For The Girls

エミー賞、トニー賞も獲得している20年以上のキャリアを誇る女優/シンガー、クリスティン・チェノウェスの新作7枚目のアルバム。

Steve Tyrellプロデュース、Ariana Grande, Dolly Parton, Jennifer Hudson, Reba McEntireなどのゲストもフィーチャーした作品で、クリスティンが尊敬する音楽史上に残る素晴らしい女性アーティストへのトリビュート作品。オリジナル・アーティストはバーブラ・ストライサンドからダイナ・ワシントン、からジュディ・ガーランド、ペギー・リー、キャロル・キング、リンダ・ロンシュタットまでジャンルを超えた偉大な女性シンガーたちによって有名になった曲をカヴァし女性たちへの応援アルバムともいえる内容。

The title For the Girls makes plain Kristin Chenoweths intentions for her 2019 album for Concord: shes saluting great women singers by covering songs they popularized. Chenoweth cherrypicks selections from different genres and eras, sometimes not strictly following her own guidelines. Eva Cassidy covered It Doesnt Matter Anymore and Linda Ronstadt cut Desperado in 1973, but its hard to not to think of the tunes as belonging to anyone but their respective authors, Buddy Holly and the Eagles. This is hardly much of a flaw, though, especially since both songs belong within the classic modern pop tradition Chenoweth essays throughout For the Girls. She touches upon R&B, country, the Great American Songbook, and girl groups, inviting Dolly Parton to duet with her on I Will Always Love You, singing with Ariana Grande on Lesley Gores You Dont Own Me, and drafting Jennifer Hudson and Reba McEntire for a show-stopping Im a Woman. Its a diverse roster of singers and songs, but the Steve Tyrell production smooths over any rough edges, and Chenoweths consummate Broadway professionalism helps the whole record seem unified; its a modern update on the kind of albums Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick were making at the twilight of the 60s. The blend of nostalgic vibes and contemporary sheen is appealing, particularly because Chenoweth never pushes too hard: shes not reinventing the songs, shes relaxing with them, and it makes for a warm bath of a listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine