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Josh Groban -- Closer
| Closer
... but no cigar. Jan 03 '04 Author's Product Rating  Pros He has an exquisite voice and, unlike Russell Watson, knows how to sing. Cons Material that tries to be memorable, but doesn't quite make it. The Bottom Line Love the song My confession. A great Josh Groban song. |
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I had written this review immediately after I had listened to the CD the
first time through, I would have given it only one star at the most. Such
was the expectation after Josh Groban's first album, and such was the
disappointment. After a day or two, I sat down to it again, listening more intently this time, and the second listening brought me a little relief. JG is blessed with one of the most exquisite voices to be heard in recent years. And he knows how to sing, and not use it as a loudhailer. Listening to him sing can still send shivers down my spine. Unfortunately, in Closer the material lets him down. At their worst, the songs sound bland and third-rate. There are few gems here. The better ones make me feel annoyed, for there are hints of greatness, but midway through they fall flat, turn pedantic, and end up like a dish that just needs that extra dash of nutmeg; you can taste its possiblilities but it doesn't quite satisfy. An example is When you say you love me, which starts off really well. Nice melody, nice lyrics, then somewhere around the second minute it turns pedestrian, trying for a rousing finish a la Celine Dion which sounds rather half-hearted. Another is You raise me up which does rises above the average, but I find myself comparing it to R. Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly, which seems more effective somehow. I don't know if I am the only one, but the feeling I get listening to JG on this album is that it is as if he is on a Broadway stage belting out the numbers with great finesse but not really feeling the words. He does come close in a few songs and in parts here and there, but there is that feeling that he has not been through heartache and suffering enough to lend the right gravitas to the songs (which are rather melancholic). I keep thinking he is concentrating on delivering a polished performance and not putting his heart into the song. But it is not all bad. As I have mentioned, the guy knows how to sing, and while I feel he could do better, it is still a joy to hear him sing. My favourite track on the album is My confession. It is catchy, and pretty straight-forward, not trying to be anything more than an operatic pop song. And JG's delivery suits the mood of the song. Another gem is Mi mancherai (il postino), which features the violin playing of Joshua Bell. The violin is enough to bring tears to your eyes. JG does very well on this track, controlling his voice well. The melody is nice too, nothing too grandiose. The duds for me are: All'improvviso amore, Remember when it rained, and Never let go ... couldn't stand them.
Recommended |
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