After the 'success' of the original 'Grace And Gratitude' album in 2006, Olivia Newton-John announced her plan to record another 'healing' album. This hasn't happened as yet but dear Olivia has revamped G&G for 2010!
What this actually means is that she's re-recorded a few tracks and added a new song, 'Help Me To Heal', a rather weak, faux-gospel ballad that she sounds a little uncomfortable on. To be honest, none of the re-recorded tracks add much to the originals and in some cases, like the duet with the ever-present Amy Sky, 'I Will Lift Up My Eyes', admittedly never one of the better songs, the results are worse.
I must admit I fail to see Olivia's obsession with Amy Sky, and I'm slightly unnerved by how on every subsequent O album she seems to have a bigger role. Her bland, bleating voice is better seldom heard, IMO, but you can't get shut of her on this and she quite spoiled Olivia's last studio effort, 'A Celebration In Song' as well.
Don't get me wrong, G&G is a good album, though you really HAVE to love Olivia's voice to appreciate it, but I see little point reissuing it. It didn't sell last time and with Olivia spending her time promoting ludicrously expensive 'health' fruit drinks, she hasn't much time to do the rounds with it this time either.
But, if you haven't got the original G&G, it's worth a listen. You'd have to be pretty soft-headed to take it's sentiments seriously, but it does sound nice...
One more thing, there's new cover art. Olivia's photoshop team seem to be obsessed with making her look like a 15 year old Cameron Diaz instead of the lovely 62 year old woman she is. I'm quite shocked also how Olivia has developed Julia Roberts lips... Surely no surgery was involved. Our girl is all natural of course! Must be all the Zamu!