Customer Reviews

Anthony Callea

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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Anthony Callea was the runner up of the Australian Idol series 2. In my opinion his debut album is excellent. The album is a complete package, it has ballads, sensual latin style songs and great pop songs. The album can stir up tears in you, have you dancing around and make you yearn for love. One Australian reviewer referred to Anthony Callea as a vocal artisan. Not many singers these days have Anthony's vocal style, many people do not get him. What is a fact is that he cross generational appeal. Children from 7 months to adults of 70 years old love him. He has produced an album that appeals to all ages.

With his amazing vocals Anthony Callea delivers passionate renditins of such classics like "The Prayer" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Other ballads include "When I get there" and " Per sempre" For me, these are the highlights of the album. I can really relate to when I get there, for me, it is about finding your purpose in life and facing the challenges. I went to work with war survivors in West Africa in 2002/03 and the lyrics I am "leaving my room and I just have to breath", reflect exactly what I felt as I headed off there. It does feel amazing when you do something you love. "Per sempre" is a deeply spiritual and evocative song. It reflects that feeling you have when someone you love has passed away and you still feel them around you. The Italian lyrics makes the song even more evocative. Anthony Callea recently had the honor of performing "The Prayer" for Pavarotti. The great tenor was impressed and has promised to introduce Anthony to the Italian Market. A rare honor for any singer.

Rain is a great uptempo song. "Hurts So Bad" and "I want you" have a sensual Latin feel. There are bright pop songs as well.

No longtalltex I am not a teenager, I am a mature woman. While Anthony Callea is very good looking, his beautiful voice inspires.
No one needs to buy his album without getting an idea of his style. There are two websites where you can listen to his music and watch Australian tv performances. [...]

AUSTRALIAN IDOL, which has ran so far only in 2003 and 2004, has spawned 8 albums by 7 artists on my counting. I have a few of these. They all have their merits and generally feature promising to good singers. But Anthony, who ran 2nd in the contest in 2004, has outclassed the rest with this magnificent effort.

Anthony showed on OZ IDOL that he understands good music, secure, quality singing, and the need to entertain. The variety of material on this album is impressive. Each track comes up as a pleasant surprise from the last and the quality of the material is pretty even and superior.

Anthony has a full voice that thrives in its lower register but then, as in "The Prayer" or "Bridge Over Troubled Water", it can take off into a stratosphere where he can go as high as he needs without resorting to falsetto. For a pop singer Anthony has a range like the greats - the Roy Orbisons, the Gene Pitneys.

It's worth remembering that Anthony's triumphant song choice, "The Prayer", was his own on the OZ IDOL episode where the guys and girls chose their own material. That it caught the audience imagination and went on to become Australia's best selling single of all time by a home-grown artist shows how acute Anthony's feel for a commercial song is.

It has been a pleasure to see this unassuming, dignified, talented young man thrive in the last year. I also recommend the special edition of this album which contains Anthony's meaty, very rewarding version of "Listen With Your Heart", the Diane Warren song the OZ IDOL winner was given to record straight after winning the show. You also get the OZ IDOL live version of "The Prayer" where the audience reaction to the crescendos of the song, along with Anthony's passion delivering the song, always gives me goosebumps. Anthony stands to become the most durable of the OZ IDOL graduates.

This is the debut album of one of the finalists of Austrailian Idol. He has a great voice and the original songs are wonderful. The highlights of the album are "The Prayer" and "Bridge over Troubled Waters" These are simply beautiful.

I'm surprised by the high quality of this album considering it is a product of the Idol franchise. You can tell a lot of effort and care was made into creating this first album. Anthony sounds terrific and really showcases his range in the songs. Especially "The Prayer" was arranged wonderfully and note worthy. I look forward to following this power-singer's career. It was worth the high cost of importing.

There will be handfuls out there who will look at the album and say, 'Look, a product of an Idol contestant.' Negative connotations will be associated with it immediately. But that doesn't explain why 'The Prayer' has become the highest selling single of all time in the Australian music industry by an Australian artist. It is a beautiful, moving ballad most certainly applicable to our time, and every time I hear it, it brings tears to my eyes.

Callea's voice is one sculpted by years of determination that evidently shines through in the passion created in his #1 debut album. For a 23 year old, he has such a voice even to shake the foundations of old ladies. Each song is filled with a different vibe, but the powerful and gorgeous tone of Callea is enough to make every song a masterpiece.

