Cher Albums (21)
'Live: The Farewell Tour'
Release Date 8/26/2003
Tracks 18
Label Rhino
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Recorded live in Miami in November 8, 2002 during her 2002 "Living Proof -- The Farewell Tour," this is an audio document of Cher in all her extravagant diva-ness. No doubt it was exciting for those in the audience, who sound not just like they can't get enough, but that they've been waiting for this event as eagerly as some zealots await the Messiah. As a record, though, it's not such hot stuff as the several costumes she's pictured in within the inner sleeve. She churns out many of her most popular numbers with adequate stadium-strength accompaniment, concentrating more on her late 1980s-early 2000s hits than her early smashes. Indeed, she sounds more comfortable with the more recent club-dance percolators than the oldies from the 1960s and 1970s, most of which she dispenses with a standard, rushed-through, show biz medley. Her voice doesn't always sit comfortably in the mix, the backing band bombast and audience noise at times threatening to submerge her a little. Periodically the songs are broken up by her wise-ass comic patter, and to complete the variety-show-like ambience, she unnecessarily declares in the middle of "All I Really Want to Do," "In the summer of 1965, this was my first hit record!" So musically it's not among Cher's finest moments, but it should keep the faithful happy until her next farewell gig. (That's not an entirely facetious remark; when this CD came out in August 2003, the farewell tour had been extended, with new dates, until at least September 2003.) This music, incidentally, is taken from her Living Proof Farewell Tour Television Special, which is available on DVD as The Farewell Tour on Image Entertainment. Considering that much of the appeal of Cher live rests with the visuals, and that it contains identical music to the Warner Brothers CD, the DVD's a preferable investment for those who want a souvenir of the Cher experience. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Cher returns to the dancefloor for her latest effort, Living Proof, churning out a dozen electronic, beat-heavy tracks about heartbreak, loneliness, and survival. Songs about strength and perseverance are no anomaly coming a woman who has managed to sustain a career that has lasted four decades; and it's no mystery that Cher would be the first to be right there when you fall, telling you to get up on your feet, dust yourself off, and get out on that dancefloor. And get up you will, with this peppy dance album that spouts warm sentiments and reverberating sounds to keep you going all night long. But the power of the album's punch loses its luster each time the auto-tuner kicks in, contorting Cher's deep, sexy voice into some kind of canned electronic robot dialect. It's not until halfway through the album that listeners get a glimmer of Cher's husky vocals on the dressed-down track, "Rain, Rain." Cher takes a brief break from her inquisitiveness about love to dedicate the bold, heartfelt opening track, in honor of the September 11th tragedy, "Song for the Lonely" to "the courageous people of New York, especially the firefighters, police, Mayor Guiliani, Governor Pataki." You can bet the clubkids and long-term Cher fans will appreciate the energy and attitude of the Spanish-influenced tune "Body to Body, Heart to Heart" and the rapid-fire drum beats on the airy track "When the Money's Gone" that is likely to keep them dancing until dawn. Cher has longtime producer Rob Dickins (the man who launched Enya's career) to thank for the sheer energy on this album. But still, the lingering sense of loss and longing echoing through on tracks like "The Music's No Good Without You" suggest that maybe Cher isn't the only one left still waiting for something truly magical to happen on this record. ~ Kerry L. Smith, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In late 2000, Cher issued the album Not.Com.mercial, which was sold exclusively via the website www.cherdirect.com. The album, as the title implies, was not sold in stores. So, from the onset, the album was marked as a rarity. It's also a rarity because it's the first album comprised almost entirely of original material written by the lady herself. The album has a 1970s singer/songwriter feel. At times it sounds somewhat country and twangy, other times somewhat bluesy, but always completely different from her previous effort Believe (these songs were written during a songwriting retreat in 1994, so well before her transformation into a dancefloor staple). The songs range from slow to mid-tempo and have quite engaging lyrics, proving Cher adept in the role of storyteller. Album highlights include the bluesy "(The Fall) Kurt's Blues," which was written for tragic grunge god Kurt Cobain. The catchy, twangy "Disaster Cake" was written about one of her daughter's former girlfriends, and "Fit to Fly" recalls late-'80s, Heart of Stone-era Cher. Also included is an old Sonny & Cher tune, "Classified 1A," which was shelved because it was deemed un-American. The album is a tad muddled (some melodramatic lyrics, as in "Sisters of Mercy" when she yells the chorus "sisters of mercy, daughters of hell!"), but overall the songs prove effective, and the album is a must for the singer's legions of fans. Good liner notes, too. ~ Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Taking a cue from Madonna's Ray of Light, Cher goes Euro-disco on Believe, a platter of electro-beats and pulsating club rhythms. Working with a stable of competent European studio craftsmen, Cher moves through the beat factory, blending butt-shakers (like the title tune and "Strong Enough") and semi-ballads ("Dov'e L'Amore") into one endless thump session. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Cher's mid-'90s album It's a Man's World can safely be labeled as one of the singer's finest, as well as one of her most overlooked and underappreciated albums. Full of steamy, torchy ballads, Western-themed epics, and R&B influences, the album finds the singer sounding vocally relaxed and self-assured. Around this time, Madonna made an album of heavily R&B-influenced material (Bedtime Stories) to capitalize on the mid-'90s R&B/pop phenomenon (when Boyz II Men and all their clones ruled the music charts); this album could be classified as Cher's similar effort. "One by One," the album's opener (and first single), is an irresistible, mid-tempo soul number that never made the American Top 40, yet became a club hit in its remixed form. The original album version, however, is decidedly superior. She also includes several covers, among them Don Henley's 1985 hit "Not Enough Love in the World" as well as a rousing rendition of Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis," which became an international hit. The real highlights, however, are the set's three closers. "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" is epic and beautiful, complete with echoes of the Wild West, which then lead into the similarly Western, and extremely steamy "The Gunman," and ends with a smoldering version of James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." This is Cher at her best, and bridges the gap between late '80s/early '90s faux metal-babe Cher and her 1999 dance-club comeback album Believe. This album is also available in a better (and more expensive) import version, which includes three extra tracks and features different mixes of the first five songs. ~ Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Cher's 1973 album Half Breed was her third for MCA and features the title track which shot to the top of the American charts. It is perhaps the only song here which would turn up on a greatest-hits collection, but there are plenty of other melodic, hippie-era tunes which are tailor-made for nights around the campfire. Melancholy and bittersweet from start to finish, there are enough charms to keep it lighthearted: the jingling rhythm of "Half Breed" and "Carousel Man" hit the right marks at the right time. Rock singers have often tributed a song to one of their children; Cher turns "Ruby Jean et Billie Lee" into "Chastity's Sun," and thankfully it is heartfelt enough that listeners don't care where it was borrowed from. She also covers Paul and Linda McCartney's "My Love," which had been a hit for him that same year, and the Beatles' "Long and Winding Road." ~ Peter Fawthrop, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
1991's Love Hurts follows the same formula as the Cher and Heart of Stone albums that had rejuvenated Cher's pop career in the late 1980s. The result, however, is particularly formulaic, with Cher's vocals sounding largely uninspired and the production and backing musicians content to be obvious. The moderate hit singles "Love and Understanding" and "Save Up All Your Tears" (the former written and the latter co-written by Diane Warren) are pleasantly melodic; apart from those tracks, though, only a surprising cover of the obscure Kiss song, "A World Without Heroes," is really worth seeking out. Love Hurts didn't sell nearly as well as its predecessors, and has all the markings of a woman going through the motions. Not surprisingly, Cher retired the "metal babe" persona after this album and would wait five years before releasing another disc. ~ Joseph McCombs, All Music Guide
