STREISAND - Guilty Pleasures (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Guilty Pleasures isn't simply the belated sequel to Guilty, Barbra Streisand's 1980 collaboration with Barry Gibb. It's the best mainstream pop album she's made since that multi-platinum, chart-topping hit. Of course, the competition isn't exactly stiff -- her pop albums since then have been deliberately safe, overly calculated adult contemporary affairs that only made records of standards like 1985's The Broadway Album shine all the brighter -- and it, like its predecessor, is a bit of an anomaly in Streisand's catalog, since it shares more musical similarities with Barry Gibb's work than Barbra's own, yet there's no denying that this is the most satisfying straight-up pop album she's cut since Guilty. In fact, apart from the crystal-clear, overly clean digital production that immediately pegs it as a 2005 release, Guilty Pleasures could be taken as a bunch of outtakes from the 1980 album. Gibb, who wrote (along with a handful of other collaborators) and produced (along with John Merchant) the entire album, along with playing guitar and providing backup vocals, not only doesn't attempt to update his signature sound, but proudly sticks to unfashionable pop styles like the early-'80s anthemic soft rock of "Stranger in a Strange Land," the mellow Latin-tinged "Hideaway," and the disco of "Night of My Life." Yet instead of sounding like the work of a duo stuck in the past, Guilty Pleasures sounds as if Gibb has constructed a set of 11 songs that play to his strengths as a pop craftsman and Streisand's strengths as an interpreter. This may be firmly within both of their comfort zones, but despite the record's decidedly low-key vibe, neither Barry nor Barbra sound lazy, nor do they sound like they have something to prove, as if they're consciously trying to live up to the standard their first collaboration set. They sound relaxed and quietly assured, which makes this album far more charming than it might initially appear to be. Not everything works -- some of the ballads toward the end of the record are a little too hazy and samey to catch hold -- but most of the album holds its own with Guilty, which means this is not only a pleasant surprise, but one of Barbra's best straight-up mainstream pop records, and an album that surely lives up to its title. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist :
1    Barbra Streisand with Barry Gibb–    Come Tomorrow 5:01
Saxophone – Tom Scott
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb, Stephen Gibb
2    Barbra Streisand–    Stranger In A Strange Land 4:48
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb, Stephen Gibb
3    Barbra Streisand–    Hideaway 4:15
Saxophone – Tom Scott
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb
4    Barbra Streisand–    It's Up To You 3:31
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb
5    Barbra Streisand–    Night Of My Life 3:59
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Beth Cohen, Leesa Richards
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb
6    Barbra Streisand with Barry Gibb–    Above The Law 4:26
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barbra Streisand, Barry Gibb, Stephen Gibb
7    Barbra Streisand–    Without Your Love 3:49
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb
8    Barbra Streisand–    All The Children 5:13
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb, Stephen Gibb
9    Barbra Streisand–    Golden Dawn 4:40
Written-By – Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb, Stephen Gibb
10    Barbra Streisand–    (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away 4:01
Written-By – Barry Gibb, Blue Weaver
11    Barbra Streisand–    Letting Go 3:53
Written-By – Barry Gibb, George Bitzer
Credits :
Arranged By [Strings] – Barry Gibb, Doug Emery, Larry Warrilow, Peter Graves
Backing Vocals – Barry Gibb
Bass – Julio Hernandez
Conductor – Peter Graves
Drums – Lee Levin
Guitar – Barry Gibb, Dan Warner
Keyboards [Additional] – Eero Turunen
Keyboards, Programmed By – Doug Emery
Orchestra – Miami Symphonic Strings
Percussion – Richard Bravo

BARBRA STREISAND - Love Is the Answer (Deluxe Edition) 2CD (2009) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Even before their first session together, Barbra Streisand and collaborator Diana Krall designed Love Is the Answer as a deeply emotional record: "each song an exploration concerning matters of the heart." And with the arrangements of maestro Johnny Mandel simply drawing occasional shading around Streisand's expressive voice -- and often leaving her voice as the only instrument -- the album goes well beyond the usual saloon-song tropes to become a heart-wrenching experience with virtually every song. Additionally, although much was made of the collaboration, Krall's piano stays in the background, and Streisand's is the only voice heard. But the song