She didn’t do things by halves: Rockstar has 30 songs (!), including a large number of covers and original songs written expressly for this project. Dolly Parton, whose voice does not weaken despite her 77 years, gives the impression of wanting to touch everything on this disc where she covers, among others, Blondie, Journey, The Beatles, 4 Non Blondes, The Police, Heart, Miley Cyrus , Prince and often flirts with arena rock (the title track, in particular, delivered with a smirk).
We won’t remember much from these new rock songs in the mold. As for reworks, it would have to be done on a case by case basis. General observation: rather than appropriating these immortals, it is she who seeks to get closer to them, very often by singing a duet with their author or the voice which popularized them: Sting is there for Every Breath You Take, Ann Wilson for Magic Man, Elton John for Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (one of the best pieces on the record), for example. However, she sings (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction with P!ink and Brandi Carlile and Stairway to Heaven (yes, yes) with Lizzo and her flute.
Nothing to say against the singer: Dolly Parton remains a fantastic performer, even if she is never touching here. Even if we understand that this record was born from a desire to make a nod to his induction into the Rock Hall, the album lacks imagination and we have the impression of standing still in the mid-1980s She takes unsurprising directions, seeming to say that she can measure up to rock icons – which is quite true – but without managing to make people feel that these songs have a deep meaning for her.
