Call Me Irresponsible (Reg)

Michael Buble has delivered two major hits in the #1 Adult Contemporary single, Everything and has followed up with an equally impressive hit in the song, Lost. This album is amazing. Michael Buble delivers with this album.

This is a very good CD, no doubt, but something's not quite gellin' for me when I listen to it. I'm not ready to call it Bublé's best quite yet. Now, I could just be biased from listening to his previous two studio releases so much - if they had been vinyl I would have long since worn the needle through to the other side. I don't have trouble with his mixing old standards with new songs, nor with him choosing classic songs that are not from the "crooner" genre (which he and Foster have been doing since their first effort). It is, in fact, his renditions of those classic "crooner" numbers, like "The Best Is Yet To Come" and "I've Got The World On A String," that give me so much pause. Bublé is no Bennett or Sinatra - nor should he be - so it's a little disconcerting to hear these standards sung (and arranged) differently. I actually hope he does more original stuff on future releases. Much as I love those old standards, it's a case of "been there, done that."

As a performer, Bublé is the closest thing to Frank Sinatra there is today.
"Call Me Irresponsible" is the latest offering from Canadian hot-young-thing Michael Bublé. The handsome singer has already gained success in recent years with albums "It's Time" and "Caught In The Act" and singles including one of 2005's most played radio tracks "Home".
With new and original material the crooner hopes to gain a new and more contemporary following.
To this end, the new album mixes old standards with new songs such as "Lost" - a melancholy tribute to a break-up - and the first single from the album," Everything".
While fellow artists trying to emulate the sounds of Ol' Blue Eyes and his gang may stick to the tried and tested formulas of Rat Pack songs, Bublé's new album departs from the crooner age, choosing classic songs that are not from the expected genre, including "Me and Mrs Jones", Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and "Always On My Mind" - the love song made famous by Elvis Presley.
There is almost half a really good record on this studio album. But, once again, glossy David Foster productions of overly-exposed songs associated with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett dominate.
The backing band is top-notch. "Call Me Irresponsible" was certainly not cheap to make. Bublé's voice has body and he can carry a tune well but he's not a particularly expressive singer. Thus, his Las-Vegas-style version of Billy Paul's smoldering classic "Me and Mrs. Jones "strips all the sex and conflict an lyrical pathos out of it. Bublé's British actress girlfriend Emily Blunt ("The Devil Wears Prada") coos the closing lines.
Woozy, lispy renditions of "The Best Is Yet to Come", "I've Got the World on a String" and "That's Life" are even worse; they are smarmy -- like a boozy Bobby Darin come back to life.
When Bublé isn't cynically pandering to grandmas and their granddaughters with his predictable standards, he's improving. There's a charm to his original pop composition "Everything" (surprisingly produced by Bob Rock, a man better known for working with hard rockers Metallica and Motley Crüe). Oldies by Henry Mancini and Mel Torme that haven't been beaten to death through countless covers also stand out. Mancini's The Ultimate Pink Panther song "It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera--in Italian)" is terrific, boasting an exciting Italian-salsa arrangement.
If Bublé would worry a bit less about demographics and take this album's title to heart by taking more chances and ditching the safety net of Foster, he could become more than just a sales phenomenon. Bublé could maybe approach the artistry of those he emulates.
Bublé wows the most when he departs from the Rat Pack-esque tunes and brings something different to other classics. His 1970s cabaret-style "Wonderful Tonight" presents a totally different take on the classic Clapton ballad, transformed in a delightful bossa nova duet with Brazilian legendary singer/songwriter Ivan Lins, while "Always on My Mind" is a more intimate and understated version than the King's, but still hits the spot.One of the album highlights is the jazzy version of Leonard Cohen's "I'm Your Man" - wrought with dramatic pauses, crescendos and key changes but still succeeding in being an intimate ballad.
A collaboration with the harmonic Boyz II Men on "Coming Home Baby" may seem like an odd pairing, but it's just good... However, the Boyz act as mere background to Bublé's warbling. And as if "Everything" wasn't rousing enough already, the album includes the singer pairing with a gospel choir on the track creating a truly uplifting version.
All in all...Unlike those who have tried and failed before him, the young star does not fail to disappoint. There are not many artists - especially in today's Pop Idol conveyer belt of a music scene - who can be mentioned in the same breath as Frank Sinatra. And NOT just as a mere epigon on the Sinatra's footsteps.
Which is pretty darn good.

