Resistance is futile to Barbra Streisand's latest schmaltzy offering
'When I sing, people shut up,' Barbra Streisand once said. Listening to her new schmaltzy collection of duets – The Secret of Life: Partners Volume Two – I did wonder if that could be because they'd dozed off.
There's something so luxuriously plush about the 83-year-old megastar 's reassuringly (and remarkably) unwrinkled vocals that you find yourself sinking into these solid 11 pop/jazz standards (and one new track) as if they were pillows upon a massage table.
Following the format of 2014's Partners, the predictably warm, oily orchestration relaxes your muscles, and the hypnotic click track beat dims the lights ahead of A-list guest turns, from Paul McCartney, James Taylor and Sting through Tim McGraw, Seal and Sam Smith.
Evidence that the world was ready for Babs's aural pampering came two weeks ago: Letter to my 13 Year Old Self (her duet with 26-year-old Chinese-Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey) topped the US iTunes chart in a week when Sabrina Carpenter and Ed Sheeran both dropped singles.
Originally released by Laufey in 2023, it's a tender tearjerker of a ballad in which the young songwriter looked back on a youth during which she felt out of place surrounded by blue-eyed Scandinavian blondes.
'I'm so sorry that they pick you last/ Try to say your foreign name and laugh/ I know that you feel loud, so different from the crowd…' it runs. But, like the triumphantly metamorphosing duckling-to-swan heroines of so many Streisand movies, the older Laufey wants to reassure the 'funny girl' she once was will one day 'be up on stage' and 'the days of tears and failure fears and no one cares/ Will all make sense'.
Streisand adds maternal wisdom as she reflects upon her own difficult youth and long struggle for recognition, while also seeming to wrap an arm around the rising star. Always a generous enunciator – a singer whose vibrato can brush the skin of emotions like a feather before plunging you into a sunken bathtub of soul – she wraps plump, loving lips around the offer of 'a squeeze' in a way that will make listeners feel they've had a real hug.
Less successful is spongy new song One Heart, One Voice, on which Streisand, Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey ladle up sickly sweet lyrics and vocal sprinkles about onto the bland whipped cream and jelly of a sub-Disney love trifle.
Hozier throws some gloopy hot wax at Ewan MacColl's 1957 folk song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, while Streisand revels in the dramatic pauses. Macca pours himself so lightly into the easygoing affection of his 2012 song My Valentine (written for his third wife Nancy Shevell) that you can swallow the maraschino cherry of the cheesy guitar solo.
Both Streisand and Josh Groban (the only artist to appear on both Partners albums) relish the stage musical melodrama of Where Do I Go from You.
Neither Sting's Fragile or James Taylor's The Secret 'O Life – both lovely songs – gain much from being turned into two-handers. Bob Dylan makes more effective conversational space for himself on the 1934 jazz standard The Very Thought of You – the five o'clock stubble of his devoted rasp leaning into her silky sass as a breezy harmonica blows a fresh dynamic through the old tune. It's hard to believe that they recorded in separate rooms at separate times. Sam Smith also brings a rather poignant depth to the moments his voice joins hers on To Lose You Again.