choices also were tailored to maximize the emotional impact of Love Is the Answer, and Streisand's incomparable voice. Nearly every song is a classic of tender balladry, despite the fact that none had been put on album by Streisand before during her long career. Those facts alone should leave Streisand fans in ecstasy, as practically nothing stands in the way of her voice as she sings some of the best songs of the last century, aching and sincere with every melancholy or lovelorn ballad, tenderly strident with every (ultimately) uplifting anthem. "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" opens up like a flower akin to some of her best performances, and the same goes for "Make Someone Happy," composed by the classic team of Jule Styne, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green (Styne composed the music for Streisand's Funny Girl). Elsewhere, more classics of the American songbook -- "Here's That Rainy Day," "Where Do You Start?," "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Gentle Rain" -- prove themselves irresistible to the Barbra Streisand treatment. The overall effect is that this is one of the Streisand albums most appealing to her fans and her potential fans -- which includes nearly everyone who appreciates a singer singing like she's lived every line of her songs. by John Bush  
Tracklist 1 : Orchestra Arrangements
1     Here's to Life 4:35
Artie Butler / Phyllis Molinary
2     In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 4:03
Bob Hilliard / David Mann
3     Gentle Rain 4:20
Luiz Bonfá / Matt Dubey
4     If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas) 4:16
Jacques Brel / Rod McKuen
5     Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most 4:33
Fran Landesman / Tommy Wolf
6     Make Someone Happy 4:09
Betty Comden / Adolph Green / Jule Styne
7     Where Do You Start? 4:27
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Johnny Mandel
8     A Time for Love 5:14
Johnny Mandel / Paul Francis Webster
9     Here's That Rainy Day 5:04
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
10     Love Dance 4:44
Ivan Lins / Gilson Peranzzetta / Paul Williams
11     Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 4:23
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
12     Some Other Time 4:57
Leonard Bernstein / Betty Comden / Adolph Green
13     You Must Believe in Spring 4:03
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand
Tracklist 2 (Bonus Disc) Quartet Arrangements
1. Here's To Life   4:31
2. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning   3:58
3. Gentle Rain    4:20
4. If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)    4:12
5. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most    4:33
6. Make Someone Happy    4:03
7. Where Do You Start?    4:27
8. A Time For Love    5:14
9. Here's That Rainy Day    5:03
10. Love Dance   4:44
11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes   4:18
12. Some Other Time    4:44

BARBRA STREISAND - What Matters Most (Deluxe Edition) 2CD (2011) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Over the course of 50 years, Barbra Streisand has enjoyed a special relationship with Alan and Marilyn Bergman. All three are Brooklyn-born (in the same hospital, no less) and, as Streisand writes in the liner notes, she describes their relationship not only as a friendship but as a love affair. Produced by Streisand herself, What Matters Most presents ten of the Bergmans' songs that she had never sung before -- which makes this not just a set of re-recordings but a living document, and not just a tribute from a friend, but a set of great songs sung by a great singer. Alan and Marilyn Bergman's lyrical focus is the love song, or more precisely, love over the years. (Just examine the lyrics to a couple of the Bergman songs Streisand has already recorded, such as "The Way We Were," "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?," and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?") Obviously, Streisand knows this material very well, and she devotes the entire album to the type of soft, straightforward balladry that forces listeners' attention to her friends' lyrics. She never moves into swing -- not even when singing "Nice 'n' Easy," which Frank Sinatra made the centerpiece and opener of his 1960 LP of the same name. Although the arrangements and material are monochromatic, What Matters Most isn't a failure by any means, thanks to Barbra Streisand's interpretive skills (as well as her flair for drama and her ever-beautiful voice). That said, this is not a record for those who love precocious Streisand best (Funny Girl, Hello, Dolly!). by John Bush  

Tracklist 1 :
1     The Windmills of Your Mind 3:55
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand
2     Something New in My Life 4:03
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand
3     Solitary Moon 4:31
