Editorial Review

Smokey-voiced chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux's third CD is a lovely collection of after-hours ruminations and should confirm her rise to fame. Credit producer Larry Klein for doing a bang-up job with the album's sound: the elegant, pared-down arrangements are all brushed drums, acoustic guitars, and cool organ licks. But of course it's Peyroux's voice that brings it all home--preferably one where the shades are drawn, embers are smoldering in the fireplace, and the white wine is kept dry. Two-thirds of the songs are well-chosen covers, including a duet with k.d. lang on Joni Mitchell's "River"; a relaxed version of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'," from Read more

Reviews (24)

Didn'thave to wait 8 years, Yew!!!
What a nice way to start a CD with "I'm All Right"should have been the title track, maybe it says a lot about Madeliene at this stage in her career, I 'm assuming since it didn't take her another 8 years to follow up her last CD.And we should all be thankful for that.And she did look very all right at 4th & B, very relax, playful and looking a little plump compared to last year at the GreekTheatre.Sorry to digress (she looked beautiful and sounded beautiful by the way).The four piece of music that she co wrote have the most insightful and intelligently written lyrics sung with ease and depth.Then ofcourse there'sMadeliene's interpretation of well known and well love classics, from "Smile"toTom Waite's "the heart of Saturday night."She is never flippant or never takes these songs for granted rather she sings it well and breathes a new prespective into these songs.I am so happy that she has produced a CD this year and I know she makes a lot of other people glad, happy and enthusiastic about listening to music judging by Saturday's concert.

Half the Perfect CD
Let me start out by saying that I'm a big fan. Careless Love was one of the finest albums to be released in quite some time, and one of the most memorable. I was truly impressed, giving as evidence the fact that I probably listened to it twenty times in the first week of owning it.I soon sought out Dreamland and enjoyed it as well, though some of the arrangements were a little too creative and ambitious.Which brings me to Half the Perfect World. I totally agree with Olukayode Balogun's assessment - perfectly put.I'll only add that one gets the sense that Ms. Peyroux's comfort level with the material this time around was anything but. There are times when she shines, as on the wonderfully crafted Once in A While, but overall, she sounds unsure of herself and what she's trying to achieve. Let's hope Ms. Peyroux finds her center again on the next effort and returns to what she does best.Kudos, however, to the flawless arrangements and production of Mr. Kein and company.

Southern Comfort .
When she first burst onto the recording scene in 1996, with her stunning debut album Dreamland, Madeleine Peyroux was greeted with a veritable torrent of gushing reviews.
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Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop    3. Rock/Pop    4. Standards    5. United States of America    6. Vocal Jazz   

Editorial Review

One of the most common complaints about musicals is that the books are flimsy pretexts from which to hang numbers. Read more

Features

• Cast Recording

Reviews (652)

Best Show on Broadway
I saw this musical last year, and thought it was amazing!!! The music is unbelivable!!!! Idina Menzel and kristin Chenoweth are wonderful, two of the best voices I've ever heard.If you like musicals, then you HAVE to get this CD.I've almost worn it out.

Not Necessarily Wicked!
I was excited about getting this compact disc about Wicked, the hottest ticket on Broadway. I liked the beginning about how the witch was born green. I think the compact disc does serve a service in providing us a closer view of the musical itself. I didn't care for the story involving Glinda, the good witch, and Elfaba, the bad witch who is green. I didn't like the story itself. While I am sure that the musical is much better than just listening to it but I was uncomfortable with Elfaba's portrayal as being born green and bad while Glinda was both popular and pretty. I think I was just more sympathetic towards Elfaba because she was the outcast and I always find myself among the outcasts so I felt sorry for Elfaba. I don't find much sympathy for Glinda who has spent her entire life being both popular and gifted so of course, she doesn't change. She gets rewarded while poor Elfaba gets treated as bad.

