Showgirl-Homecoming Live - Kylie Minogue Album Review

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Album Review

Bless her. She's had a horrendous 12 months. Bouncing back in inimitable fashion, Kylie releases a 2 disc set of her Homecoming show from Australia.

Given a rapturous reception by her Sydney fans, it was recorded on November 11 2006, as the diminutive pop star pulled out all the stops to show she's still able to cut the mustard - and how.

Adopting a thematic approach, songs are blocked into visual titles such as Showgirl, Everything Taboo, Samsara, Athletica, Dreams, Pop Paradiso, Dance Of The Cybermen and Encore, where, needless to say, there must have been endless costume changes, even though they had no real significant relationship with the songs - just an exercise in showmanship, which this concert is all about... al la The Greatest Hits Tour.

For her part, Kylie engages at all levels, even if the presentation is somewhat clinical and robotic, though it must be said it fits the format well. Her romp through predicable career spanning hits is at a blistering pace. Most are in the original song format, with exception of Better The Devil which has a 'symphonic' build-up, naturally, as it opens the show.

Highlight of CD1 are a Scissor Sisters composition - White Diamond ( possibly a new single ? ) and the storming Kids featuring her friend Bono of U2, lasting a thumping six minutes, with the crowd going nuts as they duet perfectly.

There's more variety of pace on CD2, which kicks - off with a surprising, and superb, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, as we get to hear Kylie give a show-stopping rendition of the Wizard Of Oz classic. It's rare we get hear her actually letting rip. It takes sometime to get into party mode on disc 2, but it arrives with a storming I Believe In You, and a mind-blowing Can't Get You Out Of My Head. Closing her show Love At First Sight rounds off what must have been a highly emotional experience as she thanks her backroom staff for they efforts in making it happen, all over again.

Week commencing January 22, its dropped two places to 9 in the UK album chart.

Elly Roberts