Fridae

In an industry littered with former "stars" who have not or have refused to age gracefully, Ms Sarah Brightman is the classic example of mutton masquerading (repeatedly) as lamb.

A decade (give or take a few years) short of qualifying for a place in any Home For The Aged, the expired songbird has recently released her new album entitled Harem. And as if the title is not tasteless enough, the former operatic diva insists on assaulting Ms Scary's eyes (and those of the public) with a provocative picture of herself scantily clad in a pearl bikini in the CD sleeve. Imagine yourself being confronted with the sight of your aunt doing a Playboy centerfold and you'll understand Ms Scary's obvious distress.

Questionable title and picture notwithstanding, Harem, produced by Frank Peterson and featuring orchestration by Jaz Colman, has been touted as "a musical fantasy spun by the Middle East of legend" and as "Brightman's most unique and personal album - showcasing her songwriting talents and passionate creative instincts as well as her incomparable voice."

Featuring contributions from classical violin superstar Nigel Kennedy and singers Kadim Al Sahir, Natasha Atlas, Ofra Haza and Shweta Shetty, the ageing musical theatre icon's latest recording comprises middle-eastern influenced dirges which suddenly morph into thumping techno dance tunes as well as trademark ballads which showcase her crystalline voice to rather enchanting effect.

On the opening track "Harem" and other experimental tracks such as "Mysterious Days" and "Arabian Nights", the soaring soprano's attempts to do a dancey Prince Of Egypt (sans the talents of composer Hans Zimmer) end up sounding like rambunctious tunes one can expect to find at boisterous and drunken middle-eastern weddings.

On the few occasions where the marrying of eastern and western music do work ("It's A Beautiful Day" and "The Journey Home"), the effect can be intoxicating enough to move Ms Scary into doing an impromptu dance-of-the-seven-veils. Still, these songs appear rather dated and strained considering that Sting (with Cheb Mami) released his excellent track "Desert Rose" which combines trilling Algerian pop with trip-hop way back in 1999.

And as if to pacify her "legion" of devoted fans who would by now feel alienated by her embracing of middle-eastern influence, Ms Sarah Long-Past-Her-Expiry-Date Brightman switches back to her "Phantom of the Opera" mode on a number of diabetes-inducing ballads such as "What You Never Know", "Free" and the grand sweeping epic "Until The End Of Time".

Strictly for the dwindling community of die-hard Sarah Brightman fans only.