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The Herald Scotland
13 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Is this the best Chinese food in Glasgow? I'm not so sure
Twenty minutes on the treadmill is surely a free pass for noodles and rice, right? I was a fan of this spot's previous incarnation as Salt & Chilli Oriental (also run by Lee), which had a relaxed street food feel and enormous portion sizes that would explain the pre-emptive exercise. The menu was short but sweet and no doubt driven by the city's enduring love affair with all things salt and chilli seasoning that sees restaurants and cafes sprinkle the stuff on everything from hash browns to 'haggis baws'. But Lychee is a different beast, vying to bring the cooler, more sophisticated vibes of its older sister restaurant, first established on Mitchell Street in 2015, to the Southside. While the interiors of the split-level venue on Kilmarnock Road have barely changed, the food offering is now hugely expanded, drawing inspiration from Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisines. On a Wednesday evening, the place is busy with a mix of families, larger groups and couples. We're shown upstairs, where a tight fit between tables is just on the right side of cosy rather than cramped, before ordering a couple of soft drinks. On another occasion, I'd have been drawn to the cocktail section of Singapore Slings or Lychee Cosmos, which sit at a reasonable £8.50 each. There's a selection of salt and chilli dishes available at Lychee, so we're going for a portion of the squid starter (£7.50) to see if they've still got it, as well as Yuk Sung, spicy minced pork and chicken served with little gem lettuce leaves (£8.50). Though we've not requested them, a small bowl of prawn crackers arrives to munch on as we wait. Some early bonus points there. But, oh dear, that squid is looking awful peely-wally against cubes of green pepper and fiery chilli as our server approaches with the starters. Pictured: Starters of Salt and Chilli squid and Yuk Sung (Image: Newsquest) Close up, it's not much better. Whatever has happened between the journey from the kitchen to our table, there's not a hint of crunch left in these chunky strips of battered seafood slick with oil. There's a good hit of salt and chilli from a surface dusting of dry seasoning, but otherwise the spicy, moreish flavour fails to carry through to the rest of the plate. The Yuk Sung is more appealing. Mixed mince is firm and meaty, holding up in a bowl of soupy sauce that's to be spooned onto boats of lettuce leaves and eaten by hand. With the addition of pickled red cabbage, it's fun and fresh, if nothing more. My confidence in Lychee has been shaken slightly by the time the half-finished plates are cleared, but there's a lot of hope reserved for the main dishes. Pictured: Main dishes selected from the Specialities section of the menu at Lychee Oriental (Image: Newsquest) Both selected from the 'Specialities' section of the menu, the chicken claypot (£14.50) and roast duck (£18.50) are served in identical ceramic dishes. They won't win any prizes for presentation, but with this kind of food, looks don't matter all that much. It's all about the big, punchy flavours that emerge as you get stuck in. After a few spoonfuls of each, I'm still searching. Slices of duck are served with oyster sauce and mushrooms, while the claypot chicken, which sounded like the most adventurous of options on the menu, shares its red beancurd base with cloud fungus and Chinese sausage. The latter is my favourite of the pair, the delicate mushroom caps of cloud fungus and slivers of sausage adding intrigue and layers of texture where bland chicken pieces fall short. But there's not an awful lot that differentiates the taste of these two seemingly contrasting dishes aside from a hint of sweet nuttiness from the redbean. Come to think of it, I'm not sure that in a blind taste test they would be all that distinguishable from the sauce in the Yuk Sung starter either. Eaten with side dishes of wok noodles (£4.50) and egg-fried rice (£4.00), this trio could be from any local takeaway I've tried over the years, rather than a sit-down spot that aims to serve 'the very best Chinese food in Glasgow'. I wonder if we would have had more luck choosing from the crowd pleasers, like Hong Kong sweet and sour or crispy lemon chicken while picking out the best bits of mangetout and tofu skin from the leftovers. Read more: We'll remain seated a while after admitting defeat, but with no offer of a dessert menu, decide to forgo any sweets this time round rather than catching a server's attention. They've been incredibly attentive all night, so this feels like a small oversight rather than a real inconvenience, and we're keen to give them the table back as the restaurant starts to fill up. A quick check on social media later indicates that banana fritters could be the star of their sweet selection, so if that's your thing, be sure to hang around for pudding. I'm not sure what prompted chef Jimmy Lee's decision to transform his Salt & Chilli restaurant into a second Lychee branch, but as we leave, I feel a small pang of sorrow for the demise of a failsafe favourite. I suppose you never really do appreciate what you have until it's gone. Menu: It's a tantalising selection of dishes ranging from crowd pleasers like crispy lemon chicken to more adventurous claypot dishes. Plenty to choose from. 4/5 Service: Aside from a slight hiccup with the lack of dessert menu at the end, the team here is amiable and attentive. 