The Best Musical EVER.
I'm the kind of person that listens to showtunes all of the time. Seriously. Wicked is what made me that kind of person. The first time I had ever heard it was my first year doing choir, and ever since then, I've loved it. It's got amazing songs and two of the best musical theatre actressess to ever be on stage, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. So if you love musicals, this is the CD to buy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cast Recordings    2. Music Theater    3. Musical Theater    4. Musicals    5. Original Cast Recordings    6. Original Score    7. Pop    8. Show Tunes    9. Showtunes / B'way   

Editorial Review

Michael Bublé's assured debut and the tireless year of globe-trotting touring he spent promoting it elevated the 20-something Vancouver native into the first rank of pop crooner revivalists. His sophomore studio follow-up largely turns on the same formula that helped make his considerable vocal prowess so attractive to mainstream audiences, mixing the nigh flawless, if expected Sinatra-channeling ("I've Got You Under My Skin") with more playful and inviting renditions of pop standards like the Gershwin's "A Foggy Day in London Town," "Feeling Good," "Try A Little Tenderness" and Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin." But it's the eclectic mix of more contemporary material the singer seasons them with -- apt tribute to Bublé hero Bobby Darin -- that keeps him walking the narrow tightrope between artistic intrigue (a blues-tinged vamp of Holland-Dozier-Holland's "How Sweet It Is," Leon Russell's lovely "Song For You," with a guest turn by Chris Botti) and the kitsch-laden abyss ("Quando, Quando, Quando"'s Euro-centric duet with Nelly Furtado, a ring-a-ding-fling with the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" that echoes fellow Canadian crooner/rival Matt Dusk's more successful flirtation with Lennon-McCartney). Arranger/producer Tommy LiPuma offers Bublé a welcome swinging jazz showcase on "The More I See of You," a bracing respite from the rest of producer David Foster's slick, if typically bloodless MOR production.Read more

Reviews (364)

A Rush
I rememeber the first time that I listened to this CD.I was in my car about a year ago waiting for an appointment.I would hear a new song, and I would scream with the excitement of a teenage fangirl.I love the arrangements of old standards. I love the new songs. I love the sound of the band, and most of all I love the sensuous sound of Michale Buble's voice. 10 out of 10!

Nelly, you only had to learn ONE WORD IN SPANISH.....
We loved the CD, but were disappointed when Nelly sang CUANDO CUANDO CUANDO. She only had to learn one word in Spanish, and instead of saying CUANDO (translation: when), she sang CUANTO (translation: how much), prostituting the song.
Another Great one
After thoroughly enjoying the DVD/CD release, "Caught in the Act," I also gave this CD a listen to by Buble, the second album of his that I have listened to. I have to give it 5 stars because I am very much impressed with and enamoured by Buble's emergence on the scene. He is a very capable vocalist and has given me a new perspective on what a jazz vocalist should sound like.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Pop    3. Pop Vocals    4. Rock/Pop    5. Standards    6. Traditional Pop    7. Vocal Jazz    8. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

When Madeleine Peyroux's debut, Read more

Reviews (134)

Dance Me To The End Of Love
I really like this album and Madeleine's song selection is superb with the exception of Dance Me To The End Of Love. This song written by Leonard Cohen really creeps me out. Most people think it's a love song between a man and a woman. Leonard Cohen explained the song in an interview:
Nice enough, but...
Madeleine Peyroux has a great voice and terrific taste in songs to cover, and the band backing her up here hits all the right mellow, jazzy notes.If she keeps up the effort, she's bound to produce some classic recordings.But she isn't quite there yet.There's nothing really wrong with these twelve songs - certainly nothing jumps out as poorly done.The problem is more that nothing really jumps out, period.Hearing their songs so tastefully copied makes me want to listen to Bessie Smith, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Hank Williams, but Peyroux doesn't make much of a case as to why we should listen to her versions instead of the originals.Not bad at all, but only not bad.

