Cyndi Lauper Album: “The Body Acoustic”

Cyndi Lauper weaves magic with her new release, "The Body Acoustic," a collection of her greatest hits, notable non-singles and two new compositions recorded with sparse instrumentation. Like her superb 2003 standards collection, "At Last," her valentine to her native New York, one could say that Lauper is simply cashing in on another recent trend; this time of releasing acoustic reinterpretations of an artist's own former catalogue. However, the bulk of her songwriting is ideal for an intimate setting, which makes "The Body Acoustic" not only a solid but a justified release; not a mere pause before releasing a complete disc of original material.

Lauper kicks off the disc with the assistance of Taking Back Sunday's Adam Lazarra, one of many special guests she enlisted for inclusion on this project. Singing her 1984 hit "Money Changes Everything," Lauper nearly replicates the electricity she exudes when performing the song in concert. With a sprawling vocal range that is equal parts gritty and graceful, it is hard for the majority of her guests to keep up with her at all, making their inclusion essentially inconsequential. The only exceptions are Sarah McLachlan, who provides perfect compliment to "Water's Edge" and 1984's #1 smash "Time After Time," and Shaggy, who helps Lauper turn "All Through the Night" into a delightfully reggae-infused affair.

"Sisters of Avalon" is a funky, rousing excursion. Though at once they seem ideal to lend their talents to the track, Ani Difranco and Vivian Green simply fall into the background on a song that fits nicely in the scheme of the disc but adds nothing original to the original 1997 version. Green's presence is felt more strongly, however, on "I'll Be Your River," one of the two new tracks. A song of an endless, unselfish love, Lauper knocks this one straight out of the ballpark. Even sharper, however, is the second new selection, "Above the Clouds." A warm-bath ballad featuring Jeff Beck on lead guitar, the song is drenched in utter beauty and gorgeous lyrics that Lauper wraps her voice around with warmth and style.

"Stand tall/And glide/When you're all alone in the crowd/Don't fall/Don't hide/When you walk above the clouds/When you walk above the clouds."

This collection would be incomplete without "True Colors," her huge 1986 hit she recorded in honor of her friend Gregory who passed away from AIDS. It is no surprise that the song has become so important to the homosexual community, for it waxes so pointedly of unconditional empathy and acceptance, no matter who or what one may be.

"I see your true colors shining through/I see your true colors/And that's why I love you/So don't be afraid to let them show/Your true colors/Are beautiful like a rainbow."

Also included are the invigorating "Shine," "Fearless," an intense moody take on 1984's infamous "She Bop" and "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," which remains just as festive as ever.

Although it is a disappointment that "Hat Full of Stars," Lauper's true masterpiece, is not represented on this collection, "The Body Acoustic" is everything a fine album should be. Loyal fans and casual listeners alike will all find something to love.

The DualDisc features 4 live performances, a look behind-the-scenes and the album in enhanced stereo.

After attending Cyndi's Concert last weekend in Tahoe, I was convinced to buy this album as my first Cyndi Lauper album. I was never really a fan of hers because pop music like hers was never really my thing. But my fiancee is a fan, and I always did like songs like Time after Time and All Through the Night.

Her concert, however, was quite impressive. It gave me a respect for her talent that I never had, and I felt that this album maybe the one that would maintain my respect (rather than say purchase earlier "hits" compilations of hers).

My instinct seemed right. This album is a fantastic album featuring acoustic interpretations of many of her hits plus newer songs. I'll have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about the duet portions of this disc as I wasn't sure how some of the guest artists would work with Cyndi, but it seems that everything is just right.

The guest artists seem to participate in a backup capacity, which is nice. While I knew of the guests before I purchased it, I was a bit concerned that a guest like Sarah McLachlan would be a bit overwhelming or overpowering, but she isn't. In fact, Cyndi's voice shows great power throughout the tracks, which is what impressed me at the show I saw as well.

The acoustic arrangements are nice as well. They really bring out Cyndi's talent vocally and instrumentally. It really shows that there is more than your typical top 40 pop hit to these songs, especially lyrically.

I am impressed enough that I think I'll consider some of her more recent work and perhaps a true greatest hits compilation.

So, if you are a potential fan of Cyndi Lauper and perhaps you are not much of a pop music fan, this album just might be for you. I am sure it is not for everyone, and it is not an album to get if you are expecting all of Cyndi's songs in their original sense. These are reinterpretations, even if they aren't all that different from the originals.

Sony has finally released a clean CD only version

(without the XCP copy protection), here's a link to it.:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CDSS2M/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2/104-1172647-8338328?%5Fencoding=UTF8

The Dual Disc never had the XCP,

so it's safe to buy either version now.

Many artists from Willie Nelson to Frank Sinatra have a done a duet collection of their songs. This is Cyndi Lauper's. It is not as good as Sinatra's but better than KISS's

This collection isnt a greatest hits...even if it is all of Lauper's greatest works. This is new remixes with Lauper blending with other artists. Some of these duets on this collection work and others seem to come out like bad Celebrities Duets (that new reality TV show on FOX)

For example, in both Lauper pairing with Sarah MacLachlan (Time after Time & Water's Edge), it seems a contest of wills...with Lauper leading strong vocally. However Shaggy and Cyndi's version of "All Through the Night" seems almost better than the classic version. The Lauper classic anthem "Girl Just want to Have Fun" backed up by Puffy AmiYumi and it works well. There are remixes of Lauper classics "She-Bop" and "True Colors", which proves after 25 years in the business, Cyndi can still belt them out.

This is a dual disk, a cd and a DVD which has 4 music videos and a documentary of the making of this CD.

So is this duet album worth it...YES. Pass on the MacLachlan duets, but this CD is great entertainment. Lauper is in great voice. and the pairs prove these songs of the 80;s still have merit

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

Based on the previous reviews here, along with the fact Sarah McLachlan collaborated, my expectations were quite high for this CD. While in some songs I was disappointed, in others I was pleased.

Some of the songs that I have listened to over and over again so far are: Money changes everything, time after time, above the clouds, shine and waters edge. While others leave me annoyed at the new style- such as she bop and girls just wanna have fun (the version on her grtst. hits is MUCH better!). All through the night, I'm on the fence on, the song is good, but Shaggy sounds ridiculous.

An added bonus to this cd was the dvd on the reverse side which had video's to Shine, Money and Above the Clouds. However, the "behind the scenes", are lackluster and full of nothing. Overall, the cd was worth the buy, for a Cyndi fan.