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I Dreamed A Dream
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 8 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 39 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Sony
Release Date: 23 November 2009
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Vocal, Pop
Summary
The Britain’s Got Talent runner-up releases her debut album produced by Steve Mac.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The New York Times
On an album without humor or melodrama, a devotional spirit reigns.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
For fans of Boyle's original Britain's Got Talent clip, the result might be a bit of a letdown, especially in snoozily competent versions of 'Daydream Believer' and Madonna's 'You'll See,' which offer none of her jarred-lightning charm.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Boyle sings beautifully throughout, delivering more of the same of what she did in her moment in the sun on television. Those won over by Boyle, either her voice or story, will surely be satisfied.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe
There are some lovely vocal performances here and some well-appointed and understated arrangements. But not one of Boyle’s versions transcends the original or adds much of an emotional shading, other than a consistent undercurrent of melancholy that makes the album feel increasingly drab.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times
Boyle is perfectly comfortable singing actual hymns like 'Amazing Grace,' though her take on them is pretty much on a level with any local church's choir star. She's at her worst when she pushes harder; she doesn't know how to build drama, and her throat seems to constrict as she reaches for bigger notes.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
The earnest piano arrangements and Boyle's tender but colourless readings of 12 familiar songs will undoubtedly be bliss to fans of musical theatre; anyone else will be gnawing the sleeve in frustration after five minutes.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
I Dreamed a Dream finds Ms. Boyle casting about for some kind of musical identity.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
Because the songs are so riddled with cliches and are largely too familiar, and because the music is so tepid and tasteful to a fault, the album simply isn't able to overcome that lack of depth.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 6.0 (out of 10) based on 39 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Lar C gave it a4:
She has a nice voice and good control, but no sense of creativity in her treatment of the songs. She's about as vanilla as they come. Her CD is good for one, maybe two listenings, but probably no more.
Marie N gave it a2:
There are so many good singers that probably deserve more attention than Susan Boyle. She has a nice voice but it is at the same time very limited. I believe that is why all the songs are slow ballads. No, this is not a record I would buy.
Zeke P gave it a4:
This is exactly what I expected. EXACTLY. It's straight out of the "stock, over-produced and neutered" drawer that always gets opened around Christmas (aka Acquistionfest) time. Bland, inoffensive renditions of enjoyable pop songs and show tunes that will appeal to the middle-aged/older crowd. These kinds of album will make ideal gifts for those who have no idea what to buy their friends and relatives. It appeals to everyone and yet no-one in particular. Many copies will be consigned to bargain bins, charity shops and the attic come next year. Susan Boyle will eventually join similar "artists" like the now overlooked Hayley Westenra after the hype dies down and her producers/handlers find newer one-hit-wonder ca$hcows. The tragedy is that Susan would fare so much better if her voice wasn't processed and autotuned and she had enough idea of what career path she wanted to travel. As much as I hate these light-entertainment fad talent shows, she could fairly accurately be called "voice of the people" - an ordinary individual with an extraordinary talent. But that will be wasted if all she ever does is lacklustre versions of other people's material, and knowing the people who control her career, that's exactly what will happen. Still, she'll have no problem keeping her cat fed now, so it's not all bad. Maybe she'll buy a couple more? Everyone could use a cat or two.
Jordan F gave it a10:
By far some of the best music I've heard in quite a while. Thanks Susan.
Robert gave it a4:
Mediocrity at its finest.
Sam l gave it a10:
Absolutely ¡AMAZING!
David I gave it a2:
Boyle has the sparkle of a hard boiled egg on this set of infinitely dull songs. She's been made over, tarted up, set-up and transfigured but she and her singing are still just as plain as her name suggests. Look at her on the cover holding back or covering up the fat on her face so that she appears to have a thin face - the producers and photographers must have thought they really pulled a fast one there. The songs on the CD are in a similar way a cover up. They are lifeless and drab, the accompaniment worthy of elevator musak and Boyle's singing is inconsistent and patchy at best. She had one moment of glory on Britian's Got Talent - it was a moment in which she unconsciously admonished all those who judged her on her appearance - it was a glorious moment for the underdog but that moment is long gone and does not come through on this CD. It's a big step from being an underdog to being a star. All those people who were eager to cash in on her world wide instant stardom wanted to make that step a small one so they could get their share of Boyle's market. No doubt got their pocket's full but unfortunately Boyle doesn't have the talent her producers would like her to have.