Good Golly... the first time you hear Dance Me To The End
of Love???i STOPPED what i was doing, ordered the cd from amazon, then downloaded this song from iTunes and spent the night listening to the song on repeat!
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. American Popular Song    3. Jazz    4. Pop    5. Rock/Pop    6. Standards    7. Vocal Jazz    8. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

It is not just the timbre of Norah Jones's voice that is mature beyond her 22 years. Her assured phrasing and precise time are more often found in older singers as well. She is instantly recognizable, blending shades of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone without sounding like anyone but herself. Any way you slice it, she is a singer to be reckoned with. Her readings of the Hank Williams classic "Cold Cold Heart" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You" alone are worth the price of the CD. Jones's own material, while not bad, pales a bit next to such masterpieces. They might have fared better had she and producer Arif Mardin opted for some livelier arrangements, taking better advantage of brilliant sidemen such as Bill Frisell, Kevin Breit, and Brian Blade; or if the tunes had simply been given less laconic performances. Jones has all the tools; what will come with experience and some careful listening to artists like J.J. Cale and Shirley Horn is the knack of remaining low-key without sounding sleepy--sometimes less is not, in fact, more. Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Bass (Upright)    3. Contemporary Jazz    4. Drums    5. Guitar (Acoustic)    6. Guitar (Electric)    7. Guitar (Steel)    8. Jazz Blues    9. Jazz Music    10. Percussion    11. Piano    12. Pop    13. Rock    14. Rock/Pop    15. Slide Guitar    16. Torch Songs    17. United States of America    18. Vocal Jazz    19. Vocals   

Editorial Review

Would Read more

Reviews (1278)

Our own Carrie Underwood!!!
She is the best Idol so far and some day I hope to go to the American Idol tryouts and be just like her!!!
Staying power beyond "Bubble Gum" pop....
Although I love watching new talent, I am not much for the hype of American Idol.Still, I saw enough of Carrie Underwood's performance in the competition to decide that I would give her album a shot, and it was definitely worth it!Likely intended as a country-pop album for a "younger" crowd, Carrie's first set of vocals is fun, moving, and powerful enough to cross generations.I can put this CD in and listen to it several times through before I even think about putting in something different.I find the title track to be somewhat annoying, but the rest of the effort is solid.Carrie shows us insightful hopefulness on "Wasted" and "Jesus Take the Wheel," butt-kicking authority on "Before He Cheats," and the pain of loss on "Starts with Goodbye".Overall, I think Carrie earned her AI title, and it should be interesting to see if she can reach Clarkson-like popularity.If you like Faith Hill, Shania Twain, and (of course) Kelly Clarkson, chances are you'll find at least a few tracks to love on "Some Hearts."

The best Idol debut yet, and a great pop-country cross over
It was obvious during the top 12 of the fourth season of American Idol, that if Carrie didn't win, it would have been a huge upset. Good as Bo, or any of the others may or may not have been, Carrie was never in the bottom, almost always praised, and was cut out from way back to her audition to go far. She's pretty, and has a great voice to boot too, why wouldn't she win? Well she did win it, and it should have been obvious to everyone that her debut album would be country. It was just naturally her genre from the get go, which is one reason this album suceeds. Unlike many idol contestants, Carrie knew and everyone else knew exactly what genre she fit into, so sticking to her natural genre, and throwing in some pop crossover appeal, we get Some Hearts.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Contemporary Country    3. Country    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals   

Editorial Review

As the song goes, "Merry Christmas" has already "been said many times, many ways." Diana Krall's Read more

Reviews (74)

A Torch Singer's Christmas
This is a pretty classic torch singer, with great pipes, singing Christmas songs.Put it on your CD with a few other Christmas albums you love, hit random and you'll never be disappointed when Krall's songs come up.When you just listen to the album by itself it becomes a little much...

Diana Krall Christmas Review
I listened to the album and it was great.the only problem was there was a crack in the jewel case when the disc arrived.