'Per Sempre' and 'Bridge over Troubled Water' are the other two big, beautiful ballads on the album and are almost, if not equally stunning as 'The Prayer'. But along with these grand, heartwarming ballads, a handful of great pop tracks are included, including the #1 single Rain as well as my favourites, 'When I get there' and 'When you were my girl'. Don't think 'pop' and think teenage appeal. Think 'Anthony Callea' and breathtaking talent.

I have always hated those 'Idol' TV shows, creating fake pop stars that only last until the end of the series. My musical taste is opera, classical and movie scores. Consequently, I didn't watch Australian Idol ... until I relented and watched the final show.

Well, I will never forget the moment when a short Aussie-Italian boy of 21 walked onto the stage and the audience went crazy. He seemed a nice kid, very cute, and spoke very well when interviewed on stage. Then he started singing.

I have to say I was gobbsmacked! I have never seen anyone like this guy. Out of this 'short little wog' (as he referred to himself in the pre-song interview) came a voice from the gods. Every note was perfect, his range was phenomenal, and the power of it was awesome. And the last note .... WOW!! He could hold it for what seemed forever, with that power never waining, and the tone never altering. Everytime he sang, I was watching the TV open-mouthed, shaking my head in disbelief.

Anthony would have to be the best discovery that these idiotic 'Pop Idol' shows have found. I'm so glad he didn't win it - it proves that real talent is not determined by audience votes. It comes from a natural gift, which Anthony has bags of.

This album is one of the very few non-classical CD's I own. But because of Anthony's incredible voice, it is one of my favourites. I have bought all his albums and DVD's so far released, and I will continue to buy them. He is one of Australia's living treasures and I wish this immensely talented young man the riches and fame he craves and he deserves. (I just hope he will always remain a wide-eyed, lovely guy.)

Oh, and by the way, I'm a 45 years old male, not some 14 year old moron.

I wasn't gonna buy this album originally, not after Anthony wasn't crowned winner of Aus Idol (for some strange reasons...) But I did purchase the record and.....It's great! It sure proves who the true Aus Idol is......

1. The Prayer - Everyone has heard this track...It broke Aussie record sales...... 8/10
2. Rain - The 2nd single from the album....it has a great beat and is another #1 single for Anthony 8/10
3. Hurts So Bad - Another up-tempo track. It kinda sounds like a Ricky Martin track, in a good way, it has that Latin flavour to it 9/10
4. When I Get There - A ballad, Anthony sings nicely on this track, a very meaningful song 8/10
5. Obvious - A pop song with a great flow, has good lyrics too 8/10
6. Per Sempre (For Always) - Anthony sings in both languages (as in The Prayer), kinda sounds a bit too much like The Prayer but is still good 7/10
7. Lost In Summer - This is a cheesy pop song for me. Comes across toooooooo early-teenage pop for me 4/10
8. I Want You - A mid-pace tempo track, its an alright track, but really doesn't lead up to anything.....5/10
9. When You Were My Girl - Slowing down the pace, has a nice beat, has a great chorus 7/10
10. Take It To The Heart - This is the best track on the album by far. It sounds like a Backstreet Boys song, but better, I luv it! 10/10
11. Into Your Heart - Anthony wrote this song, and it isnt half bad, reminds me of someone else's song but I cant think who 8/10
12. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Anthony's version of this song, but it was better when he performed it on Aus Idol 7/10

What an amazing debut!
An incredibly diverse album which shows off Callea's versatliliy.
Popera, R&B, Latino, soaring ballads...whatever your mood, there's a song sure to suit.
The man has a full, rich extremely powerful voice...in all honesty, one of the best voices I have heard, I would have no hesitation in recommending this album and this artist to anyone who loves good music and great vocals.

His rendition of the "Prayer", the classic "Bridge Over Troubled Water" to name a few, are stunning, remarkable and appealing. I call it the "Golden Voice" that will serenade the world all over. Very passionate having a unique vocal style, without any doubt, considered a true artisan. The album equates to a masterful selection of songs which are very significant of an incredible and powerful voice! Can't wait for his next album.

I am from California and have always been a fan of the Australian idol show specially when it all started out with Guy Sebastian. I was fortunate enough to be in Australia at that time and watch it for myself first hand. He was truly awesome. Now I have to content myself with buying the 2004 Australian Idol DVD and after I saw who Anthony Callea is, I was truly blown away...he could be very well be one of the IL DIVO guys. His cd is so expensive here but it was worth it. Truly enjoyed his songs, even so the remixes on his singles. My advise if you want to know him first..watch the australian idol dvd. He will captivate you with his voice..guaranteed.