I am so glad that with album Michael has showed us that his voice has grown into a perfect instrument. He is maturing and his voice is deepening and only gets better with each passing year. I have seen him in concert...he is surely the frank, dino, bobby, and all the rest wrapped up, of our time...way to go Buble...keep giving us this wonderful music..we will keep buying it and attending all your concerts...Congrats on your best disc yet...

Reprise/ Warner presents "CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE", featuring pop vocalist of the millennium Michael Buble, the Vancouver crooner with his latest release with new material and some vintage standards --- Canadian crooner's third studio release, is about as responsible as it gets --- featuring an unforgettable youthful style that takes you back to the '40s, '50s and '60s --- listening to every tune on this album brings back memories of Nat King Cole (one of my favorite singers of all time), Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra as they were crooning favorite standards of the day --- Buble is a cross between James Dean and Elvis Presley in appearance, with the style and ability of Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin --- Michael has the uncanny ability to nail each track with his signature style and making it his own.

Buble's performance is impeccable, the renditions are simply from the heart --- one can hardly pick a stand out, entire recording draws on the swinging Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra at his back, plus slow tempos with blends of original sentiment and gorgeous melodies in the order in which they appear:

1. "The Best Is Yet to Come" (3:05) - (Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh) - One of Tony Bennett's all time greatest hits and Michael does it proud.

2. "It Had Better Be Tonight" (Meglio Stasera) (3:06) - (Mancini/Mercer/Migliacci) - Henry Mancini's catchy tune from "The Pink Panther", with a cool David Foster arrangement.

3. "Me and Mrs. Jones (4:33) - (Huff/Gamble/Gilbert) - Buble has a good thing going with this track

4. "I'm Your Man" (4:59) - (Leonard Cohen) - The beast won't go to sleep, has Buble bringing it home

5. "Comin' Home Baby" (3:27) - (Dorough/Tucker) - Buble shares the stage with Boyz II Men, with a Mel Torme classic tune

6. "Lost" (3:40) - (Buble/Arden/Chang) - An original song with a relationship that Buble puts behind him with this heartfelt lyrical masterpiece

7. "Call Me Irresponsible" (3:16) - (Cahn/Van Heusen) - Big hit for Jack Jones but move over, Buble is taking this one on and filling those big shoes nicely

8. "Wonderful Tonight" (4:12) - (Eric Clapton) - (duet with Ivan Lins) - And then she asks Buble and Lins, Do I look alright ... they reply we feel wonderful cause we see the love light in your eyes

9. "Everything" (3:33) - (Buble/Change/Amy Foster Gilles) - a Buble original sets this album apart from the rest, youe every song, and I sing along cause you're my everything

10. "I've Got the World on a String" (2:47) - (Arlen/Koehler) - Lifes a wonderful thing as long as I hold that string

11. "Always on My Mind" (4:30) - (James/Thompson/Christopher) - Girl I'm so sorry I was blind, you were always on my mind

12. "That's Life" (4:15) - (Gordon/Thompson) - Many times I thought of cutting out, but my heart won't buy it

13. "Dream" (5:05) - (Johnny Mercer) - Doesn't get any better with one of my all time favorite songwriters and his classic 1944 tune, with the best arranger on the planet Johnny Mandel

Special footnote, Bublé was born in Burnaby, British Columbia --- He is of Italian descent with dual citizenship in Italy, graduated from Cariboo Hill Secondary School --- Bublé grew up listening to his grandfather's collection of jazz records --- Bublé highlights the importance of his grandfather in encouraging his musical tastes. "My grandfather was really my best friend growing up --- He was the one who opened me up to a whole world of music that seemed to have been passed over by my generation --- Although I like rock and roll and modern music, the first time my granddad played me the Mills Brothers, something magical happened --- The lyrics were so romantic, so real... the way a song should be for me --- It was like seeing my future flash before me. I wanted to be a singer and I knew that this was the music that I wanted to sing." (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

My wife and I were fortunate enough to see Michael in a St. Louis concert, met him back stage --- might add this young man made a very positive impression on all who attended that night's show --- he's a first class guy and has everything going for him --- couldn't happen to a nicer person...it's like second nature with his natural ability to vocalize and be a crowd pleaser is pure magic --- shows why Buble has the the stuff stars are made of...he's the hottest property in the genre of "American Standards" today --- as Michael warns his band, "get ready it's about to start all over again" --- climb aboard this musical merry-go-round, you'll never regret it --- Good Luck, Michael with your sophomore studio recording --- it is definitely your biggest triumph.

Total Time: 49:00 on 13 Tracks ~ Warner Music 100313 ~ (5/01/2007)