WOW!!a top five Christmas album
Right up there with Mathis and Conick ( and don't forget Redbone too!) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Popular Song    2. Canada    3. Christmas    4. Christmas / Chanukkah    5. Holiday    6. Mainstream Jazz    7. Pop    8. Standards    9. Swing    10. Vocal Jazz    11. Xmas Vocal   

Editorial Review

Pop's rush to raid the cradle continues with this promising debut by 25-year-old Canadian singer Michael Bublé. And while the young vocal star's good looks are smart enough for a boy band, his muse seems to have sprung from a more sassy and compelling musical era. Mentored by Paul Anka (whose '50s hit "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" is covered in dreamy, cabaret fashion here), Bublé sings in the orbits of Darin and Sinatra, covering swing epoch gems ("Come Fly with Me," "The Way You Look Tonight," "That's All") and rock era standards (Van Morrison's "Moondance," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by the Brothers Gibb, Queen's "Crazy Little Ting Called Love") with equal aplomb. David Foster's production is typically slick and played to the back row of the bleachers, but it's informed by smart contexts provided by such arrangers as Johnny Mandel, Randy Waldman, and Mike Melvoin. If the choices of material are sometimes staid and predictable, they also give the singer a crucial framework for building toward something more challenging; his is a bright future. Read more

Reviews (505)

Just Love This Guy
While we've heard them time and time again - Buble takes the classic standards and adds his own twist. No, maybe there is nothing terribly new going on - but he didn't mutilate the music either.Relaxing - Just lovely.

Rare to find - an entire CD of excellent music!
Michael Buble is simply incredible, and although I do own all of his CDs it's this one that I come back to time and time again.This is the perfect CD to play while sipping a glass of wine or enjoying dinner with friends.It's slow and sensual at times and then lively and fun.I simply cannot say enough good about this artist or this CD.

'Standards Lite'
While certainly a better presentation than the Rod Stewarts and Michael Boltons of the world and their flaccid stabs at music way different from a rocker's sensibilities, Buble is a standards singer for those who think Kenny G is a jazz musician and John Tesh is a pianist.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Big Band    3. Canada    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Popular Music    7. Rock/Pop    8. Standards    9. Swing    10. Traditional Pop    11. Vocal Jazz    12. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

Kelly Clarkson could have played her Read more

Reviews (1142)

The Best Single of the year
"Since U been gone" was, by far the best single of the year.The songwriting, the production and Kelly's performance all add up to an amazing record!

SHE IS THE BEST
I HAVE THIS CD AND I SPUPER LOVE IT. KELLY CLARKSON AND MARIAH CAREY ARE THE ONLY CDS THAT I WILL PLAY. DO NOT BUY GWEN STEFANI'S CD. YOU WILL JUST BE WASTING YOU CASH. KELLY CLARKSON IS NUMBER ONE.

God enough of this dreck
I have this Cd..............I'm sick of her. Please make it stop. Bury her with the other idols. Please. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Pop    3. Pop Vocals    4. Rock/Pop    5. Teen Pop   

Editorial Review

Although it squarely falls in the "jukebox musical" category, Read more

Features

• Cast Recording

Reviews (71)

OH OH OH THOSE JERSEY BOYS!!!
THE BEST SHOW ON BROADWAY I HAVE SEEN IN YEARS.FROM BEGINNING TO END!LISTENING TO THE CD BRINGS BACK THAT WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AT THE THEATER.I WAS ONLY ONE WHEN SHERRY CAME OUT SO, I OF COURSE DIDNOT GROW UP WITH THIS MUSIC BUT, LOVE IT!. IF YOU CAN'T SEE THE BROADWAY SHOW BUY THE CD (ALSO GET THE BEST OF FRANKIE VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS) OH WHAT A NIGHT!!!

Those Jersey Boys!
I never thought that Jersey Boys would be such a hit on Broadway enough to win Tony Award for Best Musical. Although Broadway has not really brought out anything spectacular but everybody who has seen it live as loved it. If you can't spend money on tickets to see the show, you might as well by the compact disc and just imagine the live performance. The Four Seasons were one of the biggest music groups of the last century. Who would have thought that these four Jersey boys from Belleville, New Jersey also hometown to actor Joe Pesci would become such a huge hit. The show and the compact disc show how it began for them with all the trials and tribulations. If you can't see the show regardless of cost or travel, why not buy the compact disc? I have bought two for other people.

