When the world ends, only two survivors will remain: cockroaches and the invincible pop diva, Cher.

Cher released her 26th studio album, “Closer to the Truth” on Sept. 20th, the first album fans have seen from her since her 2001 “Living Proof”.

The album had been rumored to feature various duets with other pop artists, most notably Timbaland and Lady Gaga, but the only song that features another artist’s vocals is the gloomy love ballad “Lie to Me,” written by and (ever so faintly) featuring fellow pop diva P!nk.

The opening track and first single, “Woman’s World,” sets up the album perfectly. It is a classic girl power dance anthem, which Cher is certainly no stranger to. It is a toe tapper and has all of the elements of a great Cher hit.

Although no duets are featured, Cher did team up with Timbaland, Kuk Harrell, Diane Warren, and Mark Taylor to produce the album. Warren has written many hits for Cher in the past, including “If I Could Turn Back Time,” and Taylor produced her 1998 smash hit “Believe.”

The album features an array of disco anthems and love ballads, including among them a few covers. The most recognizable cover on the album is another love ballad, “I Hope You Find It,” originally performed by Miley Cyrus on the soundtrack for the movie “The Last Song.”  The great thing about this cover is that unless you are familiar with the original song, you would never suspect that it’s actually a cover. Cher makes the song her own without changing too much about the lyrical and musical makeup of the original. “I Hope You Find It” is the second single on the album, and the music video is expected to drop on Oct. 4.

None of the songs on the album are very surprising, as each song is a typical “Cher song.”  That being said, the album is still somehow refreshing. Cher has an incredible talent of keeping her signature sound along with adapting to pop culture’s current demands, which she has demonstrated through every album she’s released.

Ironically, the best songs on the album are only featured in the deluxe version.  “I Don’t Have to Sleep to Dream” and “Pride” are two of the three bonus tracks on the deluxe album, and both are equally pleasing.  “I Don’t Have to Sleep to Dream” is a feel good pop anthem, while “Pride” is the ultimate self-empowering diva song. Both feature big beats and extremely fun choruses. 

The deluxe version also appropriately features the original version of “You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me” as the last track, from the 2010 film “Burlesque” which Cher starred in alongside Christina Aguilera.

Overall, the album is a success. After a 12-year album hiatus, there is not much more that this album could have delivered; except for maybe a 2013 reprise of “I Got You Babe.”  Other than that, the album is nothing short of what Cher is capable of.  The album also kicks off the “Dressed to Kill” tour, in which Cher will perform at Wells Fargo Arena on June 24, 2014. Tickets go on sale Oct. 18.

4.5/5