I keep seeing and hearing clips from Michael Ball's new album, "released just in time for christmas folks, buy your grandma a copy", and frankly, I see no point.He's entitled to his own website, I'll grant him that small luxury but other than that he should not assault my ears and my well being with his flacid and damp renditions of classic songs that other artists have made their own.
The track listing from his new album reads thus ...
One Voice (originally by Barry Mannilow)
Hero (originally by Mariah Carey)
The Living Years (originally by Mike & The Mechanics)
Where Do I Begin (originally by Andy Williams from the film Love Story)
Since You've Been Gone (originally by Rainbow)
I Don't Wanna Talk About It (originally by Rod Stewart)
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing (originally by Aerosmith)
If You're Not The One (originally by Daniel Beddingfield)
Lyin' Eyes (originally by The Eagles)
Everybody Hurts (originally by R.E.M.)
Home (originally by Michael Boublรจ)
...please don't trouble yourself to actually have to listen to the album, I'll tell you right now, its as poor as you'd imagine it to be.
I heard him on a random TV programme a couple of weeks ago introducing himself performing that last track on the album "Home" by Michael Bouble. He actually said something like "Michael Bouble did a terrific recording of this song last year so I thought I'd have a go", well Michael, you fooled no-one, your producer and musical director were so lazy that they just used the Michael Bouble arrangement, probably actually scrounged the Michael Bouble backing tape actually, and then got you to sing over the top of it - you used the same phrasing and sang in the same key, in short you brought nothing new to the song and you voice is not as good as the original artist.
So why do you do it ?
Do you really think that I'd like to hear a poorer version of a selection of songs ?
"Michael Ball fooks up all your favourite songs" is that the unique selling point ?
Heres another singer who thinks we desperately need to hear worse versions of classic songs, Andy Abraham
I must warn you that when you click that link you will be treated to the sound of Andy rattling out several short clips of tracks off his new album "Soul Man", don't worry, they will not excite you, but they may encourage you to go and seek the original recordings...
The tunes that Andy would like to ruin for you are ...
1. Still (originally by The Commodores)
2. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted (originally by David Ruffin)
3. Don’t Leave Me This Way (originally by Harold Melvin)
4. Ain’t No Sunshine (originally by Bill Withers)
5. Just My Imagination (originally by The Temptations)
6. I Can’t Help Myself (originally by The Four Tops)
7. Easy (originally by The Commodores)
8. Tracks Of My Tears (originally by Smokey Robinson)
9. This Ole Heart Of Mine (originally by The Isleys)
10.Too Busy Thinking ‘Bout My Baby (originally by Marvin Gaye)
11. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me (originally by Diana Ross)
12. Heaven Help Us All (originally by Stevie Wonder)
... and fortunately you can hear the clips and decide for yourself whether or not Andy's new album is just a little indulgence on his behalf or whether he really should be allowed to be set loose on these sort of classics, personally I think there should be a law against it.
3 comments:
I don't really understand what the mentality is behind a singer listening to another singer make a song his own and then think "I can't match that - I wish someone would write a signature song for me like that - ah fuck it I'll just try and sound like him"
I was prepared to be indifferent about Mr Ball, until I noticed 'Everybody Hurts' in the list of songs he's murdering. For this, he deserves to have his private parts put in a vise until he sounds like his football-playing namesake - Alan Ball.
This can't be as bad as the oft-advertised Katie Price and Peter Andre album. I'm pleased they're happy and the fact that there's someone for everyone is comforting, but really they could keep it to themselves
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