Bette

by

Bette Midler

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Bette Midler's new album, "Bette" doesn't break any new ground musically, but it does give Bette's fans more of why we love her; Smart and catchy tunes, old and new, delivered with the style and panache we expect from the Divine Miss M.

The highlights of this album include Bette's remake of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach's "God Give Me Strength". Like Tina Turner, Nancy Wilson and Annie Lennox, Bette can take someone else's song (Costello's take on this song is full of power and passion)and masterfully turn it into her own. You feel the pain and angst of love gone awry in her singing.

Also, the catchy do-wop feel to "Nobody Else but You",which is the theme to Bette's new sitcom, is fun and frothy; the sly and silly "In These Shoes" is another Divine romp in the style of former Midler comic gems like "I'm Beautiful" and "I Look Good"; and "Bless You, Child" is an interesting paradox of stoic and reaffirming lyrics set against a electronic dance background.

The production for most of this album is steered by Don Was of Was Not! Was fame. Was has produced records for the like of Bonnie Raitt and the B-52's. Also Midler's longtime collaborator, Marc Shaiman, helps in the producing of this album. Interesting of note is that Madonna's famous backup girls, Nikki Harris and Donna DeLory, do some vocal work on "Bette". Hmmmm....Would they be killer Harlettes or what!

Word has it that songs from "Bette" the album will be featured this season on "Bette" the sitcom. Here's hoping radio picks up some of these great songs for their airplay!

Sweet and somber, sassy and sexy, "Bette" will not disappoint Midler's legion of loyal fans, and if you've never bought a Bette Midler album...shame on you...catch up and get this one!

A lot of middle of the road pop tunes ("That's How Heartaches Are Made", "Color Of Roses", "When Your Life Was Low"), a couple of slightly overpowering pop tunes ("God Give Me Strength"), a couple of acceptable remakes of familiar songs ("Just My Imagination", "Shining Star", and "Moses" - the original "Moses" by Patty Griffin is haunting, painful, and heartbreaking), one Whitney Houston/Madonna sounding dance club number ("Bless You Child") and one funny, cheeky, classic Bette song ("In These Shoes": "He said lets make love on a mountain top/Under the stars on a big hard rock/I said, In these shoes?/What is this, the Peace Corps? ") make up this passable and underwhelming disc.