At Last

There's a right time and a right place for many things throughout life. After my first listen to Cyndi Lauper's latest offering "At Last", that's exactly the feeling that I had. The right time- the right place. Although at a quick glance one would think this was just another "covers" album, scratch the surface and you realize that it's much more than that.As another New York artist, Laura Nyro, accomplished when she sang covers, Lauper's album is a love song to New York City. (The cover photos suggest such as well.) Like Nyro, the choice of material and the essence of its effect on the listener have more to do with the streets of New York than anything else. In fact, Lauper writes of the influence of her youth in New York City as the primary inspiration for this album.Given her inspirational source, I would have to say that Lauper delivers a stunning display here. First of all she boldly sings these songs with somewhat sparse instrumentation that is not necessarily what we're accustomed to her doing. (Although I have seen her live on TV do such things.) The large presence of the sparse and bleak piano accompaniment echoes the sound of Nyro's classic "New York Tendaberry." The album has the feel of a minimalist cabaret setting. It has a somewhat spontaneous and natural quality to it and sounds like many of the vocals may have been recorded in one take. That leads me to say that another certain someone who came to fame at the same time as Lauper would fall flat on her face if she tried something as daring as this. Unlike this other "performer", Lauper has moved through her career with grace, charm and wit and comes out the real winner in the end.There have already been many reviews written here that praise this song and that song on the album. I can only add my voice to those others and say that Lauper's version of "Walk On By" will break your heart and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" hits the nail on the head. Her version of Smokey Robinson's "You've Really Got a Hold On Me" ( a song that Nyro covered too) is impressive in the way that she keeps the emotions of the song at bay and sings it with quiet frustration. "Hymn To Love is quite lovely and it's use of the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts" is very clever and unexpected - and it works.But, we still get some of the "old" Lauper style on her takes of "Stay" and "The Sunny Side of the Street" and they're great fun! Her bantering with Tony Bennett on the duet "Makin' Whoopee" is also the Cyndi that we've always known.After all's been said, this album must be considered a complete success. And no one deserves it more than Lauper. She's always done things on her own terms and persevered. Here's hoping that this wonderful performance gets its due recognition.

I have always appreciated Ms. Lauper for her activism and her truth -- she never felt compelled to reinvent herself or her look. When she won the Tony for the score (composer and lyricist) for Kinky Boots, and sang True Colors at the Awards program, I decided to find out what someone with so much creativity could do to "reinvent" some great standards. This disc was a revelation. Ms. Lauper made every song with the exception of La Vien Rose sound like a new song, never heard before. She uncovered new meaning in some, new emotion in others. In the Piaf classic, sung in English, she simply channelled Piaf. When she duetted on Making Whoopie with Tony Bennett, the byplay between vocalists was perfectly wedded to the laid-back take. The Sunny Side of the Street is taken upbeat, with same enlightening effect as when Streisand took Happy Days downbeat. Not a single new version seemed labored -- it was all there just interpreted by someone whose musicianship is superb and whose instrument -- her voice -- is in its prime.

Cyndi Lauper's unique vocal talents are showcased well in this mellow CD. Her voice seems made for these classic songs.My personal favorites:Walk On By: Cyndi gives such a sad, plaintiff sound to this Dionne Warwick classic. She really makes you feel the pain of watching someone you love walk by with another person.Unchained Melody: This song has been so over played, I didn't think I would find it appealing...but again, Cyndi's unique take on the song and her glorious sound made this song new for me again.Until You Come Back To Me: I love it-- my favorite on the CD. The arrangement is fun and different, and it makes me sing it out loud everytime. I would buy this entire CD just for this song.If you shied away from Ms Lauper because of her crazy antics or too frentic energy songs, take a chance on this one. You will be impressed and enjoy the hidden vocal control that this truly unique singer brings.

I am a casual Lauper fan, only having her superb "Time After Time: Best Of" and "Merry Christmas...Have a Nice Life!" CDs. Thus, I bought this CD awhile ago with some trepidation, and finally got around to writing this review. In short, this is a first-class performance by an artist who has been marginalized too long by her eccentricities. You have got to love and appreciate these renditions of primarily 50s and 60s standards if you have any romantic soul. Maybe it's my Italian emotions, but "At Last" matches Etta James' classic, which is blasphemy, but true. I am a hard-core Animals fan, but have to give Ms. Lauper kudos for her sensitive redo of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". The piece de resistance, however, is "If You Go Away"- this cuts to the core of anyone who has lost a love. The only track that I could do without is "Makin' Whoopee", a throwaway duet with the master, Tony Bennett. Finally, this CD is a true bargain at the current, $9.99 price.

I didnt care much for this Cd at first (though I thought it was a gutsy move on her part), but its grown on me. (funny how that works sometimes). I didnt like the lack of orchestration on many of the songs and the slow paced arrangements along with the overly dramatic singing. There are still a few cuts I dont care for (If You Go Away for one) but overall I've totally come around to the pro-Cyndi camp on this one. It may take a little getting used to, but it gets better with repeated listenings.

Livraison rapide et cd excellent.

La sua voce esce come strumento principale, secondo me migliorata nel tempo. Preparatissima e un buon gusto nella scelta dei pezzi e negli arrangiamenti. Molto bello ed elegante come album “serale”

en la descripción dice que tiene 2 cds a pesar de dudarlo lo compre y termino siendo la horrible edición digipack, no se porque hacen esas ediciones horribles, deberían ser solo jewel case

me gusta mucho Cindy Lauper y este cd en particular es totalmente recomendable para mis amigos y conocidos pues es fantastico

Avec cet album de covers (reprises), Cindy Lauper, l'interprète de talent méconnue et méprisée pour sa voix haut perchée, a co-produit un album de très grande classe qui mérite sa pochette.C'est un album de blues, de soul, de reprises de titres (en anglais) d'interprètes et/ou d'auteurs de talents unanimement reconnus (Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Jacques Brel, Smokey Robinson, Edith Piaf, Nat King Cole) et réarangés avec talent. Il y a même un duo avec Tony Bennet.Pour les mélomanes et ceux qui veulent entendre de la belle musique.