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Barbra Streisand announces new album Release Me 2 featuring previously unreleased songs

"A chance to revisit, and in some cases, add a finishing instrumental touch to songs that still resonate for me in meaningful ways".

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; photo: by Russell James 

Barbra Streisand has revealed a new album of previously unreleased songs is on the way.

Release Me 2 – which will contain Barbra’s newly-released duet with Willie Nelson, ‘I’d Want To Be You’ (below) – drops on Friday 6 August 2021.

The 10-track collection will contain songs from dates ranging from 1962-2020.

 
 
 
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A post shared by Barbra Streisand (@barbrastreisand)

It is the first new Barbra album title since 2018’s Walls, and is a sequel to 2012’s Release Me, which entered the Billboard 200 at #7, making it her 32nd Top 10 and 7th consecutive Top 10 album at the time in the US.

“A lovely walk down memory lane…”

In her notes for the album, Barbra says, “For me, the studio is a combination musical playground and laboratory…a private sanctuary, where the possibility of catching lightning in a bottle always exists.

“Whenever that kind of magic happens, it’s extremely satisfying. Sometimes though, when the arrangement doesn’t quite gel or the song no longer fits the tone of the album it was meant for, the tapes go into the vault for safekeeping.

“Working on this 2nd volume of Release Me has been a lovely walk down memory lane…a chance to revisit, and in some cases, add a finishing instrumental touch to songs that still resonate for me in meaningful ways.

“I’m particularly struck by the ongoing relevance of ‘Be Aware’ and ‘One Day,’ which still speak to our collective sense of humanity.”

The Attitude July issue is out now.

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