The Other Side of Me

MY WIFE AND I WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CD. WE'VE BEEN EDER FANS FOR YEARS. DID LINDA LOSE HER FORMER PIANIST AND ARRANGER AND CONDUCTOR AS PART OF HER DIVORCE? SHE DOESN'T NEED WILDHORN TO SOUND GREAT. BUT, SHE NEEDS BETTER MATERIAL, BETTER ARRANGEMENTS, A BETTER CONDUCTOR, AND PROBABLY A DIFFERENT PIANIST. BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME.

This new cd of Linda's is definitely a departure from her typical style. It has none of her characteristic Broadway/Streisand belting. However, it displays her talent in a fresh new way. Her voice fits the songs and she sings each one artfully. This is a wonderful uplifting album that really lets you hear another side of this incomparable artist. This is a must have for all you Linda Eder fans. But beware that it is a more country genre album. If you don't really care for that you might not like it. Final word . . . GREAT ALBUM!!!!

I have always enjoyed her singing voice. This album is different from some of her previous offerings. I would highly recommend it to fans of her music or to people who wish to listen to an outstanding vocalist. Linda Eder seems to get better with age. Her voice is one of the best around.

As I always suspected, Linda Eder has a musical mind of her own, and "The Other Side Of Me" serves as a delightful debut of Linda Eder, the artist! Undeniably possessing one of the most astounding voices, Eder's instrument has been raising the roof and giving us goose-bumps for nearly 20 years now. But, even for a devoted fan like myself, there was something very unsettling about the lack of direction and focus in her choices, and career in general. What began as a thrilling ride seemed to stall somewhere artistically, and I started to lose interest. But, lo and behold, this cd has Linda Eder's hands firmly at the wheel with a full tank and a knowing map! Thoughtfully rendered, each song honors the lyric first and becomes its own revelation, like pages from a woman's journal. The results are shimmering, but never synthetic, and there is a fresh contemporary sound here that allows Linda to still 'wow' us without ever grandstanding. This may disappoint some of her fans, who may want to hear the majesty of her showstopping range and power on every single recording. But for those who appreciate the beauty of an artist unafraid to use restraint to achieve their goal, this one's for you. One of my favorite cuts on this cd has been "Waiting for the Fall", and it should not surprise me, since it is the one song Eder wrote, proving my hunch that her creative spirit is renewed and thriving. And a well-written pop-rock tune it is!... with a great hook, solidly driven by slick guitars, drums, organ and harmonies; very hot! I am also quite impressed with her sublime covers of some heavyweight classics : Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and Indigo Girls' "Ghost"...dangerous territory if in lesser-hands, but it is clear that these songs are part of Linda's soul, and are lovingly interpreted without a hint of imitation or competition. Even "If I Could" works for me, (originally sung by Regina Belle, and much later by Streisand and Celine), Eder sings around its treacly borders and nails this ode from parent to child magnificently...with a touching vulnerability, hers is the voice of a mother yearning and growing alongside her child, not above. It is further testament to Linda Eder's interpretive gifts, even when re-working songs we have heard thousands of times... reminding me of her excitingly fresh take on "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (from her 1994 cd, And So Much More).

I have not replayed an Eder cd so many times since "Something to Believe In", and while I am rarely compelled to review a cd online...I must shout out the joy of an exceptional artist being 'born'...again, perhaps. Congratulations to Linda Eder and all who teamed with her on this beautifully-conceived triumph!

Linda Eders voice is ALWAYS an addition to any venue. Seeing this side of her talent is a terrific surprise!
Her voice is GOLD!