out of a dazed craze (see previous post), i went out of my way to snag some CDs! it was a coincidence that they're all somewhat jazz-related... subconscious must be telling me to slow down. so after a week's worth of easy listening pleasure, here goes the gavel

Call Me Irresponsible - Michael Bublé

being an irrepressible MB addict, why shouldn't my hands be all over his new album? :) his recently released 3rd major effort definitely proves he's the lean, mean Michael machine... retains the smooth, hip vibe that makes him a great performer. he conjures up a wondrous spell with his takes on the complimentary swing and big band to the more contemporary pop and bossa nova. "The Best Is Yet to Come" is a fantastic opener, along with "It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Strasera)". in my opinion, "Me and Mrs Jones" has a great arrangement, and "Always on My Mind" is getting terribly romantic the more i listen to it (or is it because i'm such a oldie softie?). i liked the collaborations, 2 on this disc: with Boyz II Men on "Comin' Home Baby" (i think they complement each other very well); and with Brazilian Ivan Lins on the Eric Clapton classic "Wonderful Tonight", tinged with a Latin flavor. but what i loved best on this album are Michael's own songs, "Everything" and "Lost". "Everything" is co-written by him along with the same team that penned "Home" from his second album It's Time (Alan Chang & Amy Foster-Gilles)... it's fun & catchy, and very refreshing to listen to. (i saw the video last week, cute! ^.^;;;) "Lost" gets you in a pensive mood, with its aching lines... wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a hit (a bit surprisingly, this song is co-written by Jann Arden... remember "Insensitive"?) ... this is one LP i'd enjoy listening on repeat :)

Rating:4.5 out of 5

Norah Jones - Not Too Late

another one who's got the 3rd album stretch is our girl Norah Jones, who veers away from mainstream pop and goes to her traditional blues / country folk roots. comparing it to her debut Come Away With Me, you'd see a lot of difference -- more mature and quite dark. most (if not all) were written by Norah on this record, giving you a perfect glimpse of her soul... as always, her distinct mellow voice cuts you through. aside from the radio-friendly "Thinking About You", Not Too Late has the aura of an intimate, smoky lounge. among all other tracks, i love "Sinkin' Soon" because of its playful tune. for those new to Ms Jones' music, they can give "Wake Me Up", "Until the End" & "Not Too Late" a listen. a personal favorite of mine would be "My Dear Country", since it reveals Norah's anti-war (and anti-Bush?) sentiment, and it could very well fit into our country's current situation. *hee* ... just a thought, i find Norah's musical progression from her three albums to be getting... sad. (really?) such as it is, i still love her :) ... breaking away temporarily, i'm making a cute little segue to Norah's debut acting role in "My Blueberry Nights" (yummy title!) opposite the ever-hott Jude Law and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai. she attended at the opening of the 60th Cannes Film Festival where the movie premiered... might i say she looked gorgeous? would want to catch it :)

Rating: 3 out of 5 (plus points for the lovely cd jacket)

Chris Botti - To Love Again: The Duets

last but not the least, i'll be introducing my latest 'discovery' (late bloomer as i am). i've grown up with Kenny G music played on car stereos for so long that it wasn't so surprising that i'd come across another great talent, Chris Botti. he's a brilliant jazz trumpeteer, and i got 'acquainted' to him by way of his collaborations with Michael Bublé ("A Song For You") and Renee Olstead ("Someone to Watch Over Me" & "Sunday Kind of Love"). he makes jazz instrumentals sound so beautiful -- puts me in a dreamy mode, man. this album has been around for more than a year actually, but since i (subconsciouly) always notice it, i decided to take it once and for all. To Love Again is a thirteen-track LP featuring 9 vocal collaborations and 4 trumpet solos, and believe me i couldn't put it down for days! each track possesses such wondrous charm... "Embraceable You" provides the perfect opener if you're up for a romantic ride. the duets found in the album are amazing: Sting in the classy "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life", Paula Cole in the absolutely mesmerizing "My One and Only Love" (my favorite), Jill Scott in a modern rendition of "Good Morning Heartache", and Paul Buchanan in the quietly radiant "Are You Lonesome Tonight?". Bublé and Olstead themselves appear in here with "Let There Be Love" and "Pennies from Heaven", respectively. what i love about these collaborations is the way the music and the vocal complement each other -- the result doesn't overwhelm or come off underhanded. i might sound like a grandma stuck in a teenager's body (*okay*) but listening to this album made me appreciate jazz music more and wish i can transport back to the 1930s-40s that was such a glamorous era for jazz. :) ... and before i forget, you wouldn't believe who's closing up To Love Again: the Aerosmith rock god Steven Tyler lending a soft touch to Charlie Chaplin's "Smile"! now, isn't that fantastic... =D

Rating: 5 out of 5 (yeah!)



because of all the ambiance, i'm itching for some Banana Java Chip right this moment.... mmmm.... coffee.....



afterthought: if you're into lounge music, check out the newest radio station in the metro, 92.3 XFM. a good way to chill out folks!

Libellés : music

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