Subjective Sounds

View Original

Barbra Streisand – Higher Ground (Album Review)

Released in 1997, Higher Ground was Barbra Streisand’s twenty-seventh studio album and despite selling over 5 million copies, I completely overlooked this release at the time. Thankfully, due to the flexibility of streaming, I’ve been able to enjoy this masterpiece in recent years and consider it amongst Streisand’s greatest recordings as each song is worthy of inclusion. 

Listening via Apple Music, Higher Ground is presented as an Apple Digital Master; a mastering process that aims to deliver studio-quality sound. Even if I wanted to listen to the album via the CD-quality offered by TIDAL Hi-Fi, Higher Ground is sadly absent from that platform but as the Apple Digital Master often trumps the CD-quality stream, such an omission is only disappointing because it deprives music-lovers of experiencing all there is to offer from an artist’s collection. Nevertheless, the Apple Music stream delivers a soundstage that is enveloping, ensuring the album can be thoroughly appreciated as you get a sense of Streisand being in the room with you as the speakers disappear and you’re at one with the music.

See this content in the original post

I Believe/You’ll Never Walk Alone is a lovely melody-based opener that immediately captivates the soul from the very first note and highlights Streisand’s gorgeous vocal. That said, as much as I enjoy the melody aspect, both songs in their own right are exceptional, I wonder if the transition could have been a little more seamless as it almost sounds as if they are two separate tracks, just  without the 2-second pregap. 

Higher Ground is a stunning title track that is unassuming and thoroughly relaxing.

At The Same Time is a song I love, although I must admit that I would have left the children’s vocal choir out of the mix as it detracts from the musicality. Yes, I acknowledge the connection to the lyrical element, I just feel the mix wasn’t right. Perhaps it could have been corrected in the studio, but the choir’s inclusion simply sounds detached. 

Tell Him (Duet With Celine Dion) is an absolute masterpiece!

On Holy Ground is a beautiful song, but it could be argued that any song would have suffered following Tell Him. It is a case of incorrect sequencing, in my opinion, but I’m the type of person that would suggest a song like Tell Him would be best served as being the final song on the album as to not detract from any other song. 

If I Could is a lovely tune. 

Circle is simply magnificent and while I don’t normally appreciate music for its lyrical interpretation, instead considering the vocal as an instrument, lyrics are difficult to ignore in Streisand’s works as she pronounces every word so perfectly and the meaning behind the song is touching and remains even more relevant today than it arguably did when it was originally recorded. 

The Water Is Wide/Deep River is the second melody on Higher Ground and it doesn’t disappoint. 

Leading With Your Heart is another beautiful, unassuming, song and, if anything, Higher Ground represents a series of songs that are hidden gems and shouldn’t be overlooked. 

Lessons To Be Learned is one of Streisand’s greatest vocal performances. Yes, that could be said about so many of the songs she’s recorded over the years, but Lessons To Be Learned is a sonic joy, with a perfect mix, meaning that I often play Lessons To Be Learned as loud as comfortably possible as well as playing it on repeat. A stunning performance!

Everything Must Change is a lovely song, but there’s a little distortion in the right channel, especially noticeable when listening via headphones, that is distracting to this otherwise exceptional recording. I can’t say for certain where the distortion entered the mix as I question if it would have been overlooked in the original recording process, but the distortive element that occurs around 2:44 and again at 2:50 is also present on the Spotify stream. 

Avinu Malkeinu is a gorgeous Jewish prayer to close the album with, and while I have suggested that Tell Him would have been perfectly repositioned as the final song on Higher Ground, Avinu Malkeinu is worthy of its position and is arguably the perfect closer to one of Streisand’s greatest albums. 

Higher Ground is simply exceptional, without a B-side to be found. Having only become aware of this masterpiece in recent years, it has fast become one of my most treasured albums, for it really is that good. If you too missed checking out Higher Ground, remember that it is never too late to appreciate timeless classics such as this. 

Check out more reviews by Subjective Sounds