Anastacia
Anastacia

THE REVIEW

Hospital...Long white corridor...fear, hope, anxious waiting...A short woman, blonde with all the right curves in the right places, dressed extravagantly and with a pair of fascinating glasses that give her an intellectual look is sitting on one of those uncomfortable plastic chairs...One might deduce she is waiting for her trusted doctor or that she is waiting to undergo some test...whatever the case, her demeanor is serious and imposing despite her stature...
A moment later, footsteps coming from the end of the corridor...the woman gets up and approaches the doctor...a meeting of glances...two words...a tilted head...Then a hand on a shoulder and a smile as if to say "We will make it...We will win this fight together...I know you are strong...we will make it".
Months of inner struggle, exhaustion, pain, and anger.
Then one day, the memory of what she is and what she has done must have given her a special strength to decide to enter that room she hadn’t been in for months, but in which she would have liked to spend much of her time even though it meant struggling greatly.
A pair of headphones, a microphone...and the magic began once again.

This is how I imagine the tough journey Anastacia has faced since she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
All the emotions she experienced in this long, seemingly endless period for her are directly reflected on the album through her more than fabulous yet characteristic voice.
The recording of this album lasted six months of exhausting work due to her illness, but it cannot be said that it wasn’t worth it.
This album shows an artist who has grown a lot artistically and, I believe, spiritually as well.
With more aggressive and sometimes dark songs (thanks to the use of electric guitars, keyboards/synth, and a more impactful drum set) and just as many light, tender, and comforting songs (sometimes with piano and orchestral accompaniments), Anastacia conveys such emotions through her golden voice that one cannot help but listen and get carried away by this river of notes that touch you inside, deep within the soul.
Listening to this album, even noticing some musical influences (see I Do with the collaboration of Sonny from P.O.D., which seems like a piece from the latest Evanescence album like Bring Me to Life, or Sexy single, which greatly resembles Black & White by Michael Jackson) close to plagiarism, I still couldn’t help but shout and get chills more than once thinking “Anastacia, You Are Fantastic!”

The opening track Season Change is beautiful, so rock&soul, with staccato electric guitars and a drummer hitting hard, reminding me of the legendary unbeatable Glenn Hughes (unjustly not very well known here in Italy but well known internationally as one of Stevie Wonder’s best friends who considers him the best white singer in the world) with his gritty, sharp, and powerful black timbre.
The ballads Heavy On My Heart and the concluding Maybe Today are thrilling (where orchestral parts and choirs come into play as well) where Anastacia’s voice knows how to caress and touch so gently that it breaks your heart and even brings a tear to your eye.
Noteworthy also is Pretty Little Dum Dum and the single Left Outside Alone in which there are, as throughout much of the album, electric guitars together with well-balanced keyboards and synths.

The audio quality of the album is as usual perfect, but as I have said more than once, the voice alone of this little princess would be enough to make it a wonderful album.
The artwork is typical like others of Anastacia, with some of her photos, but in the end, it is okay like this.

The best album of Anastacia produced so far, which may make those who were accustomed to a more carefree and playful artist from I’m Outta Love or I’m Not That Kind wrinkle their noses a bit, but it will surely attract the attention of many (even rockers, I hope) who considered these characteristics negative, yet still saw her as a great singer.

A must-have...also to support the cause against breast cancer that Anastacia embraced after her misfortune.

“ Left broken empty in despair
Wanna breath can't find air
Thought you were sent from up above
But you and me never had love
So much more I have to say
Help me find a way
And I wonder if you know
How it really feels
To be left outside alone
When it's cold out here
Well maybe you should know
Just how it feels
To be left outside alone
To be left outside alone
All my life I've been waiting
For you to bring a fairytale my way
Been living in a fantasy without meaning
It's not okay I don't feel safe
I need to pray “

Anastacia – Anastacia (2004) Left Outside Alone

P.s. Attention! Once you put the disc into your player, it's hard to take it out... ;-P