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Johnny Mandel
4     Nice 'N' Easy 4:28
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Lew Spence
5     Alone in the World 4:09
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Jerry Goldsmith
6     So Many Stars 4:30
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Sergio Mendes
7     The Same Hello, The Same Goodbye 4:12
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / John Williams
8     That Face 4:32
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Lew Spence
9     I'll Never Say Goodbye 4:09
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / David Shire
10     What Matters Most 3:13
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Dave Grusin
Tracklist 2 (Bonus Disc) :
1    The Way We Were 3:31
2    What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life? 3:21
3    You Don't Bring Me Flowers 3:26
Vocals [Duet With] – Neil Diamond
4    Papa, Can You Hear Me? 3:32
5    Pieces Of Dreams 3:28
6    The Island 4:36
7    The Summer Knows 3:04
8    How Do You Keep The Music Playing? 5:11
9    After The Rain 3:45
10    A Piece Of Sky 4:20

BARBRA STREISAND - Release Me (2012) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

In the liner notes to this collection of previously unreleased material, co-producer Jay Landers paints a picture of the Barbra Streisand vault, where hundreds of boxes -- ranging from '60s acetates to '90s 48-track tapes to Pro Tools "cases" -- apparently sit waiting for their first issue. It's curious, then, that Release Me only includes 11 songs. Chalk it up perhaps to Streisand's heavy hand on the controls of her career, which never lets a song spring forth until its impact has been studied and predicted. (Of course, her career is hers alone, and it's difficult to argue with the high personal standard she's maintained during her 50-year career; it should also be noted that in 1991, she released a rarities-heavy box set titled Just for the Record....) Ranging from 1967 to 2011, Release Me shows that she and Landers certainly chose well. The results provide as pretty a picture of Streisand's talents and interests as the best compilation ever could. All of the varied pop scenes she touched over the years are represented here, from Broadway to the Bergmans to A Star Is Born to Jimmy Webb and Randy Newman, although of course, her long and varied career makes her able to do no more than dip a toe in the waters of those pools. The Webb cover, "Didn't We," is a highlight, as is the Newman song, "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," recorded in New York in 1970 with only Newman's piano for tender, expressive accompaniment. The standard "Willow Weep for Me" is given one of its best ever versions, including even Billie Holiday's (originally recording the song in 1967, Streisand nabbed arranger Ray Ellis, famed for his Lady in Satin charts). One of her career landmarks, A Star Is Born, is represented by "With One More Look at You," in a forgotten studio version -- since she insisted on singing the song live while filming, and that was the version used on the soundtrack. It's hard to complain when the results are this stunning, but including not even a dozen songs on this compilation (rumored to be only the first) is liable to break just a few fans' hearts; based on what can be heard here, some fans would rather hear more like this than eat. by John Bush  
Tracklist :
1    Being Good Isn't Good Enough (From "Hallelujah, Baby!") 3:30
Orchestrated By – Sid Ramin
Producer – Barbra Streisand, Peter Matz
Written-By – Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Jule Styne
2    Didn't We 2:36
Arranged By – Claus Ogerman
Producer – Wally Gold
Written-By – Jimmy Webb
3    Willow Weep For Me 3:31
Arranged By – Ray Ellis
Producer – Howard A. Roberts, Jack Gold
Written-By – Ann Ronell
4    Try To Win A Friend 4:07
Producer – Fred Mollin, Gary Klein
Written-By – Larry Gatlin
5    I Think It's Going To Rain Today 3:27
Piano, Written-By – Randy Newman
Producer – Richard Perry
6    With One More Look At You (From "A Star Is Born") 3:39
Producer – Gary Klein
Written-By – Kenneth Ascher, Paul Williams
7    Lost In Wonderland 3:33
Arranged By – Peter Matz
Producer – Jack Gold
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Marshall Barer
8    How Are Things In Glocca Morra? / Heather On The Hill (From  "Finian's Rainbow" / "Brigadoon") 4:44
Written-By [Glocca Morra] – Burton Lane, E.Y. Harburg
Written-By [Heather On the Hill] – Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe
9    Mother And Child 5:03
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Written-By – Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman
Written-By, Arranged By – Michel Legrand
10    If It's Meant To Be 4:08
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Written-By – Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman
Written-By, Arranged By – Brian Byrne
