In collaborating on Miracle, Celine Dion and her partner in baby love Anne Geddes carefully sidestepped the L-word--a smart move, considering that the songs captured here, despite their electric-blanket warmth, aren't always lullaby-like in their delivery. Though the collaboration is about babies--the liner notes to this CD provide a sneak peek at Geddes' visual wizardry available in both the expanded box set and book--Miracle is not necessarily for them. Which works out great for Celine fans who have made contact with their maternal sides. More than anything, the disc plays as a valentine to new mothers: "Le Loup, La Biche et le Chevalier (Une Chanson Douce)," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy" get the trademark melt-away vocal treatment, causing the need to keep a box of tissues at the ready. While tenderness flows from each track as consistently as formula from a baby bottle, though, the chanteuse doesn't shy away from the passion and note-pounding that are also her trademarks. Thus, the miracle of Miracle lies not in its ability to soothe the tiny creatures it swollen-heartedly celebrates, but in its ability to set the sentiments of listeners who love them to song. --Tammy La Gorce
Taking Chances is not without its daring moments--we'll get to those--but the first order of business in any review of this much-hyped record, on which Celine Dion is said to have slunk away from her songbird instincts in favor of embracing her inner rock & roll wild child, should be fan reassurance. Therefore: fear not. Taking Chances has its share of poignant, pretty ballads (both "A Song for You" and "Right Next to the Right One" are goosebump-raisers) and love songs (the hopeful, heartfelt title track, which unfolds into an anthemic power ballad midway through, may be the best one). As far as standard Celine fare goes, in fact, Chances is likely her strongest non-French outing since 2002's A New Day Has Come; nobody unfolds a lyric with more care or nuance. And, as the subtle "My Love" deftly proves, any early-career instincts to over-sing have gone poof along with her '90s-era, sweet-natured-kook persona. Because it's a generous 16 songs long, it may even be possible to ignore the non-Celine-like moments on Taking Chances and just enjoy the more fan-faithful tracks. But that wouldn't be any fun, would it? There are songs here--"Can't Fight the Feelin'," "Fade Away," "That's Just the Woman In Me"--that will astound diehards and make fans of those who've dissed her for more than a decade. If you didn't think the diva behind Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" had it in her to screech from the bottom of her soul, a la Janis Joplin, flip to track 15 and guess again. --Tammy La Gorce
