So back in November...

[bovil]

...John Barrowman released a new CD, Another Side.

It's difficult to listen to.

Not because it's bad.

Barrowman is a musical theater wonk, and has this glass-clear musical actor's voice. He's done two CDs, one of Cole Porter songs and one of Broadway showtunes. They're pretty good.

This one? It's another cover album. No big surprise there.

It's an album of '70s and '80's pop power ballads.

Lushly orchestrated.

You don't believe me?

Check out this cover of Air Supply's "All Out of Love."

Yep, that's what it's like.

It's not bad, but it's sure strange.

Comments

[didjiman.livejournal.com]

Isn't he the gay actor that all hetero women are swooning over?


Swoooooonnn,,,,,,,

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

Ok, I thot I was a faghag, but clearly, I'm not haggy enough for that. Nor fangirly (tho' I knew I was never a huge Barrowman fangirl). Srsly. I couldn't make it thru the whole thing. It makes me go all butch inside -- I want a cold beer & some football, stat!

[bovil.livejournal.com]

It's Air Supply. He does a good job with it, but it's still Air Supply.

I'll make sure you get to hear his version of "You're so Vain." It pretty much makes the rest of the album survivable.

[howeird]

lushly orchestrated
Yes, they are, aren't they? I guess he's bi after all.
;-)

[yourbob.livejournal.com]

So what does it say about me that I actually like the single?

But I did have to close my eyes. I don't like the video - but knowing it was set up for a commercial helps. A little. Makes me think a little too much of Yanni.

???

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

What a waste of a perfectly nice voice on a perfectly mediocre song.

Re: ???

[bovil.livejournal.com]

That's the whole album in a nutshell. Pretty much the worst hits of the 70's, with a few exceptions.

"Time after Time" isn't bad. "Your Song" is pretty good, but it's a bit Moulin Rouge.

His cover of "You're so Vain" is fabulous, though. Absolutely smashing.

Re: ???

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

He could've done disco.

The one I thought was the odd duck was his {p;oce cover, Everything You Do Is Magic.

I would love to see him in a Baz Luhrman production, though. Much moreso than Ewen McGregor.

Re: ???

[bovil.livejournal.com]

Every Little Thing She Does is Magic is probably the farthest out there, and the latinesque horn section is just wrong.

On the other hand, if Barrowman is going to cover a rock singer, Sting's lyrics benefit from his clear enunciation.

Re: ???

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

Good point; maybe JB can do an entire album of "lyrics you never knew."

The singer that Barrowman reminds of the most in an Anglo kind of way is Ricky Martin. JB doing Livin' La Vida Loca would be... amusing.

Lushly orchestrated?

[paradoox.livejournal.com]

Now admittedly, music isn't my strong suit. I was tramatized by a first grade music teacher. And I even like weird things like Harry Chapin (or covers of Harry Chapin songs - John Wallace and Bruce Springstein both do interesting covers of Chapin songs (for different reasons) and many Chapin covers are better than the original, but I digress). But, I'm sorry. This is ... disappointing. IMHO, the Air Supply original has better orchestration and is more interesting. Maybe I'm missing the point. Or maybe it is that the PC speakers sux. I guess I could hook the PC up to the Tannoys and then do a A / B comparison, but ...

Re: Lushly orchestrated?

[bovil.livejournal.com]

Harry Chapin was a great songwriter.

I don't think you're missing the point. Barrowman's voice aside, it isn't that good. It's not bad, but it's not really good.

It's also a really weird choice. All I can think is someone said "You've got to do a CD for your female fans... these showtunes albums just aren't cutting it." How they ended up with mostly horrible 70's and 80's ballads with 50's-style Vegas show orchestrations? Damned if I know.

The cover of "You're so Vain" almost redeems the album, though.