Top Notch Album, 18 Nov 2003

Broken Vow is heard here in CLOSER .... beautiful arrangement. This studio version is more intimate than the live version and takes us into the betrayal of this relationship.

Amongst the songs collected here, You Raise Me Up is truly outstanding. A cover of Secret Garden's gem. The opening, similarly, with Uilleann pipes sets the mood of the Irish Famine as pictured with the stirring lyric. Josh and team have done an exquisite take, made it quite his own. And I still love Secret Garden's version....

Paul Schwartz and David Foster's ALL'IMPROVVISO AMORE is another brilliant track. Punchy as the choppy sea...fluid as Josh's voice. I'm so impressed.

Joshua Bell's opening in MI MANCHERAI from il postino is typical of his standard - brilliant. Josh's voice flows into the song and again, fills it with poetry. More than I can say for Deborah Harry's version in English. As much as I love Deborah, her set of English lyric did nothing for the melody, which is recorded for the Cinema Italiano album.

Never Let Go is somewhat disappointing; a rather so-so track with Eric Mouquet. The voice does not sit into the song, or is it the other way, I cannot say.

Remember When It Rained with Eric Mouquet is so much better. Add the words, written by Josh and the song is very attractive. The arrangement sets the moody tone of rain and tears...

And there's something for everyone: a spanish track, a french one, throw in Lucio Dalla's Caruso and you get, all together, a very very impressive album from this young man.

Production-wise, this album sounds very good, with the vocals still warm and earthly.

Josh's voice has grown and the maturity shines through with smoothness and grace. Great album. Keep enjoying your work Josh and keep performing..

Thanks for the music.

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