11    Home (From "The Wiz") 3:37
Bass – Neil Stubenhaus
Drums – J.R. Robinson
Piano – Randy Waldman
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Written-By – Charles Smalls

BARBRA STREISAND - Encore : Movie Partners Sing Broadway (Deluxe Edition) (2016) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The follow-up to 2014's Partners, Barbra Streisand's 2016 studio effort, Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway, finds the acclaimed vocalist duetting with high-profile guest singers on a set of well-curated Broadway compositions. The difference this time out is that rather than simply singing the songs, wherever possible Streisand also includes the dialogue that frames the songs in their respective musical productions. The result is an album that straddles the line between a traditional pop album and musical theater recording. Helping to achieve this theatrical balance are Streisand's guests, all of whom can sing, but who, like Alec Baldwin, are primarily known as actors. On that score, Baldwin acquits himself nicely with his usual wry charm on the lightly swinging "The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened to Me" from Road Show. Not surprisingly, the more Broadway-experienced guests here, like Hugh Jackman on "Any Moment" from Smile and Patrick Wilson on "Loving You" from Passion, work both ends of the spectrum from acting to singing with seamless verve. Similarly effective are her duets with Family Guy creator turned classic crooner Seth MacFarlane on "Pure Imagination," and Melissa McCarthy on the buoyantly playful "Anything You Can Do," from Annie Get Your Gun. Particularly impressive is Star Trek's Chris Pine, whose nuanced baritone melds perfectly with Streisand on the yearning medley "I'll Be Seeing You/I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," from Right This Way and My Fair Lady. It's also fun to hear Streisand play off more than one performer, as she does here with Anne Hathaway and Star Wars' Daisy Ridley on "At the Ballet," from A Chorus Line. Kudos also go to Streisand for choosing the late Anthony Newley for the digitally created duet on "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" from The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd. Much like her Elvis duet on Partners, her turn with the acclaimed British performer is a highly unexpected one and makes for a gloriously dramatic homage to Broadway in the '60s. by Matt Collar  
Tracklist :
1    Streisand With Anne Hathaway And Daisy Ridley–    At The Ballet 7:30
Bass – Chuck Berghofer
Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta
Guitar – Dean Parks
Piano, Synth, Percussion – Walter Afanasieff
Written-By – E. Kleban, M. Hamlisch
2    Streisand With Patrick Wilson –    Loving You 3:30
Bass – Nathan East, Walter Afanasieff
Piano, Synth – Walter Afanasieff
Written-By – S. Sondheim
3    Streisand With Anthony Newley–    Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me) 4:24
Bass – Nathan East, Walter Afanasieff
Piano, Synth – Walter Afanasieff
Written-By – A. Newley, L. Bricusse
4    Streisand With Hugh Jackman–    Any Moment Now 4:45
Backing Vocals – Luke Edgemon, Missi Hale
Bass – Nathan East
Drums, Percussion, Piano, Synth – Walter Afanasieff
Guitar – Dean Parks
Written-By – C. Leigh, M. Hamlisch
5    Streisand–    I Didn't Know What Time It Was
6    Streisand With Alec Baldwin–    The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened 3:14
Backing Vocals – Luke Edgemon, Missi Hale
Bass – Chuck Berghofer
Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta, Walter Afanasieff
Guitar – Dean Parks, Tim Pierce
Piano – Randy Waldman
Written-By – S. Sondheim
7    Streisand–    Not A Day Goes By
8    Streisand With Melissa McCarthy –    Anything You Can Do
Arranged By [Strings And Horns] – Chris Walden, Walter Afanasieff
Guitar – Andrew Synowiec
Piano, Bass, Drums – Walter Afanasieff
Saxophone – Sal Lozano
Written-By – I. Berlin
9    Streisand–    Fifty Percent
10    Streisand With Chris Pine–    I'll Be Seeing You/I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
Bass – Chuck Berghofer
Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta, Walter Afanasieff
Guitar – Dean Parks
Percussion – Luis Conte, Walter Afanasieff
Piano – Randy Waldman
Synth – Walter Afanasieff
Written-By – A.J. Lerner, F. Loewe, I. Kahal, S. Fain
11    Streisand–    Losing My Mind
12    Streisand With Seth MacFarlane–    Pure Imagination
Backing Vocals – Luke Edgemon, Missi Hale
Bass, Synth, Percussion – Walter Afanasieff
Written-By – A. Newley, L. Bricusse
13    Streisand With Antonio Banderas–    Take Me To The World
Bass – Nathan East
Piano, Synth – Walter Afanasieff
Written-By – S. Sondheim
14    Streisand With Jamie Foxx–    Climb Ev'ry Mountain
Bass, Piano, Percussion, Synth – Walter Afanasieff
Written-By – R. Rodgers/O. Hammerstein II
All Credits

