As remarkable as it is to think that Kylie Minogue has been releasing music steadily for 25 years (and wearing hot pants steadily for 26), it’s a real wonder that the minuscule multi-tasker still has any pop territory left unexplored.
In a quarter of a decade, this pint-sized chameleon’s journey has detoured through nearly every genre recognised by your local record store; dance, house, R&B, acid jazz, baroque, trip hop, disco, synthpop, new wave, rock (let us not forget the Nick Cave years), dubstep, hip hop and more. While riot grrrl and honky tonk have yet to be crossed off Minogue’s to-do list, The Abbey Road Sessions adds classical and orchestral to the long-serving pop princess’ repertoire.
Recorded in the London studios that need no introduction, the string-led compilation features 16 of Kylie’s biggest hits and fastest flops, radically reworked into sweeping, epic concertos, with Ms. Minogue’s breathy, wafer-thin croon as the centerpiece.
It’s a style that lays bare the lightness of Kylie’s voice. As for the grandiose new arrangements, some work, and some don’t. A song like Minogue’s extravagant ‘Confide In Me’ is perfectly suited to the thumps of a whole team of percussionists and the rumble of a ghostly choir, while synth pop crawler ‘Slow’ requires a much bigger overhaul. Thanks to an injection of cabaret-style drama and some seriously sultry double bass, it’s easily the record’s best moment.
Another highlight is a mid-tempo version of ‘Hand On Your Heart’ (from 1989), which appears to have been influenced by José González’s 2005 cover. Based around some humming acoustic guitar, its re-jigged folksy flow highlights the simple charm of Stock-Aitken-Waterman’s lyrics.
By comparison, the many lightweight offerings in Minogue’s hit-list fail to justify all this bold musicianship: a horn-led version of the terrifically silly ‘Locomotion’ is frankly laughable, and a hammed-up recording of recent non-hit ‘Flower’ sounds dangerously like a rejected Disney theme. ‘Never Too Late’, which went to number one in this country in 1989, is much better – a delightfully sweet ending.
At its best, The Abbey Road Sessions is a fun, self-made tribute to a truly untoppleable chart dream girl. And at its worst? It’s a schmaltzy affair that I can sadly only recommend to the diest of die hard fans.