Burlesque Soundtrack Review

While the buzz for Burlesque is pretty big, especially here on Movie Buzzers, excited fans of Christina Aguilera and Cher can get their hands on the official movie soundtrack, available on Amazon and iTunes now! This review will give you an in-depth look at the album which features a track list of ten songs, two by Cher, and the remaining eight by Aguilera. Hit the jump for more juicy details on this sure fire hit album.

The soundtrack offers a radio-worthy blend of bluesy-jazz/retro-pop numbers that brought Aguilera much success with her Back to Basics double album back in 2006. Although the opening song to the album, as well as the film’s first musical number, is a cover of an Etta James song, “Something’s Got A Hold On Me,“ Aguilera demonstrates how she masterfully manipulates classics with her contemporary diva-style. As Ali, a waitress from a small town in Iowa, she closes up the bar and relieves her stress by turning up the juke box to sing her heart out one last time before she leaves for Los Angeles to follow her dreams.

Aguilera pays homage to another Etta James song, “Tough Lover.“ This is the song that makes her character’s talent known to her boss Tess, and all the other patrons of the club, when an attempt to embarrass the budding star by nemesis Kristen Bell works in favor of the resilient Ali. However, the most powerful of all of Aguilera’s musical performances in the film is “Bound To You,” a track she co-wrote for the film, and should most definitely be her latest hit ballad. This song really tugs at your heart, while simply hearing the raw emotions, making you feel that you’re not just listening to the song from a character’s point of view on screen, but sneaking a glimpse at the fragile and vulnerable side to Aguilera’s personal struggle to overcome a public divorce from her husband, Jordan Bratman. Perhaps at the time that the song was recorded for the film, none of this was going on, but following the recent news of the split, audiences learn a little bit more of Aguilera’s caliber as a strong performer in the midst of heartbreak.

Since the film focuses on sexy stage performances by bedazzled and barely-dressed dancers, Aguilera lends her pipes to upbeat numbers like “But I Am A Good Girl,” “Guy That Takes His Time,” “Express,” “Show Me How You Burlesque,” and “The Beautiful People,” all of which complement Aguilera’s talent and shows how well she prepared as a dancer for the project.

As for Cher, with only two songs, the powerhouse performer stuns audiences with a cabaret-style introduction to the club with “Welcome to Burlesque,” the song that entices Aguilera to set her sights on getting on the stage. Then, an appropriate uber-ballad in “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me” is Cher’s ultimate peak in the film. This song conveys how important Cher is both on screen and on the music charts, transcending any previous doubts that Cher was no longer relevant in her sixty-fourth year. It doesn’t hurt that this song was written by Grammy-winning scribe Diane Warren, famous for tunes like Faith Hill’s “Breathe,” Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart,” LeAnn Rimes “How Do I,” and Aero smith’s “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing.”

In addition to the writing team, Claude Kelly, Tricky Stewart, and Sia add to the mix, with production help from Linda Perry, Ron Fair, and also Stewart. If musical soundtracks like Dreamgirls, Nine, Chicago, and Moulin Rouge rotate regularly in your iPod or wherever it is that you listen to music on, then the Burlesque soundtrack is a definite must to add to your collection.

With a debut on the Billboard charts at number two for the soundtracks (not bad, considering heavy competition with those Glee kids and their Christmas album), perhaps it’s not too soon to say that “Bound To You” is bound to be heard at the Oscars for Best Song? We can only hope, that despite mixed reviews for the film by high-brow film critics, that the very forgiving Hollywood Foreign Press will see the true grit and glamour behind Aguilera and Cher’s performances and bestow Gold Globe nominations unto them. After all, wasn’t Mamma Mia! and Will Ferrell’s supporting role in The Producers in the running for trophies in previous years at the Golden Globes?

If you haven’t seen the movie yet, check out the review here . And if you’re still not convinced, take a peek at the videos below for some more great footage of these unforgettable performances!