4/5 Atmosphere: The upstairs of the restaurant is cosy, but there's not much room as bigger tables start to arrive. We never quite settle in before feeling we should vacate our seats. 3/5 Price: Lack of wow factor means £18.50 for the roast duck feels steep, but overall prices here aren't bad. They also run a set menu and lunch deals if you're watching your budget. 3/5 Food: I fully expected a knockout meal from Lychee Oriental, but found nothing to rave about in any of our dishes. 5/10 Total: 19/30 Lychee Oriental is located at 67 Kilmarnock Road in Glasgow.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Matty Healy's wildest moments – celebrity feuds to raw meat on stage
The 1975 star Matty Healy is known for his controversial moments, and as the singer is heading to Glastonbury we're taking a look back at some of these moments He's the frontman who brought us Somebody Else but Matty Healy is better known these days for being somebody people love to argue about. As The 1975 's lead singer gears up to storm Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage, we're taking a look back at the moments that had jaws dropping and headlines rolling. Whether he's mocking fellow stars, causing international incidents, or eating raw meat mid-set, Matty's antics offstage often overshadow the music. Mocking Ice Spice He landed himself in hot water after appearing on a podcast with Adam Friedland and Nick Mullen, where the trio made racist jokes about rapper Ice Spice - referring to her as 'one of the Inuit Spice Girls,' a 'chubby Chinese lady' and 'a f**king Eskimo.' Matty laughed along as the hosts mimicked Chinese and Hawaiian accents. His on-stage apology didn't help much: 'I don't want Ice Spice to think I'm a d**k. I love you, Ice Spice. I'm so sorry.' Horrific porn confession In the same podcast, Matty admitted to watching extreme porn called Ghetto Gaggers, which centres on the humiliation of women of colour describing scenes where women were brutalised". He said in the podcast: "I think it literally was something like Ghetto Gaggers on the TV, Someone is just like getting brutalised." The revelation sparked widespread backlash, especially from fans who saw it as deeply harmful. A dig at Taylor Swift Before the pair were linked romantically, Matty dismissed dating rumours with a dig that caused quite a stir. He said: 'If she wasn't Taylor Swift we wouldn't be talking about her… She wasn't a big impact on my life.' He added, 'If I had gone out with Taylor Swift the first thing I would've thought was 'F**king hell I am NOT being Taylor Swift's boyfriend.' That's also a man thing, a de-masculinating, emasculating thing.' He later denied he was throwing shade, but the internet wasn't convinced. On-stage kisses even during COVID Fans were split when Matty kissed multiple fans on stage during the band's post-pandemic tour. While some loved the spontaneity, others questioned the timing with consent, boundaries and public health still major concerns. Same-sex kisses in anti-LGBTQ+ countries In 2023, Matty caused chaos at Malaysia's Good Vibes Festival when he slammed the government's anti-LGBTQ+ stance and kissed his male bandmate Ross MacDonald on stage. The festival was shut down and The 1975 were banned from the country. He doubled down in Dubai, kissing a male fan on stage. 'I don't think we'll be allowed back,' he tweeted. 'But I wouldn't have done anything differently.' Critics argued the gestures were performative, risking more harm than help for local LGBTQ+ communities who face real legal consequences. Nazi salute and Andrew Tate During a London gig, Matty mimed a Nazi salute while playing a clip of Andrew Tate claiming it was satire. But the stunt was widely slammed as tone-deaf and inflammatory, especially given Tate's own controversial reputation. Eating raw meat on stage If you thought the antics stopped there - think again. At a Madison Square Garden show in 2022, Matty chomped down raw meat mid-performance and openly touched himself on a sofa. 'I'm sorry if you came with your dad and I was touching my d**k. It's your fault for bringing your dad,' he told the crowd. His Glastonbury slot is set to be as unpredictable as ever but whether fans are tuning in for the music or the mayhem, one thing's certain: Matty's headline-grabbing reputation is far from fading.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Error to spot on 10p coin that sold for staggering £380 at auction – is one wedged down your sofa?