BARBRA STREISAND - Walls (2018) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Having established her own philanthropic foundation in 1986, Barbra Streisand has long been an outspoken proponent for the protection of the environment, world peace, civil rights, and women's rights. She brings these passions to bear on her sophisticated 2018 studio album Walls. While Walls is certainly borne out of Streisand's own deeply heartfelt feelings regarding the state of the world and the seemingly divisive nature of American politics circa 2018, it's also a lushly produced and ruminative album that allows the multi-Grammy-winning singer to strike a pleasingly sincere tone with a broad appeal. Executive-produced by Streisand and Jay Landers, along with production and songwriting pros including Carole Bayer Sager, Walter Afanasieff, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and others, Walls features a mix of newly penned originals and thoughtfully curated covers that evokes the adult-contemporary pop she championed throughout the '70s and '80s. Explicitly, the orchestral title-track, delivered with Broadway-level drama by Streisand, is a plea for bridging our personal differences rather than walling ourselves off. It's a sweeping, movie-perfect song, and showcases how Streisand's highly resonant voice has only grown richer with age. Several other songs, including the classical guitar-accented "What's on My Mind" and the hypnotic, piano-driven "Don't Lie to Me," are earnest meditations on the need for kindness, empathy, and honesty in our society. Elsewhere, she and writer/producer Desmond Child weave lines from Emma Lazarus' 1883 Statue of Liberty sonnet "The New Colossus" into their sweeping ballad "Lady Liberty." Similarly, with the Sager, Landers, and Jonas Myrin co-write "Better Angels," Streisand draws directly upon President Abraham Lincoln's 1861 inaugural address singing "We are not enemies, there is no good in that." Streisand's cover choices also evoke a thoughtful timeliness as she pairs with Michael McDonald and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds for Burt Bacharach and Hal David's Vietnam-era classic "What the World Needs Now." Equally timely is her gorgeously melancholy reading of the standard "Happy Days Are Here Again." There's both a sadness and warmth to Streisand's performances on Walls that befits the album's subject matter and speaks to her own ability to communicate to, and often for, her audience. by Matt Collar  
Tracklist :
1    Barbra Streisand–    What's On My Mind 5:16
Acoustic Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Producer, Arranged By – Walter Afanasieff
Producer, Written By – Barbra Streisand
Written By – Carole Bayer Sager, Jay Landers, Jonas Myrin
2    Barbra Streisand–    Don't Lie To Me 3:58
Arranged By – David Campbell
Backing Vocals – Annie Bosko, Lucy Woodward
Written By – Barbra Streisand, Jay Landers
Written By, Backing Vocals – Jonas Myrin
Written By, Producer, Backing Vocals – John Shanks
3    Barbra Streisand–    Imagine / What A Wonderful World 5:20
Bass Guitar – Nathan East
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Producer, Arranged By – Walter Afanasieff
Written By – Bob Thiele, George David Weiss, John Lennon, Yoko Ono
4    Barbra Streisand–    Walls 3:54
Conductor – Jorge Calandrelli
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Producer, Arranged By, Written By – Walter Afanasieff
Written By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman
5    Barbra Streisand–    Lady Liberty 3:52
Arranged By – Clay Perry
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Producer, Written By – Desmond Child
6    Michael McDonald, Babyface, Barbra Streisand–    What The World Needs Now 4:36
Backing Vocals – Mabvuto Carpenter, Missi Hale, Tiffany Palmer
Bass Guitar – Nathan East
Conductor – William Ross
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Producer, Arranged By – Walter Afanasieff
Written By – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
7    Barbra Streisand–    Better Angels 4:08
Acoustic Guitar – Tariqh Akoni
Choir – Tim Davis
Conductor, Arranged By – William Ross
Producer, Arranged By – David Foster
Written By – Carole Bayer Sager, Jay Landers, Jonas Myrin
8    Barbra Streisand–    Love's Never Wrong 4:06
Producer – Walter Afanasieff
Written By – Barbra Streisand, Jay Landers, Marty Panzer, Steve Dorff
9    Barbra Streisand–    The Rain Will Fall 4:42
Arranged By – David Campbell
Backing Vocals – Missi Hale
Producer, Backing Vocals – John Shanks
Written By – Barbra Streisand, Charlie Midnight, Jay Landers, Jonas Myrin
10    Barbra Streisand–    Take Care Of This House (From "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue") 4:10
Arranged By – Ian Fraser
Producer – Barbra Streisand
Written By – Alan Jay Lerner, Leonard Bernstein
11    Barbra Streisand–    Happy Days Are Here Again 3:53
Arranged By, Conductor – William Ross
Producer, Arranged By – Barbra Streisand
Written By – Jack Yellen, Milton Ager