Date Relesed On Worldwide:13th november 2007: Rate:9/10Product DescriptionBrand new 14-song studio album featuring such songwriters and producers as John Shanks, Ben Moody (formerly of Evanescence), Linda Perry, and Ne-Yo.
Track Listing1. "Taking Chances"
2. "Alone"
3. "Eyes On Me"
4. "My Love"
5. "Shadow of Love"
6. "Surprise Surprise"
7. "This Time"
8. "New Dawn"
9. "A Song for You"
10. "A World to Believe In"
11. "Can't Fight the Feelin'"
12. "I Got Nothin' Left"
13. "Right Next to the Right One"
14. "Fade Away"
15. "That's Just the Woman in Me"
16. "Skies of L.A."
Album InformationCéline Dion worked with many different producers for this album, mainly on pop, rock and R&B songs. The tracks were recorded mostly during Dion's summer holiday, between July 2 and August 15, 2007.[2]
* "Taking Chances" was written by Kara DioGuardi and David A. Stewart from Eurythmics, and produced by John Shanks.[3] It was released as the first single from the album.
* "Alone" is a power ballad written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, and originally recorded by American band Heart in 1987. Dion's cover was produced by Ben Moody, ex-member of Evanescence.
* "Eyes On Me" is a Middle Eastern-flavored song written by Delta Goodrem, Kristian Lundin and Savan Kotecha, and produced by Lundin. It was originally recorded for Delta Goodrem's third self-titled album but did not make the cut so producers sent it to Dion instead.[4]
* "My Love" was written and produced by Linda Perry.
* "Shadow of Love" was written by Aldo Nova, Anders Bagge and Peter Sjöström, and produced by John Shanks.
* "Surprise Surprise" is the second track written by Kara DioGuardi. It was co-produced by her and Emanuel "Eman" Kiriakou.[5]
* "This Time" was written by Ben Moody, David Hodges and Steven McMorran, and produced by Moody and Hodges.[6] [7]
* "New Dawn" is another track written and produced by Linda Perry. It was originally recorded by Perry on her After Hours album in 1999.
* "A Song for You" is a piano-heavy ballad written by Aldo Nova, Anders Bagge and Robert Wells, and produced by Bagge.[8]
* "A World to Believe In" is another track produced by John Shanks, written by Rosanna Ciciola and Tino Izzo.
* "Can't Fight the Feelin'" is one of five tracks written by Aldo Nova. It was produced by John Shanks.
* "I Got Nothin' Left" was co-written by Ne-Yo and Chuck Harmony, and produced by the latter.
* "Right Next to the Right One" is a song originally written and recorded by Tim Christensen in 2002. It was produced by Christopher Neil.
* "Fade Away" was written by Aldo Nova, Peer Astrom and David Stenmarck, and produced by Astrom.
* "That's Just the Woman in Me" is a blues-flavoured track written by Kimberly Rew, and recorded by Katrina and the Waves in the 80s, which remained unreleased until 2003. Dion's version was produced by John Shanks.
* "Skies of L.A." was co-written by Christopher 'Tricky' Stewart and The-Dream, and produced by 'Tricky'. Both are responsible for Rihanna's 2007 hit "Umbrella" among others.[9]
* "Map to My Heart" was written by Guy Roche and Shelly Peiken, and produced by Roche. It was featured on the "Taking Chances" CD single and the Japanese version of the album.
* "The Reason I Go On" was included on the Japanese version of Taking Chances. It was produced by Ben Moody and David Hodges.
* "Let Me Be Your Soldier" is a leftover from the recording sessions.
* There was also another Ben Moody track recorded, this time co-written by him, Scott "Skippy" Chapman and Michael Tait that was a slower piano-driven ballad.[10]
* According to an article in Elle magazine dated July 2007, R. Kelly wrote two songs for Dion's upcoming album.[11] But they didn't make the final cut.
Editional ReviewsAmazon.com
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