Crazy Love (Limited Edition CD/DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)The old-time saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" may apply to traditional pop crooner Michael Buble. Indeed, Michael Buble's albums have remained conservative, maintaining the sanctity of classic standards and pop songs. 2009's follow-up 2007's extremely successful Call Me Irresponsible does maintain a sense of classicism that has come to define Buble, but there are some risks taken this go around. Sure, he doesn't ruin or over interpret the classics, but as far as arrangements, orchestrations, and vocal nuances, Buble keeps the classics 'fresh' while also keeping them 'classic.' The album isn't perfect, but it is consistent and bodes well to keep Buble's career afloat. Buble never compromises himself on this album.
Opening with "Cry Me A River", instantly, one hears that Buble wishes to exploit a slightly more adventurous side without 'rocking the boat' too much. The orchestrations here are different but brilliant and add just the right amount of change without ruining the sanctity of the classic standard. Buble, as always sounds top-rate as a vocalist.
"All of Me" scales down the experimentation of "Cry Me A River", seeking to balance between 'innovation' and 'classicism'. While the performance is another 'home-run' for Buble, it doesn't trump the excellent, cutting-edge "Cry Me A River". "Georgia on My Mind", on the other hand, finds Michael Buble at his very best, bringing new, pitch-perfect nuance to the classic that helped to shape Ray Charles' career. "Crazy Love", the title track continues a hot streak for Buble.
Perhaps most unique is "Haven't Met You Yet", which most likely will received mixed reactions from Buble fans. Personally, I think it is a departure for Buble and lays well, though it doesn't necessarily trump Buble's beautiful interpretations of standards and classic pop songs. Good, but no my favorite. "All I Do Is Dream of You" continues to differentiate from previous Buble album. It does so convincingly, given a soulful-sound that hearkens the 1950s.
"Hold On" proves to be a clear valedictory performance on Crazy Love, finding Buble at his most sensitive and best. The acoustic guitar here at the forefront gives this track more a modern pop tinge as opposed to hearkening back to classic pop. The strings are beautiful orchestrated here.
"Heartache Tonight" contrasts the slow, sensitive nature of "Hold On", solidly, though it is the Sharon Jones and Dap-Kings feature on "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" that steals the show. Funky and just overall sensational, "Baby" is certainly like nothing else from previous Michael Buble albums. "At This Moment" finds Michael Buble among the bluesiest I've ever heard. Produced by the phenomenal pop producer David Foster, it is a showstopping performance by all means.
The album closes strongly with "Stardust" and "Whatever It Takes (feat.Ron Sexsmith)". Neither tracks captivate the way that "Cry Me A River", "Georgia" or some of the 'best of the best do', but both are solid and above par.
While 'Crazy Love' isn't revolutionary pop per say, it does find the crooner extending his scope slightly, which is a positive thing. 4 stars.

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Includes limited edition bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the album!
Track listing:
1. Cry Me A River
2. All Of Me
3. Georgia On My Mind
4. Crazy Love
5. Haven't Met You Yet
6. All I Do Is Dream Of You
7. Hold On
8. Heartache Tonight
9. You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You
10. Baby (You've Got What It Takes) (with Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings)
11. At This Moment
12. Stardust (with Naturally 7)
13. Whatever It Takes (with Ron Sexsmith)