Jersey Boys Rule
Great show and great CD.
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Subjects:  1. American Popular Song    2. Cast Recordings    3. Music Theater    4. Musical Theater    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Showtunes / B'way    8. Soundtrack   

Reviews (59)

Greatest Billie Holiday Impersonation Ever!
Do you love ripoff artists such as Lenny Kravitz and Norah Jones? Does true originality disturb you and drive you to seek cover in the soft womb of corporate created fluff marketed as the real deal? Then you're in for a treat with this album! Not even Rich Little could do Billie better. Texture of voice AND delivery expertly stolen without a qualm, but without any of the icky sincerity and authentic pain of the original. Enjoy!

Absolutely Wonderful!
I first heard Madeleine Peyroux playing through the speakers in a Starbucks on a trip to Seattle. Her voice was magical and I just had to ask who it was. I love Billie Holiday and her style of singing is very similar.This cd is a wonderful collection of songs from Patsy Cline's "Walkin' after midnight" to Edith Piaf's "La vie en rose", you'll love every song.Her other cd "Careless Love" is also a wonderful collection.You can't go wrong with this cd, it's simply lovely.

Good.
I didn't find this CD to be as fabulous as careless love but, still enjoy it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Jazz Music    3. Pop    4. Rock/Pop    5. Standards    6. Traditional Pop    7. Vocal Jazz   

Editorial Review

Anyone looking for the key to Abba's enduring appeal should look no further than "Voulez Vous" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" for their answer. There was an innocence to the Swedish quartet, even when they were singing about one-night stands and the invitations to them. Read more

Features

• Limited Edition
• Gold CD
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (229)

ABBA Gold vs Mamma Mia
After seeing Mamma Mia in Las Vegas I purchased the ABBA Mamma Mia CD.Then I thought I would like to have the original songs and ordered the ABBA-Gold Greatest Hits.I enjoy it a lot; but I prefer the Mamma Mia CD which takes me back to the fun night of actually being in Las Vegas and seeing the musical.

I love ABBA
ABBA is still going strong after all these years. Agnetha and Frida's voices are superb, especially in "Dancing Queen," one of their most famous songs.
ABBA Rules
Music is relative, and the group Abba set a standard. Not everyone is an Abba fan, thank God. But for those who appreciate them, they are definitely here to stay. For me, Abba didn't begin to fully blossom until the last albums. THE VISITORS and SUPER TROUPER were excellent examples of how much imagination they truely had. To me, everything else was a springboard for them to grow. It's too bad they stopped just as they were beginning to grow. At least they left a hint of true genius. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dance-Pop    2. Disco    3. Euro-Dance    4. Euro-Pop    5. Pop    6. Pop Vocals    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. Soft Rock    12. Sweden    13. Swedish Pop/Rock   

Editorial Review

Based on the Maysles brothers' cult 1975 documentary of the same name, this musical is an endearing—-and sometimes genuinely heartwrenching—-oddity propelled by Christine Ebersole's exceptional, for-the-history-books performance. The movie followed the kooky duo of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter, Little Edie Beale, as they lived with their 52 cats in a derelict East Hampton mansion. The show's first act, set in 1941, is a prologue of sorts, while the second act, set in 1973, follows the movie closely. Ebersole plays Edith in Act I (which she concludes in dazzling manner with "Will You?") and Little Edie in Act II (when Mary Louise Wilson comes in to play the mother). And while Wilson is superb, this is Ebersole's show. Technically, she is flawless—-just listen to the way she changes her voice between the acts—-but she also makes Little Edie a poignant eccentric, a lost soul stuck in a world of deluded, decaying grandeur. It all peaks in the poignant "Around the World," the show's best song and an Ebersole tour de force. Note that this recording documents the Off-Broadway production; the show transferred to Broadway in the fall of 2006 with a slightly altered first act. Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Score
Grey Gardens has hit written all over it and will definitely be one of the musicals to beat come awards time. It has one of the best scores to hit Broadway in many a season. The subject matter seems daunting to say the least for a musical, but they've pulled it off beautifully. Wonderful performances by Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson. Great songs that work within the story that you can sing along to. They havent skimped on the packaging, either, for this recording (made before it moves to Broadway). Essential for any theater lover. Quirky,funny and a little haunting. A class act all the way!

