It wasn’t hard to get my wife sucked into the world of Canadian music, though she didn’t even realize she had been listening to it for some time. Now she can identify that subtle Canuck flair through its melodic rhapsody. It’s not surprising that Michael Bublé has become an instant favourite of hers. I’ve always liked his style as he channels the late Frank Sinatra through his songs. He may seem like a throwback to the “Rat Pack” days of cool and class, that Vegas-style lounge singing, but quite frankly Bublé is a breath of fresh air. So as a treat to celebrate my new promotion and job, my wife presented me with Michael Bublé: Call Me Irresponsible, a 14-track CD compilation of Bublé’s latest recording. Yes, I said 14 songs as I received the special edition version of this collection.

Upon looking at the selection of songs, I was intrigued with what was offered. The first track happens to be one of my all-time favourites — “The Best is Yet to Come”. I’ve heard this song performed by many artists and I wanted to see how Bublé would put his own spin on it. I wasn’t disappointed by his take on the song. He combines the big band feel with his more contemporary-oriented pop vocal presentation.

But the funny thing is how he likes to mix up this album with different genres. “It Had Better Be Tonight”, along with Meglio Stasera, has a great Latino flavour to help spice things up. This isn’t the first time he has accomplished this feat and it works. There’s a fine line of becoming a cheesy, Carnival cruise lounge act and presenting a fun, exciting performance. Bublé straddles the fence when it comes to this but leans more towards the latter with this Henry Mancini number from The Pink Panther.

What makes this album exciting is his collaborations with other artists. He’s starting to bring in some other styles that complement his vocals and the presentation feels fresh and exciting at the same time. Mel Torme’s classic “Comin' Home Baby” has Bublé and Boys II Men sharing the spotlight. Listening to this amalgamation between all performers makes me realize something: there is complex nature in the way this song was put together but in the end it sounds really simple. That’s the magic behind the entire thing.

Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” also receives a bassa nova duet treatment between Bublé and vocalist Ivan Lins. This is hauntingly beautiful to listen and relax to as their voices blend seamlessly with one another.

Other standards include “That’s Life” (which I think is the weakest on the album, despite the Gospel choir backup), “Call Me Irresponsible” (a Jack Jones hit), and “Dream”.

A nice surprise was his take on “Always On My Mind”. I’ve heard renditions by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and even the Pet Shop Boys. Bublé slows down the tempo with his version with an easy-to-listen piano accompaniment. It’s a bit jarring to listen to it as a ballad at first but it really grows on you.

Two original songs are also featured on this CD that were co-written by Bublé himself. “Lost”, that was co-written by another fellow Canadian songwriter and performer, Jann Arden, really showcases Bublé’s contemporary pop style. But it’s “Everything” that really puts a stamp on this album. The mood is very upbeat with wonderful bass and guitar work that can be heard throughout the entire song. It’s because of this number that my wife bought the CD in the first place.

The special edition CD includes one bonus track “L-O-V-E”, a song made famous by Nat King Cole (another favourite on mine) and Bublé does it justice. It also includes a 24-page booklet that features all the lyrics of the song. I didn’t realize that the inclusion of song lyrics would be considered a bonus these days. Isn’t that usually part of the norm? If this is what’s considered to be a bonus, I have to say that I’m a bit disappointed by it. And really, that’s the only downfall of the entire CD.

Michael Bublé has brought back some romance and class to music these days. He has, perhaps successfully, bridged a gap between old perennial favourites from the 40s, 50s and 60s and infusing this new generation of music listeners with these classics. Call Me Irresponsible is a step forward for Michael Bublé and there is significant growth in his music selections and the way he is presenting them. I think he is finally feeling comfortable in his own skin. The cover tunes are great but his original songs are better. Here’s hoping he starts exploring more of the latter in the near future. In the meantime, this CD is heading in the right direction.


List of Tracks
1. The Best Is Yet To Come
2. It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera)
3. Me And Mrs. Jones
4. I'm Your Man
5. Comin' Home Baby (duet with Boyz II Men)
6. Lost
7. Call Me Irresponsible
8. Wonderful Tonight (duet with Ivan Lins)
9. Everything
10. I've Got The World On A String
11. Always On My Mind
12. That's Life
13. Dream
14. L-O-V-E (bonus track)

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***Another entry in the 2007 Canadiana Write-Off, hosted by yours truly. Michael Bublé is a product of Burnaby, British Columbia, not too far from where I grew up.



Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving