The problem with Rod Stewart’s American Songbook albums, as well as the last Aretha Franklin album and Diana’s
I Love You album, is that in the aim to create a bestselling mainstream album, the final result tends to be lackluster productions of familiar songs that border on karaoke. If Diana ever makes an album again, I sincerely hope that she will focus on a niche adult soul market instead. My personal wish would be for Diana Ross to make an album with original songs, backed by some good musicians, in collaboration with artists like Raphael Saadiq, Alicia Keys, and Emeli Sandé. I’m sure that these great artists would jump at the opportunity to work with a legend like Ross. Rather than a commercial comeback, I think Ross deserves an artistic comeback [[similar to Bettye LaVette’s
I've Got My Own Hell to Raise), because beyond all the glamour and diva-ness, Ross is actually a great artist. Of course, Ross doesn’t need it – she has made enough great records to assure that her reputation is secured – but to have
I Love You as final album of an extraordinary recording career is rather anti-climactic.
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