An eagle-eyed owner realised something different about its colour SILVER LINING Error to spot on 10p coin that sold for staggering £380 at auction – is one wedged down your sofa? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A LUCKY brit noticed an error on a rare UK 10p coin that fetched an eyewatering £380 - here's how to spot one for yourself. The coin, minted in 1973, appeared to display the standard design of that era. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Expert analysis went on to discover it was actually crafted rom 97 per cent copper Credit: Getty 2 The rare piece went under the hammer for £380 Credit: Getty It bears the engraving of a crowned lion and the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. But, an eagle-eyed owner realised something different about its colour which made it unusual. It had a bronze-brown hue, which suggested it wasn't a typical 10p. Expert analysis went on to discover it was actually crafted rom 97 per cent copper. This made it stand apart from the expected cupronickel composition. The Royal Mint confirmed the error in 1974, and explained: "This coin was produced at the Royal Mint but was struck, inadvertently, on a bronze coin-blank intended for another denomination." The super rare coin went under the hammer at RWB Auctions, in Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire. It is understood there has only ever been one other copper 10p coin from that era sold at auction. The coin's owner spotted the abnormality around 50 years ago, but held on to it until now. Christopher Collects, a coin expert and popular YouTuber associated with RWB Auctions, said: "We're very pleased that the owner of this fascinating coin has achieved such a good price after holding onto it for so many years. "It's proof that checking your change with an eagle eye can still turn up rare and unusual coins." The Sun recently found four rare coins that sold for a combined total of £423.59 this June. The Atlantic Salmon piece features a portrait of King Charles III on the front, while the back of the coin depicts the fish leaping from the waves. Research by Change Checker found only 200,000 of these coins have entered circulation, making it one of the rarest coins in the UK. The group said only around one in 335 people in the UK could have the chance of snagging one. And it appears collectors are prepared to pay a pretty penny for one of these coins. On Saturday, June 21, a seller managed to flog an Atlantic Salmon coin for £70.59. That makes it 141 times its face value. That was after a fierce bidding war with 18 wannabe buyers. The second, was a Kew Gardens 50p coin, which has an image of the late Queen Elizabeth II, with the engraver's initials, Ian Rank-Broadley, below. But what makes it special is the reverse, which features a leafy vine wrapped around a Chinese pagoda. It also has the date of the year it was made to commemorate the anniversary. There are around 210,000 of these coins in circulation making it another rare find. Recently one of these coins sold for £127.08 on June 22 after 16 people tried to bid for it. That makes it a whopping 254 times its face value. But in the past, Kew Gardens coins have sold for up to £700. The third, a coin known as the Offside Rule 50p, is one of twenty-nine commemorative 2012 Olympic 50ps issued by The Royal Mint. The design was created by Neil Wolfson, a sports journalist and features a diagram to show how the Offside Rule works. Around 1.2million of the Olympic Football 50p's were put into circulation, so you might have a better chance of finding one lying around your house. On June 22, one of these coins sold for £17.59 after eight bids. On this occasion, the coin has sold for over 35 times its face value. But in the past, it has sold for £24 so there is a chance you get more depending on collectors' interest at the time. And finally, the Blue Peter 50p coin, released in 2009 ahead of the London Olympic games in 2012. It features a cartoon of a high jumper on the back, with the design etched by a nine-year-old girl. Over 2.2million of the Blue Peter 50p coins were issued, with most minted in 2011. In the past, this coin has sold for up to £223. On Sunday June 22 The Sun spotted one of these coins sold for £208 after an eight-person bidding war. On this occasion, the Blue Peter coin has sold for 416 times its face value.
