Michael Buble, "Crazy Love"

googler@evpl — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:31:00 GMT

You may have caught Michael Buble singing after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. Not a hugely impressive performance for him, I thought -- the man has a remarkable voice and a classic style, in the mode of Sinatra and Darin. He does Vegas-style arrangements of standards and "classic pop" as well as anyone these days.

His latest CD is called Crazy Love, and contains both standards and modern songs. The standards include the opening track, "Cry Me a River," and this thing is one of the most melodramatic arrangments of any song I've ever heard. Critics didn't exactly love this track when the album came out, calling it bombastic, heavy-handed, over-arranged, but I liked it immediately (of course, it may just have suited my mood at the time). I think the drama of the music matches the drama of the lyric, and it's a lot of fun to sing along with.

The modern songs on the CD are surprsing, interesting, and likeable, from the Eagles to a couple of new songs he co-wrote. Jazz and blues elements continue to creep into his style, and he pulls it off pretty well.

Check out Buble's video of "Cry Me a River" here.

Lake Street Dive - Prize-winning Song-writing and a Unique Sound

Bufkinite@evpl — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:56:00 GMT

My daughter turned me on to this group, and the recording In This Episode..., and I was completely taken in by them. Everyone with whom I've shared this recording has been similarly impressed. Lake Stree Dive is comprised of vocalist Rachael Price, trumpeter and guitarist Mike Olson, Bridget Kearney on bass, and Mike Calabrese on drums, guitar, and keyboards. The band gained prominence when Kearney's song "Sometimes When I'm Drunk and You Are Wearing My Favorite Shirt" won a Grand Prize and Lennon Award in The John Lennon Songwriting Contest. The prize resulted in increased exposure for the band, a Midwestern tour and this, their first recording.

The group combines playful lyricism with creative arrangements, and Price's voice is unique enough - pure and rough-edged, earthy and sweet all at once - to be recognizable the next time you hear it. They've just recently released a second recording, entitled Promises, Promises, but you'll have to wait if you want to check it out from EVPL

Here's a link to the group's MySpace page.
Here's a link to Lake Street Dive recordings available at Amazon.com, where your purchase will benefit the Public Library Friends

And below is a YouTube video of the group's prize winning song, "Sometimes When I am Drunk and You are Wearing My Favorite Shirt." Sound quality isn't the greatest, but it'll give you an idea of this creative group's sound and creative dynamic.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Music Blog : Jazz

Michael Buble, "Crazy Love"

Lake Street Dive - Prize-winning Song-writing and a Unique Sound