Michael Buble [ECD] - Michael Buble > Reviews > Crazy little Canadian Called Buble

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money

Advantages:	Modern 'Big Band' Sound
Disadvantages:	No new material

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Think 'Swing' think Las Vegas, Chicago maybe even a bit of jazz from New Orleans. But Vancouver? Surely not!

Such was my opinion when my better half made clear her expectations to find a young canadian singer under the Christmas Tree come the big day. "Can't remember his name though. Something funny". Having informed her she'd have to settle for the CD, I duly set out on what I fully expected would be a long quest.
Other than Bryan Adams I couldn't in my ignorance think of another Canadian singer and had difficulty getting the image of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in his 'Mountie' uniform, out my mind. Maybe she'd been watching an old movie!!

Nonetheless my first stop at the HMV store in Glasgow was fruitful and prompted with the request for the CD of the young Canadian guy who sings 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. (The song that 'lit my wife's candle' after hearing this on TV) the shop assistant almost as fast as he was surly produced the appropriate CD and informed me it was by Michael Buble and selling well. He also helpfully pointed out that the surname was pronounced 'boo-blay' and not 'bubble' as would appear from the cover.

Having been an aficionado of 'swing' music for many a good year I had my reservations about another 'young pretender' to the Sinatra & Co throne and had no difficulty holding my curiosity until Christmas Day.

Still the big day came and the joy was something to behold. With unseeming haste Andy Williams was quickly removed and replaced with young Michael (he's only 25) who was soon spinning and swinging away.

As always the comparisons withe Sinatra and ilk will prevail for every 'new swinger in town',
Robbie Williams, Harry Connick Jnr etc. However I have always believed this to be a futile exercise given that 'swing' rests on the interpretation of a lyric and the arrangement of the song.
This is apparent in the initial track, 'Fever' which owes much of it's success to the novel and exciting arrangement rather than Michaels undoubted vocal talent.
This talent is much more apparent in the excellent redition of Van Morrisons 'Moondance'
If Fever doesn't make your ears prick up this will. This boy can sing and.....swing.

Perhaps the greatest revelation is the wonderful treatment given to the tracks 'Kissin a Fool', 'That's All' & 'Put your Head On My Shoulder'. Songs that sit very easily on this compilation of covers that reminds me very much of the softer sound of Sinatra as heard in the classic album 'In The Wee Small Hours'. Soft Light, Girl in your arms, gentle music in the background. Classic stuff.

Sinatra he does, and does very well. Straight covers of 'Come Fly With Me', 'The Way You Look Tonight' and 'For Once In My Life' are as close to classic swing as you'll hear. 'Summer Wind' however is given a slightly more upbeat tempo than the Sinatra original and all the better for it.

Perhaps less convincing in respect of the 'Swing' genre is the Lou Rawls classic 'You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine' and 'How Can You Mend A Broken Heart'. The later in particular 'suffers' from the Barry Gibb backing vocal which is such a distinctive sound that , for me turns this into a 'Bee Gees' track. Both songs however are easy on the ear and enjoyable 'easy listening' material.
'Sway' is such a popular melody and lyric it is hard to go wrong with this. And he doesn't.

Last but not least the song that started all this 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' . For me this took a couple of listens too before I could tune in to this as 'swing'.
Initially it reminded me of Sinatra's ill-advised ventures into Rock & Roll in his wilderness years of the early fifties. That opinion I reviewed as unfair and conclude that it was a brave move to take such a popular song and give it a swing treatment. It is however a song destined to be either loved or hated. I think I like it!!

Overall this CD could turn out to be as successful as the early Sinatra/Riddle recordings that relaunched a career. I hope so. That way we can all look forward to much more from this Young Canadian 'Swinger'. 

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Michael Buble