"Woman's World" Cher

There are those pop culture legends who quit while they're ahead, in order to leave an impressive legacy untarnished. And then there's Cher, who has made so many comebacks over the course of her five-decade career than I'm beginning to suspect she'll join the cockroaches in outlasting us all. The now 66-year-old music icon appeared headed toward retirement in 2002 when she embarked on a three-year farewell tour, but it was a short-lived break from the spotlight. By 2008, she was headlining a concert residency in Las Vegas, then starring opposite Christina Aguilera in the 2010 musical Burlesque. Now, out of nowhere, Cher has debuted a new single: "Woman's World," her first release in almost a decade. Continuing the late-career transformation into club diva, it's a thumping Eurodance track produced by Paul Oakenfold. Unfortunately, this is no "Believe." Just about everything—from the I-am-woman-hear-me-roar lyrics to the heavy synth beat—falls flat from familiarity. Only Cher's powerful voice, still as deep and distinctive as ever, stands out. It should be fun to see her on stage again, camping it up to "World," but here's hoping the rest of her forthcoming 2013 album is a notch better. C+