Burlesque Queens

BURLESQUE, the upcoming movie, is really exciting me. Why? Because it has so much potential. It could either be an exhilarating motion picture musical, or it could be a glorious hot mess along the lines of "Showgirls." Either ay, I think it is destined to be a camp classic. Well, if I were to base it on the soundtrack, well, it still could go either way. The music is definitely not a "traditional" in the sense that it is not a musical, but more like pop songs embedded into the movie. It is 80% Christina, 20% Cher. I have really really tried to get Christina Aguilera, and I found out that the best way for me to enjoy here is to listen to her songs individually. I like her fine, but listening to her song after song just exhausts me - that damn melisma can really give me a migraine. And listening to the soundtrack, that is still the case. They try to give her some "range," musically: there is the mildly appealing 50s style doo wop song "Something's Got A Hold On Me," and the bluesy "A Guy Takes His Time," even the immensely playful "I Am A Good Girl." Sadly, though, on record she does not truly convey any kind of character. And of course, when they give her the bombastic diva ballad, "Bound To You," she stays very very far away from subtlety. (I think she has three epileptic seizures in the course of the four minute song)  Cher fares much better, at least she personalizes her songs a bit more and you get a glimpse of the role she plays in the movie, even though her character sounds a lot like Cher. "You Still Haven't Seen The Last Of Me" sounds like 80s Cher well, and could very well be a hit.  Christina fans will love her songs, Cher fans will have wet dreams over hers. In the context of the movie, with pretty imagery, might make the songs appeal more to me. For now, though, these are just bland pop.