Buble's 2009 Release "Crazy Love"

Michael Buble's "Crazy Love" CD moves him further along the path to maturity as a performer, a recording artist, and perhaps as a person in the wider sense of things. The collection once again features Buble-esque treatments of standards from both the pop and jazz traditions and also includes a pair of his own compositions (actually, collaborations).

The voice that propelled him to stardom right out of the gate is of course still there. There may be a greater depth and warmth on this recording than on previous offerings. Buble's renderings of Van Morrison's Crazy Love, after which the CD is named, and Henley's Heartache Tonight display a sensitivity to the lyric and a respect to these pop compositions that are cocooned in his playfulness and sense of who he is as an artist.

It wouldn't be a Buble offering without some big band arrangements of jazz standards, and he does not disappoint here either. From the CDs opening "Cry Me a River" through other pieces such as "All or Me" and "Georgia on my Mind" the arrangments are worthy of Buble's voice and the talent of producer David Foster. (Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica also produced tracks on this CD.)

The album closes out with fellow Canadian Ron Sexsmith's "Whatever it Takes" with Sexsmith himself guesting. This may be this reviewer's favorite cut from amongst a strong group of pieces. All in all, a wonderful disc that will provide many enjoyable listenings.