Rating:  -
this is quite good but not great: streisand literally butchers the two rockers 'don't believe what you read' and 'cabin fever', the latter, moreover, is quite unconvincing by streisand - both are unlistenable; 'answer me' and 'baby me baby' are fine, as is 'my heart belongs to me', although nothing special, the latter could have also done with a little less vocal prowess; but there are some true gems, particularly the last three ballads, all beautiful songs, passionately delivered stunners; 'i found you love' is a very uplifting disco track, with a mysterious male vocal (could it be jon peters?), and the title track is engaging, i quite like the lyric, when in love one can indeed feel like superman
Rating:  -
Superman is one of Streisand's best in my opinion. Great pop songs, awesome vocals, catchy lyrics. The highlights of the album include Superman, Answer Me, Dont Believe What You Read, My Heart Belongs To Me, Lullaby for Myself, Love Comes From Unexpected Places, New York State of Mind, I mean pretty much the whole album. Its definately worth checking out for yourself!
Rating: -
In many respects, this ablum, like the way the Barbra has described herself, is a mass of contradictions ... on one hand, the majority of the songs are glossy, professional-to-the max pop, often alternating between string-laden ballads that are guaranteed to wow the devoted (i.e. the top 5 hit My Heart Belongs to Me) and a few rockers obviously targeting the younger audience Streisand won over via A Star is Born (the candy-coated disco-ish I Found You Love, the rock guitar and violin bathed rockers Don't Believe What You Read and Cabin Fever). But when you overlook the studio gimmickry, you find along the way some refreshingly bright and even insightful pop songs. Take, for instance, the delicate Love Comes From Unexpected Places, with Streisand's hushed and husky vocals evoking knowingness and, at the same time, loneliness and painful desperation (mass of contradiction thesis at work!). Or, better yet, the lyrically astute Lullaby For Myself, which compellingly examines the conflict between maintaining independence and the selfishness that comes along with it, and the need to have a simple albeit codependent relationship. (Pretty heady stuff for a pop song!) On Lullaby, Streisand confirms her reputation as the actress who sings, beginning the song with a devil may care delivery (shaded with plaintiveness), and subsequently bringing her frustration and previously subtle plaintiveness to the surface.
Above all, the album provides a nice vehicle for Streisand's increasingly firm grasp of Top 40 pop music. Yes, a song like I Found You Love is awfully dated-- with a quasi-Caribbean musical coloring cluttering the song and a male speaking voice in the intro that evokes polyester eroticism-- but Streisand is obviously having a ball, cooing a little, belting a lot! Meanwhile the title track and Don't Belive What You Read are formulaic but enticing pop confections that exude, respectively, ecstacy and rage (hey, as much as we love seeing Streisand's charitable, sensitive side, it's always fun hearing her melodically spout out a little venom!)
Though the below reviews seem to indicate a pop debacle, Superman, is, in truth (truth because I say so!) a nice example of Streisand elevating pop/rock, trivial and insightful, to unexpected levels.
Rating:  -
This was the smash-hit follow up album to the commercial triumph (and artistic disaster) "A Star Is Born," and by this time Barbra was firmly established as a shopping mall commodity. At some point in the 70's, Barbra stopped being funny and began taking herself way too seriously. Maybe it was the evil influence of Jon Peters, or maybe it was the result of inhaling all that perm solution. On "Streisand Superman" she climbs to new, dizzying heights of grandiosity. In the grating, pseudo-rock rant "Don't Believe What You Read," Barbra bemoans (more accurately, beshrieks) the unjust plight of the poor, downtrodden millionaire superstar, victimized by false stories about herself in gossip tabloids. Other self-tributes include "MY Heart Belongs to ME," "Answer ME," and "Lullaby for MYSELF." Those buying the CD will be spared some of the original LP's many photographs of Barbra's butt cheeks. Gary Klein's production is dull and lifeless; it doesn't sound like human beings are playing the instruments, and every song features a lone, sustained, nails-on-chalkboard, high-pitched note played by strings or a synthesizer. But the worst thing about this album is that it seemed to unleash Billy Joel from the bowels of hell. I strongly suspect that Mr. Piano Man would have faded unnoticed into oblivion if Barbra hadn't recorded "New York State of Mind" and made a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Rating:  -
Barbra is my favorite singer in the entire world almost to the point of obsession. So believe me when I say that this is a bad album. The songs are simplistic and vague in their subject, and Barbra's vocals don't soar like they do on most of her recordings, and when it does it sounds strained. She also is particularly nasal on this recording for some odd reason. This is unfortunately the trend with the albums done while she was dating Jon Peters, or when Peters produced. Avoid it!
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