Michael Buble [ECD] - Buble, Michael (CD 2003)

First, if you are going to buy a Buble CD, make sure you don t get a duplicate of what he has out there. The guy has about three CDs out one has a DVD in it. They appear to be recycled versions of the same album with a few different cuts. A very confusing deal which the CD manufacturer is using to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers.

His voice is very pleasant. He is another retro-singer who is attempting to be a lounge singer or another Frank Sinatra. There are a lot of these singers out the past couple of years. In addition, we are hearing him in many soundtracks, from 2 Weeks Notice to Down With Love and probably some other movie I cannot think of at this moment.

Styling of the music is good. He does some good work with Fever with a definite 50 s retro sound and is very effective. He does his homage to Frank Sinatra with Summer Wind and Come Fly With Me. Both of them are actually quite good. I don t yearn to hear Sinatra sing the song. That is a very good thing.

Some of the other songs on the album are a mixed bag. Why anyone would cover a Queen song is beyond me. Every cover I ve heard of a Queen song has been dreadful. I wouldn t say this is dreadful, but they are a distinctive rock band with their own sound and should be left to their own element. He does a bit of Motown with For Once In My Life it sounds too much like an anthem or a hymn to me to carry it over. I m not a Stevie Wonder fan, but that was one song of his that I really enjoyed. You ll Never Find Another Love fares slightly better. I m not crazy about that song, he doesn t have the rich baritone of the original, but is pleasant. Moondance is another mixed bag. I definitely prefer Van Morrison.

Mr. Buble has a good voice and he has potential. The problem with this album is that he is covering songs that are so strongly identified by the original singers that it doesn t give him a chance to come out on his own. There is nothing wrong with singing the oldies. Everyone is doing it today. However, do some melodies that are a bit more obscure and you ll definitely soar!

1. Fever
2. Moondance
3. Kissing A Fool
4. For Once In My Life
5. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
6. Summer Wind
7. You'll Never Find Another Love
8. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
9. Put Your Head On My Shoulder
10. Sway
11. The Way You Look Tonight
12. Come Fly With Me
13. That's All