Awake

Josh Groban | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise / WEA
• ASIN: B000I5X81K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (430 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,956 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #5 in Music > Pop > Euro Pop > General
  • #31 in Music > Music Deals > More Titles at Least 25% Off
  • #33 in Music > Pop > Vocal Pop > Classic

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Josh Groban is making it hard for anybody who can't say "classical crossover" without smirking to maintain an acceptable level of snobbery. Awake, his third studio disc and arguably his most personal--he co-wrote four tracks and favors his native English over Italian--boasts as many bold names as any tricked-out hip-hop disc: Dave Matthews, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Imogen Heap, and Herbie Hancock contribute in various capacities, and a slew of behind-the-scenes collaborators best known for their work in mainstream pop circles deepen the dimensions of a style widely considered claustrophobic. For all the studio doors that got opened to create Awake, though, Groban's signature sound never once slipped out to take the air; "the voice"--that hypnotic, spun-silk wonder of an instrument--is as concentrated as ever, and Awake, in addition to showing off its many splendors, serves as a vehicle for parading its versatility around. While "Un Giorno Per Noi," the deeply romantic theme to the 1968 film Romeo E Giulietta, delivers the Groban that fueled the sale of 16 million previous discs to soft-hearted fans, "Machine," with Hancock, gives up a new form of funk: dignified, classy, and surprisingly unstiff. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

The Josh Groban phenomenon continues with Awake, his third studio album. Both of the extraordinary singer's first two studio discs have been certified five times platinum, with his most recent, 2003's Closer, charting #1 pop. His uplifting music rises ever higher on Awake.

More Josh Groban

Josh Groban

Closer

In Concert

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Christmas came early this year, November 7, 2006

By 

Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Awake (Audio CD)

The twenty-five year old phenomenon with the swoon-inducing baritone returns with his third studio album just in time for Christmas, and I'm guessing that many of his fans are going to give themselves a pre-season treat.

Groban expands his horizons on this album, writing and producing some of the tracks, and mixing it up with international artistes like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Herbie Hancock, not forgetting Dave Matthews, Five for Fighting and of course David Foster. Following his earlier formula, there are tracks in English, Italian and Spanish, and although the lyrics may be in another language, this doesn't detract from the simple and timeless beauty of the music.

First single "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" is one of the most inspiring tracks, with lyrics like "Don't give up / It's just the weight of the world / When you're heart's heavy / I...I will lift it for you", but the crème de la crème as far as I'm concerned is the amazing "February Song" where he accompanies himself on the piano.

Another track to note is "So She Dances" and then there's "In Her Eyes", but one that'll stop you in your tracks is "Lullaby", written by Groban and Dave Matthews, and sung a cappella with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. If you liked Paul Simon's "Graceland", you'll love "Weeping", also with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and what better way to close an album than a collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

Third time's another charmer for Josh Groban.


Amanda Richards, November 7, 2006

178 of 198 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Josh in a new direction, November 8, 2006

By 

B. Walker "Basia's Bookshelf" (Wisconsin, United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Awake (Audio CD)

I am a huge fan of Josh's first two CDs and I expected to love Awake too; playing it quite a few times puts it close to love, but more like appreciation for the things he's experimenting with and some of his collaborations.

In my opinion, without (for the most part) the guiding hand of David Foster, Josh seems more experimental here. He's kept the orchestra on most songs, but the piano-driven melodies of Closer aren't as prominent here. Josh also has more songwriting credits than before.

Of the 13 songs, 8 are in English this time, and those 8 seem to me to be more "radio friendly" than some of his past work, "You're Still You" excepted. Of those 8, the collaboration with Five for Fighting's John Ondrasik ("February Song") is by far the most likely to be a radio hit. The omission of the title track is ridiculous; I would have given up two of the other songs to make room for it.

For me, the weakest part of this CD is the selection of a couple of songs that seem totally out of place here, even if this is a "new" Josh. "Lullaby" with Ladysmith and Black Mambazo and "Weeping" with Ladysmith, Black Mambazo and Vusi Mahlasela are awful. They both seem like fragments of a song and I still can't figure out how they fit into the theme of this CD. The one excellent collaboration is "Machine" with the fabulous Herbie Hancock.

I wish I could say that every song moved me, but that's not the case. I've grown to like "Mai," "You Are Loved," "February Song,""Ungiorno Per Noi," and the fun "Machine." The other songs leave me with the feeling that something's missing. They don't seem passionate, they don't really have a hook and they don't feel like any of the songs on Closer or his self-titled CD.

There's no denying that Josh has a remarkable voice (I would let him sing the alphabet and love it), but I'm not sure I like some of the production and arrangements. Maybe I just miss David Foster's constant presence. I'm still a huge fan and I'll absolutely pick up his next CD. I think Josh himself said it well when he said something to the effect of hoping that no matter what the song, when someone hears it, they don't think, well, that's an interesting song. They just say hey, that's Josh.

I'm hoping next time around, there is more of Josh and the oddly uneven song choice isn't repeated.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, April 9, 2007

By 

M. Pau - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Awake (Audio CD)

I'm a huge fan of Josh Groban's and listening to both of his previous CDs have moved me to tears on more than one occasion but after listening to Awake over and over again, I have to say that I'm disappointed. I can't seem to find the same Josh in this CD, I know that he's trying to modernize his music but this "new style" of music doesn't really suit him, I particularly dislike his singing falsetto, he has such a powerful voice with an incredible range, he should use it. Of all of songs, I like the February Song and as much as I love the Romeo and Juliet song, I feel that his passion is somewhat lacking. This is definitely not his best work and I'm looking forward to his next CD.