photos with Le Streisand. Whatever! I better stop before I get people really mad! Talk amongst your selves! I'll give you a topic - People like me who write crazy reviews! Peace to all my fellow music lovers!