AN EXCITING NEW MUSICAL!
As I get older, I am intrigued by what material some composers/librettists choose to musicalize. Yes, we're seeing a ton of recent books and films take the musical route, and some of them have worked: HAIRSPRAY was terrific, and I have heard great advance word on LEGALLY BLONDE. More often than not, it doesn't work, however. Anyone remember LESTAT?
A real treasure
This is quite wonderful.There are a couple of clunkers - or maybe they'll just have to grow on me - but the score is smart, tuneful and totally entertaining.The range of material here is amazing - from very bouncy upbeat fun like The Five-Fifteen to Around the World, arguably the score's best.A real standout is The Revolutionary Costume for Today.A brilliantly realized piece of theater.And while all the performers shine, the real reason to buy this CD is Christine Ebersole!WOW.She gives a staggeringly brilliant performance on Disc.I can just imagine how powerful she is onstage.She moves to the top of my list. ... Read more

Editorial Review

While not exactly classical crossover's take on The Monkees, this international quartet of young male vocalists from America, France, Spain, and Switzerland shares a similar genesis. Assembled after a long talent search and audition process, they were teamed with pop producers Per Magnusson and David Krueger (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys) and Steve Mac (Charlotte Church, Kelly Clarkson) and turned loose on a slate of classical-pop favorites, with a dramatic, dynamically nuanced read of Toni Braxton's signature "Unbreak My Heart" setting the standard. While the deceptive ease of their harmonies belie the group's disparate nationalities and talent search roots on the melodramatic "Hoy Que Ya No Estas Aqui," Morricone's glorious Read more

Reviews (285)

Il Divo- Divine Singer (couldn't have put it better myself)
These four men truly are divine singers. Three(Carlos, David, Urs) have beautiful operatically trained voices. Seb, the French pop singer, adds a very warm, informal, easy-going air. This first album has much variety. From the sweet, romantic songs like Every Time I Look at You, and The Man You Love, to huge, sweeping, dramatic finales of Senza Catene, Feelings, My Way, and Regresa A Mi. Each piece is tastefully chosen and profoundly moving. Besides... the four fellas don't look so bad themselves. Ok... maybe that was an understatement. They are all very good-looking. But Urs Buhler, the Swiss tenor, *THUD*, he is a work of art... So, you have four gorgeous guys with gorgeous voices singing gorgeous pieces of music... what more could you ask for? The songs are either so romantic they're tear-jerking, or so powerful they almost leave you stunned. These four guys deserve to be the superstars they are. Five Stars.
Elvis Lives!
Okay, I'll admit it. I'm not a huge music fan and certainly know virtually nothing about opera, and up until a couple of weeks ago, I had never even heard of Il Divo. But then one day, I was in a book store during lunch and heard an incredible song titled, "The Man You Love" playing on the in-house system and knew right away I had to find out who it was and get the CD.
Love at first sound....
I was looking for a cd that I could listen to all of the time.Oh my God, I am breathless.I was brought to tears as they sang "Mama".My mother passed away in 2002 and I never got a chance to say thank you and this song said it all.All of Il Divo's songs have touched me in a way that no one else could.Thank you for touching my heart.I really recommend that you give this cd a chance.All of these other people on the board that gave it a low score, obviously need a hearing aid and a heart.Blessings ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical Crossover    2. Classical Pop    3. Pop    4. Pop Vocals    5. Rock/Pop    6. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

