Call Me Irresponsible - Michael Buble Album Review

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Album Review

On his third and latest album, Canadian Michael Buble spans the decades, from 1988 to 1944, adding two of his own most recent songs.

Despite having already amassed 12 million sales to date, Buble, in my opinion, wasn’t cutting the mustard in this market. He is finally getting better, though I still question his live performances.

Sometimes, it’s hard shaking - off Harry Connick Jr’s immense talents as showman, arranger and composer. Having seen him live at Manchester Apollo in 1992, Buble was always going to be up against it. Nevertheless, this is a broadly appealing album, and far better than previous It’s Time, however, it’s still not challenging enough for my personal taste, rendering it to be yet another coffee table – the mum’s have it – niche.

Maybe, I’m being churlish, but I know what I like and what I hear in this type of music, and it still leaves me wanting, probably due to his lightweight crooning style.

To his credit, his choice of songs is very good, by composers by Leonard Cohen, Eric Clapton, Huff - Gamble - Gilbert, and he handles them well enough.

Adopting a Sinatra (his hero) style intro, its smoothness personified, and maybe, just maybe, there really is more to this song, as he stresses – The Best Is Yet To Come, which I believe, there is.

Going all Latino, Mancini’s It Had Better Be Tonight is shimmering with full -blooded intent, whereas Billy Paul’s hit is given the silky treatment, backed by neat vocals from Emily Blunt.

Cohen did I’m Your Man in a Jazz style, so Buble keeps with it, and does it justice with appropriate gusto when called for, though the vocals couldn’t be more polarised. Boyz11men add some sparkling backups on a pacey cover of Dorough-Tucker’s 1962 gem.

Back to swing, the title track offers nothing new, though Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight has all the trademarks of a gentle Bond feel as the strings sway away. Willie Nelson’s Always On My Mind, and standard That’s Life don’t work due to their blandness.

As for his own songs – Lost and Everything, both fit his crooning perfectly.

Elly Roberts