Reprise/ Warner presents "CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE" [Special Edition], 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
14. "Love" (4:45) - (Bert Kaempfert/Milt Gabler) - Instrumentally Bert Kaempfert and vocally Nat "King" Cole made this an international hit back in the '60s, now Buble takes up the baton and gives this a successful run within the winners circle
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: 54:00 on 14 Tracks ~ Warner Music 100324 ~ (5/09/2007)