Michael Bublé is back with his eighth studio album after a 1½-year hiatus. Like all his other albums, To Be Loved is largely about old standards reinterpreted that showcases Bublé’s voice at its best.

The 14-track album features 4 original songs that were co-written by Bublé himself. Much like his past albums (think Crazy Love released in 2009), the three-time Grammy winner revived old classics with his latest release.

Based in Toronto, his album features artistes of different genre, like Bryan Adams who’s famous for his rock music, and The Puppini Sisters who are known for pop and swing music, which provides To Be Loved with great musical diversity, but it can’t save the singer-songwriter’s album from being just another Michael Bublé album. Not bad, considering it topped the US Billboard 200 chart.

Incredibly pop and upbeat for a break-up song, the tune of the lead single “It’s a Beautiful Day” will remind you of his previous hit “Haven’t Met You Yet” from the album, Crazy Love.

Taking notes from the Robbie Williams-Nicole Kidman duet for “Something Stupid”, Buble has committed the silliest mistake on this album, if not his almost magically perfect musical career, by re-doing this with Reese Witherspoon. Yes, she sang her own songs in Walk the Line, the Johnny Cash biopic, but when she could be heard on this track, Witherspoon’s almost monotonous and largely emotionless back-up vocals on this track could really have been done by anyone. Such a contrast from another duet he did with Nelly Furtado on the beautiful “Quando Quando Quando”.

With hardly anything new, the most impressive track in To Be Loved is the 38-year-old’s remake of Frank Sinatra’s “Come Dance With Me”. The jazz artiste’s rendition of Sinatra’s song features a more playful side of it.

To Be Loved would be more dynamic with more originals, but one can’t help but to enjoy classy Jazz music by the multiple Juno Awards recipient.

Album Details

Artiste: Michael Bublé

Album Name: To Be Loved

Rating: 3/5

Language: English

Genre: Vocal Jazz

Record Label: Reprise Records

Release Date: April 15, 2013

 

Album Tracklist

1. You Make Me Feel So Young

2. It’s a Beautiful Day

3. To Love Somebody

4. Who’s Lovin You

5.Something Stupid (featuring Reese Witherspoon)

6. Come Dance with Me

7. Close Your Eyes

8. After All (featuring Bryan Adams)

9. Have I Told You Lately (with Naturally 7)

10. To Be Loved

11. You’ve Got a Friend in Me

12. Nevertheless (I’m in Love with You) (featuring The Puppini Sisters)

13. I Got It Easy

14. Young at Heart