Has anyone even noticed that Michael Bublé has been gone for two years? Well, us neither (for some reason it feels like he's always there forever blessing us with his rendition of great American songbook classics). But, yes, he did take a little hiatus following his oldest son's illness. There was talk of him retiring, which has turned out to be simply talk because here he is with his 10th studio effort, Love, a follow-up to 2016's Nobody But Me.
Helmed by legendary producer David Foster, the record follows in the same footsteps as Bublé's previous releases. Fans of the Canadian chanteur know what to expect: a handful of beloved pop/jazz standards mingled with a few originals. The love-themed album fittingly opens with a straightforward cover of Victor Young and Edward Heyman's When I Fall In Love. This marks the second time he's tackled the song (the first time was a collaboration with Boyz II Men on their 2009 cover album, which happens to also be called Love).
While Bublé can definitely hold his own when it comes to singing, collaborators do make a nice addition to what would otherwise have been a predictable affair. Enter esteemed jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant and singer Loren Allred, the two female forces who assist him on Edith Piaf's La Vie En Rose and Kris Kristofferson's 70s country ballad Help Me Make It Through The Night.
The album's two originals take the shape of the soaring piano ballad Forever Now and the guitar-driven, pop-adjacent Love You Anymore, co-written by singer-songwriter Charlie Puth. The latter sees Bublé at his hippest to date as he drops his g's like nobody's business ("Am I lyin' to myself again/ When I say you're not the best I've ever had?).
Elsewhere, there's a sly rendition of I Only Have Eyes For You, followed by a grandiose reinterpretation of My Funny Valentine, and concluding with upbeat closer I Get A Kick Out Of You.
The verdict: It's hard to believe that there are still songs left for Michael Bublé to cover at this point. With that said, this is another classic Bublé record that should go down a treat with his fans.
Listen to this: I Only Have Eyes For You, La Vie En Rose, Love You Anymore, Help Me Make It Through The Night.
THE PLAYLIST
Polycat/Duu Dee (Pretty ... Good)
No other Thai bands can churn out friendzone anthems quite like Polycat. (Their 2016 album, 80 Kisses, might as well be called "Forever Friendzoned"). This ongoing theme seems to have reached its peak with Duu Dee (Pretty ... Good), the second cut from the Chiang Mai trio's upcoming record. And like Aa-Worn (I Want You) before it, the song marks the group's sonic shift from the synth-heavy 80s to R&B/soul 90s. Vocalist Na, naturally, assumes the role of a loyal best friend who has to hold back his feelings for his crush. "Red lipstick suits you best/ This perfume? Oh yeah, he'll love that too," he sings, masking his burning desire. "If you look into his eyes and see the same look I've given you all this time/ That means he loves you wholeheartedly," he finally confesses in the emotional chorus equivalent to one giant heavy sigh.
Sufjan Stevens/Lonely Man Of Winter
Previously written for the winner of his 2007 "Xmas Song Xchange Contest", Sufjan Steven's Lonely Man Of Winter finally gets an official release here both digitally and as the limited edition 7-inch vinyl. A few notes in and we're instantly in the singer-songwriter's alternative reality where the most joyous time of the year gets that familiar layer of melancholia. "Is it the lonely man of Christmas?/ Coming up with theories on him/ Is it the lonely man of Christmas?/ He's riding in the devil's abyss," he croons alongside his signature acoustic guitar, fittingly supported by jingles and backup vocals.
CupcakKe/Dangled
While no stranger to absurd and sexually charged bars, Chicago rapper CupcakKe knows when to dial things down. That's where Dangled, the latest single taken from her recently dropped fourth LP, comes in. The mid-tempo R&B ballad finds the rising MC digging deep into unreciprocated love, comparing it to having her heart "dangled up and down". But, of course, men never get the full blame because, as she spills the dirt on her lover, the other woman's also subject to some tongue-lashing ("I'm not offended by no lady… You can't erase me, nor replace me/ And if y'all kiss then bitch you taste me").
Foster The People/Worst Nites
Foster The People may be known for their ability to craft cheery indie-pop gems, but peel through their music's breezy sheen and you're bound to discover something a little dark and sinister. The same goes for Worst Nites, their latest cut in which frontman Mark Foster professes his love-hate relationship with the band's hometown of Los Angeles. Over the synthesised electro-funk production, Foster claims "All my worst nights are the best times" while fully realising that the fabled California Livin' is not really all it's cracked up to be ("Joined the vultures eatin' paradise/ Gettin' tilted, yeah, we'll pay the price (But ain't it nice?)."
Panda Bear/Dolphin
On the new Panda Bear single Dolphin, the animal theme still runs strong for Animal Collective's co-founding member Noah Lennox. The track, lifted from his forthcoming sixth studio effort Buoys, follows 2015's Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper and last year's A Day With The Homies EP and sees Lennox operating with far less than he usually does -- faint drums and acoustic guitar anchored by sparse plopping sound effects. "To the sea/ To the end of the road," he rues, abetted by Auto-Tune, before contemplating humanity's impending doom: "Us, the odd/ Us, the frustrated crowd, so vile/ Let it all define you."