Thanks to a fortuitous intersection of talent and fate, 22-year-old Josh Groban hasn't finished his senior year in performing arts school but has already released his sophomore effort on a major major label. Fans of the young vocal phenom's debut will find much to enthrall them here, even if it nudges the singer closer to the center of producer/mentor David Foster's MOR pop sensibilities. Eschewing much of its predecessor's more overt classic-lite pretensions and pop-rock covers for a slate of dramatic, Eurocentric ballads that serve as a showcase for the singer's inviting baritone, Groban shrewdly positions himself as the American alternative to the Bocelli-Watson crossover axis. "Caruso" may find the singer falling short of its operatic inspiration, but "Oceano" and "My Confession" quickly showcase his truedramatic range (which seems to all but yearn for a bona fide Broadway musical challenge), while a vocal take of Bacalov's graceful "Il Postino" theme uses classical virtuoso Joshua Bell's violin flourishes to good effect. To his credit, Groban displays some promising efforts at songwriting collaboration on the bittersweet "Per Te" and "Remember When It Rains," while the ambient/ethnic soundscape of Deep Forest's "Never Let Go" offers a teasing alternative to the record's otherwise melodramatic production formula. Groban has found commercial triumph via Foster's mentoring, but there remains a nagging sense here that he hasn't truly pushed himself as an artist--yet.Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (537)

Love Josh Groban's work
I love Josh Groban's work. I own both his first CD and Closer. I would buy all of his CDs except I have never been fond of live concert CDs. I think the fans clapping and shouting out detract from the artist's work and so I tend to stay away from those sort of CDs. May he continue producing new work so I can continue finding new CDs to listen to.

THE BEST MALE ALBUM EVER!!!
As my title states, Josh Groban's CD has to be THE BEST MALE ALBUM EVER!!!The tracks show off Josh's amazing vocal range and talent, along with a wide range of different languages, such as French, Spanish, and Italian.There isn't one track that I wouldn't want to skip, but my all-time favorite song has to be "You Raise Me Up".Amazing vocals, choral arrangments, and instrumentals accompany this piece, and you just want to listen to it over and over again!I also recommend that if you love Josh Groban, you may want to look into other classical superstars, such as Charlotte Church or Sarah Brightman.

Great music
I love his first album and I love this one.No, Josh cannot be compared to some of the finer classical singers (as "MaestroMichael" so scathingly said in his review) but that isn't why most people like his albums.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Classical Pop    3. Euro-Pop    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Popular Music    7. Rock/Pop    8. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

For better or worse, Andrew Lloyd Webber's adaptation of Gaston Leroux's gothic horror/romance novel has done for stage musicals what Spielberg's Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (167)

How could this not be good?
First of all, the cast was great!For those of you that are die-hard original cast fans, you still have to admit that Hollywood did a good job on this one.The music, of course, is incredible.The added song, sung by Minnie Driver, although really not of the same caliber as the other songs, is a great addition to the CD.As you're listening to the songs, you know exactly where you are in the movie, they've set it up really well.As per the usual, Amazon provided speedy, quality service and I received the CD right away.Anyone who liked the movie and found themselves singing along will find this CD to be a must-have for their personal collection.

Not Broadway, But Still Worth Watching
If you have never seen any version (Broadway, book, or movie) of The Phantom of the Opera, this is a worthwhile movie to watch.However, if you have seen the Broadway show or read the book of The Phantom of the Opera, then you will probably be a little bit disappointed, but it is still worth watching.
Breathtaking Music
I felt Gerard Butler was the perfect Phantom despite what some other reviewers have stated...he is dark, sexy, passionate with his emotions - his voice is incredible and fits the character perfectly.
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Subjects:  1. Film    2. Film Music    3. Musicals    4. Original Score    5. Pop    6. Show Tunes    7. Soundtrack    8. Soundtracks    9. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

Editorial Review

Norah Jones blew everybody away with her jazzy, country-tinged,Grammy-winning debut CD,