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2010 London Cast Review

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(More customer reviews)Les Mis is arguably one of the most popular musicals ever created. This 2 disk, live recording of the 25th anniversary tour edition joins a plateau of Les Mis recordings, each of which possess different positives and negatives. Fans of earlier Les Miserables recordings will probably be unable to avoid comparing some of the interpretations of the roles performed on this CD to earlier recordings. On a whole, the cast is a good representation of the show, boasting a performance of an almost-complete score, with some fantastic tweaks from the original for a great addition to the Les Mis catalogue.
The Cast - the main area that most fans will be interested in. General consensus is that the definitive Valjean is Colm Wilkinson, but John Owen Jones shines in his role. His approach to Valjean is more subtle and emotional than Wilkinson, however he still manages to produce a commanding and powerful tone in the urgent moments of the score. 'Bring Him Home' is a highlight of the soundtrack, with the vocals soaring over the orchestration, flicking with ease between the high and low register with such dynamics and emotion the result is breathtaking. Another commendable effort is delivered by Earl Carpenter as Javert. Filling the shoes of Phillip Quast is probably impossible, but like Jones, Carpenter delivers an excellent and commendable spin on Javert. The performance of 'Stars' is excellent, showcasing his vocals as a strong baritone, and delivering Javert's soliloquy passionately.
The majority of the cast are good, but some are left behind in the shadows of their predecessors. Madalena Alberto boasts an impressive array of ways to sigh and breathe, her interpretation of Fantine coming across a little flawed on this recording. Her voice is distinctively musical theatre, however it also seems to be a hybrid of pop as her voice belts quite a lot and frequently scoops to notes, making her role slightly emotionally detached compared to Ruthie Henshall. The most bizarre spin on the characters is Eponine, with Rosalin James producing a dramatic contrast with original Frances Ruffelle or fan favourite Lea Salonga. The performance of 'On My Own' on this recording is by far my least favourite, with the opening being altered to a bounce/swing/cakewalk. Like Alberto, James possesses a formidable and distinct musical-esque voice, but her embellishments and licks on the belt notes are unremarkable, generic, and sound out of place amongst the classic orchestration of the score.
The rest of the cast are fine. Both Gareth Gates and Jon Roybns deliver well on Marius and Enjolras, but both possess such youthful voices their timbre and richness in tone are lacking. This doesn't stop them in their showcase moments in the score - Gates' performance of Empty Chairs and Tables is quite touching, and Roybns' leading the cast in 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' is still a string anthem. Katie Hall delivers a sweet and innocent Cosette with an interpretation that is a delight for the ears. The Thénardiers and Gavroche are fairly pedestrian with their performances sounding a little grating on the ears, but then again, a recording of the live show embodies a great amount of character that wouldn't have been remembered otherwise.
The number of pros out-way the cons in this CD set. With a rare exception, this is almost an entire recording of the show, an excellent quality that not all the Les Mis CDs have. The chorus on this recording is excellent - the live atmosphere and raw emotion of the cast is caught so well that this recording could probably boast the most vibrant and lively chorus in the Les Mis series. The orchestration is also a highlight, with the score wisely and largely sticking to the original score, but with a much fuller sound via embellishments and ornamentation, and superior mixing. The only production downside of the recording is that much of the spoken dialogue and 'reactions' are caught. The dialogue isn't so much of a problem, but in certain instances (such as 'A Little Fall of Rain') the gasping/moaning/crying is just too much and far too over the top, I'm not sure if I can face listening to it again. Ultimately it just detracts from the beauty of the music. Since I'm being pedantic, in addition the cast also have a diverse catalogue of accents that make the score sound slightly disjointed and inconsistent, but that's hardly . While there are some cases where the music seems a little off balanced, the mixing and overall production is incredible, rivalling some studio recordings for such articulate and well captured sound.
So overall, would I recommend this CD? Yes, for Les Mis fans and passionates it's a fine addition to the Les Mis canon, and for new-comers it is a good introduction to the musical, especially when it boasts such sophisticated production from a live show. While the cast have some weak points, overall they are very pleasing to listen to, and they are backed by a great ensemble and band which manages to effectively represents the show, and there's great value to be found in this set which is essentially the complete show. I don't really have much to complain about here - this is recommended from me.

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Laura Live Giral Mundial '09 (CD/DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)It's beyond comprehension how Laura Pausini could release this piece of crap, sh** really. My gripe with this product really deals with two principal factors. The camera work and track listing. Laura's voice is as always wonderful and crisp. However, there is much to be desired when comparing this to the dvd.
The video appears to have been shot by some amateur using his iPhone or some other hand-me down camera phone. The dvd says "Laura Live" but really, it's more shots of the fans and vignettes of space and pictures of her than actually showing her sing. When we do get shots of her singing, she's out of focus, grainy and the camera is shaky. It appears they hired an even worse videographer than the one from the "San Siro Live," for this live dvd is even worse than that one. What happened to the quality since "Live Paris 05"?
We get it, she has millions of fans but that's not the reason one buys this dvd. As fans, we want to see her preform and not in a grainy version. Also, it would be nice if the camera was somehow steady so when we do see her out of the more than 100 shots of fans, she's not shaky and appears to be going through an earthquake. Furthermore, the track listing for this product is far shorter than the international versions. What a slap in the face to Laura's fans in the U.S. I for one will not be buying more of her products. I'd rather spend my money on something more productive and if I feel like watching grainy, shaky videos of Laura, I'll look her up on Youtube. I suppose they offer even better material.

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Laura Live Giral Mundial '09 is Laura Pausini's first ever all Spanish live CD/DVD, recorded throughout the 'Primavera Anticipada' world tour. Each track on the album was recorded in a different city of the tour, from Mexico City, to New York and Madrid. The album includes new updated versions of the classic hit singles that have made Laura a household name in the US, as well as newer tracks including the Record of the Year nominated 'En cambio no.'

