Anastacia - It's a Man's World

I Guess It's Christmas

I want to like this.  There’s an appeal in the idea, and the title It’s A Man’s World is certainly a subtle piece of sass when we know what is really being implied. It’s definitely more understated than, for quick comparison, Rock Gender Realignment or X-Factor With Testes.

I don’t really know Anastacia’s oeuvre, but I do recall she has some gutsy vocal chops, and this is a pretty ballsy, excuse pun, idea to take on. What are the pitfalls? Let’s see: songs made famous by male singers now done by a female. That’s number one. Anything else? Similar but slightly different: classic songs covered by someone else. Two gaping chasmfalls.

I want to like it because it is different and yes ballsy and it could be fun, as long as it’s not funny. And it’s not funny, that’s for sure. It begins surprisingly well with Led Zep’s Ramble On where the opening bass and acoustic guitar provides an authentic echo. And Anastacia’s vocal is distinct but gutsy enough to make it interesting, but I’m already thinking it might just be a great song pulling me in rather than the version. Well, that’s an obvious qualification.

After this I’m less sure. Best Of You is rather tame, and Sweet Child O’ Mine – the third track – has already signalled the downfall. It just can’t be done, especially the GNR where one expects, and doesn’t get here, at all, a certain sound. Then it’s my favourite Stones track You Can’t Always Get What You Want. So not only is Ana competing with the history and significance of a prime song, she has to battle with the colossal other history and significance it has for the listener of her version who is, naturally, also simultaneously listening to their mountain of memories which is inaccessible to and unassailable by any other than the originator of that musical landscape. Even if Anastacia sounds like its own geographical location.

Her version also just isn’t very good.

AC/DC’s Back in Black gets a similar tease to Zep’s song: the opening riff is so authentic it entices, that is until her vocal again just can’t compete with the expectation. Aerosmith’s Dream On is okay-ish until again what the aural memory yearns is Steve Tyler’s scream – liked or not, that scream is indigenous to the song. Anastacia’s attempt is ultimately pedestrian until her own scream that mocks rather than emulates. She’s on to a loser really. I’m still trying to like, but then Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody is another insuperable target because the original vocal is so distinctive. And I’m now repeating myself, like her failed attempts.

Bon Jovi’s You Give Love a Bad Name is perhaps the most ‘successful’ on the album. As a power ballad rather than a rock classic it suits Anastacia’s generic style most closely. Wonderwall is an embarrassment. The album finishes on Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun, and yes, it is a black hole into which the entire album disappears in its intentions as well as outcomes.

I rarely write negative reviews because that’s not the intention of this blog [so perhaps there’s my empathy with Anastacia....] and I didn’t intend to specifically with this album having as I said at the start a hopeful expectation. I quite like cover albums – not necessarily by a single artist – and these songs are in themselves attractive. Had Anastacia produced an album of original material and a small selection of covers I’m sure it could have been a more successful attempt. 

I’m guessing this has been produced and marketed for Christmas? Buy the originals.