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Illuminations Review

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(More customer reviews)I came a little late to the Josh Groban party; he already had three albums out and the Christmas one on the way. I think that may be why changes in style and mood from album to album don't bother, or delight, me as they do fans who've been there from the beginning. I recognize "Illuminations" is a hard right turn away from previous efforts, but there is a lot to enjoy here.
"Hidden Away" and "Higher Window" are real surprises for me; they're simple, beautiful songs, and not unlike the song "Awake" from the album of the same name; however, the melodies are very strong here and the lyrics feel close to home. "Straight to You" is starting to look like my favorite song of his: the interpretation is sublime, the instrumentation inspired, and I like that he stays in mid-range, which reinforces the lyrics of the chorus.
"Voce Existe Em Mim" is the coolest song he's ever done. Had he stuck to the previous albums' formula, this could have had the track 1 spot. Obviously the beat is killer. And do the chords in the chorus sound distinctly...Native American? Even cooler. There are a lot of amazing layers in these songs, some of which require the use of headphones to fully appreciate.
"London Hymn" is where I started to think I understood the underlying inspiration JG was working from. I don't know too much about his musical roots - I know he loves the theater - but it's hard not to think he owns a lot of classical music. When you hear pieces like Rachmaninov's "Vespers" or Sibelius' "Andante Festivo," it's extremely easy to make the transition to "London Hymn" or "Straight to You."
There are other strong songs - "If I Walk Away," "War at Home," "L'Ora Dell'Addio." The French song was just okay for me, as were "Bells of NYC" and "Galileo." He does use quite a lot of falsetto this time around, which is...interesting, and sometimes it's lovely and sometimes I kind of raise an eyebrow... "The Wandering Kind" sounds like Jim Brickman, and I just don't go for that kind of piano music. Something, instead, along the lines of Enya's "A Day Without Rain" would have completely made my day.
While I understand the frustration of the fans who were hoping for a different style and selection of songs, some of the highly negative reviews here are just silly. One reviewer said it was the worst singing they had heard, maybe ever? If that is the case, whatever criteria they are using is so far from the realm of actual musical adjudication as to be basically worthless. Even his most over-eager fans are still right: he has one of the best voices, period. It doesn't help anyone to demean him for the sake of a one- or two-star review.
I applaud him for trying new things, for taking a risk in a new direction, and I feel as though with this album I understand better who he is, as a person and musician. Hopefully he will get the overall sense that this was a success by his definition, and continue to find happiness giving of himself in the coming years.


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On 'Illuminations,' Groban worked with veteran producer Rick Rubin, known for his critically acclaimed work with Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, and Dixie Chicks among many others. Groban co-wrote the majority of the songs, including 'Hidden Away,' which he wrote with Dan Wilson - former leader of the band Semisonic and co-writer of several cuts on the Dixie Chicks' 'Not Ready to Make Nice.' 'Hidden Away' was recorded live with Groban singing and playing piano, Matt Sweeney and Smokey Hormel on acoustic guitars, and veteran R&B icon Spooner Oldham on organ, with a striking orchestral arrangement by David Campbell added later. The opening piano chords and the unfolding melody evoke a timeless Americana, a thread from Stephen Foster through Aaron Copland through Paul Simon and Randy Newman, as Groban makes a heartfelt plea not to hide true love or one's true self.'Illuminations' finds both Groban and Rubin stepping out of each one's respective zone and creating an entirely new zone. The bracing result fulfills Rubin's vision of a 'fine art' Groban record, marrying the warmth of the sweeping American roots of Groban's writing and the grandeur of classical settings by matching the live, one-take performances by Groban and the intimate, core acoustic band with colorful orchestral arrangements by David Campbell and James Newton Howard.

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TAKING CHANCES WORLD TOUR: FRENCH VERSION Review

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(More customer reviews)I went to see Celine peform in August 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts (which ironically, is where this dvd was shot from). My sister is a die-hard Celine fan, and she had another ticket, so I obviously went. We had fourth row seats at the Boston Garden, which made me both happy and nervous; nervous because I had never been so close to a musical superstar before. Before Dion came on stage, the whole venue was going nuts. Beforehand, a video was shown of her being all over the globe, and since Boston was her first North American stop in over a decade, you could say the anticipation was high. Long story short, Dion did not dissapoint. Her vocals were perfect and she was very thankful to the fans. She sang all of her greatest songs, and rocked the Garden like no other "diva" on earth. If this dvd is anything like the actual concert (which I think it will be, since, again it was filmed in Boston), then fans and non-fans, alike will be more than content with the end result...which is the one of the world's most celebrated vocalists doing was she does best; singing.

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80 minute live DVD features 25 show stopping performances. Includes audio, recorded live in Boston accompanied by an 8 page booklet of never before seen tour photos.--This text refers to an alternate DVD edition.

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