Customer Reviews

Awake

5 star:		(277)
4 star:		(67)
3 star:		(52)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

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

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.

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.

A girl that I had dated two years ago turned me onto Josh Groban. Imagine me, a pretty masculine guy, turned on to someone like Josh Groban. It wasn't long before I went to see him in concert and meet him personally backstage. In person he is extremely shy, but none of that shyness translates into his music.

Owning his first three CDs (that include his LIVE concert), I was a bit taken back by AWAKE. As is mentioned in a previous review here, AWAKE is a departure from what you might expect from Mr. Groban. Upon my first listening I was not overly impressed. The album didn't seem to grab me in the same manner that CLOSER did.

Having now listened to AWAKE countless times over the past two weeks I must confess that I have come to really enjoy the material here. The music seems to be a bit more styled towards "pop radio," and there is some interesting collaboration on the three final tracks with artists Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Herbie Hancock which is good but quite frankly, I could have done without. Josh does just fine on his own.

For me, the absolute best song on this album is Track #4, FEBRUARY SONG. You gotta love the way this song climbs into a frenzied cresecendo that is just magnificent.

I would have easily given this album 5 stars if not for the fact that despite its greatness, it still lacks behind CLOSER.

This album will not disappoint Josh Groban fans everywhere!

I rate this 4 stars because and only because it is missing the two bonus tracks. You HAVE to get the one w/ the bonus tracks. That album would be a 5. The two bonus tracks, which are not on this album, are the title track "Awake" and "Verita", probably the two best songs on the album. So if you are going to get the album, be sure to get the one w/ the bonus track and DVD. Otherwise, vintage Josh Groban. Still a good album. Would be great album w/ the bonus tracks.

I am pleased to say that Josh Groban continues to spread his wings. He's like the Barbra Streisand of my generation. I'm so glad that Josh ended up with David Foster. He's a man that's dedicated to nurturing truly gifted and exceptional artists. It's refreshing to hear someone with Josh's ability reaching beyond their potential with each record. I have Josh's two previous studio albums and was eagerly anticipating his third. And Josh did not disappoint. Listening to his voice it's hard to believe he's only 25. His baritone is so strikingly rich and captivating. I think "Awake" is a better album than "closer" if for any reason Groban shows more restraint. This CD is more playable. He's gaining greater control over the bigness of his voice. "Awake" is more fluid and plays more like a Pop record. Another thing that's great about "Awake" is that there's more variety in the song selection. You still get the traditional Pop ballads like "You Are Loved," the Classical Pop like "L'Ultima Notte," but the real treat has to be Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Herbie Hancock. It's further proof that Josh Groban will bravely push his own musical boundaries when given the opportunity. Despite his Classical voice, he's determined not to be boxed in either. That's great news. I would highly recommend this to both new and old Josh Groban fans.

Favorites: Mai, You Are Loved (Don't Give Up), Un Dia Llegara, February Song, Solo Por Ti, Now or Never, Un Giorno Per Noi, Machine.

How time has flown. It seems like only yesterday when I first chanced upon Josh on Ally McBeal, playing a lovelorn high schooler serenading the girl of his dreams. Now, he's in his mid-20s, a hugely successful recording artiste, and only getting better with each passing year.

Awake is definitely his best album to date, with Josh sticking to what he does well, but also experimenting much more, with excellent results.

Sure, the usual blend of Italian / Spanish love ballads are there, plus a number of competent original compositions. But I notice a significant lightening of tone on this CD -- more pop-friendly, even on the heavier pieces.

I like it. Granted, Josh has a fabulous voice ( I've always said he can sing circles around Andrea Bocelli ), but his deliveries on previous albums were always so serious, almost bordering on melancholy. This time round, he seems to be finally learning how to have fun.

Still, this takes nothing away from his ability to stir a listener's heart. The last few tracks are great examples of this, from his passionate rendition of the Romeo & Juliet theme, to the beautiful African-flavoured Lullaby and Weeping. His performance on the jazz/rock/bluesy Machine is terrific, but if you have the special edition ( with bonus songs Verita and Awake ), I strongly recommend you listen ( and listen very closely ) to the title track.

Clearly Josh's personal best -- in terms of both writing and recording efforts -- this haunting, gorgeous piece is exquisitely nuanced, with gentle inflections which can sometimes be easily missed if one pays little attention.

As he hits the chorus ( "So keep me awake / to memorize you / Give me more time / to feel this way / We can't stay like this forever / But I can have you here with me / today" ), I fully expect him to belt from the get go, but instead, he chooses a soft approach, which adds much more poignance and literally takes my breath away.

Josh has always struck me as extremely mature for his age, but his musical style previously seemed just a tad monotonous ( not that I minded, since I have every single CD/DVD he's ever released! ). But Awake proves he's a lot more than just a great voice.

Well done.

This CD shows incredible growth and versatility for one of the most talented musicians in the world today and has my highest recommendation.

Josh showcases his smooth-as-silk baritone in songs that range from the more classical sounds of "Un Giorno Per Noi" from Romeo and Juliet to the electronica sounds of "Now or Never" to the more funk sounds of "Machine" and African influences in "Weeping". My personal favorite is "L'Ultima Notte" which translates to "The Final Night", a song about the end of a relationship which contains such raw emotion that it makes me want to cry everytime I hear it. His collaborations work well and his own songwriting is showcasing more of himself, the inner man we are getting to know better through his music.

Every single track on this CD is a keeper. There are NONE that I want to skip over after listening to it many times. No two songs sound alike - the range of different styles is mind-boggling. There is certain to be something for everyone here.

I highly recommend this CD or its companion, the Special Edition, which contains 2 additional songs and a DVD on the making of the album.

With the talent and willingness to explore displayed on "Awake", I cannot wait to see the next steps that Josh takes in his incredible career!

I'll admit I was a bit disappointed when I first listened to this CD. I loved his first CD. It took some time for me to grow to love the Closer CD. Awake has also taken some time. I recommend that you keep an open mind and listen to Awake a few times before you make a decision whether you really like it or not. After some time, I found myself singing these songs during the day: Mai, You are Loved, February Song, In Her Eyes(which is my favorite song),Now or Never, Weeping, and Machine. These songs are all awesome! I wasn't impressed at first but now think this is a fabulous album and am glad I purchased it. I think if Josh only sang "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" I would absolutely love it. His voice is so rich and pure. He is still very young and has every right to experiment with his music to see exactly what best defines him as an artist. A true Josh Groban fan will listen to all of his music and give the guy the benefit of the doubt when unsure of what to make of his choice in music or style. I found this CD to be refreshingly different, unique and beautiful. Listening to music is sometimes like eating a new food, you must taste it at least 10 times before you can really decide whether you like it or not. Give it a listen. The music will grow on you!

Josh Groban continues to wring a healthy variety of emotions from the listener with his new CD, "Awake". With his last album, "Closer", being such a quantum leap forward from his first effort, I feared that "Awake" couldn't possibly live up to those expectations. No worries here! From the foreign-language "Mai", which sounds like the perfect show-opening song for his next tour, to the haunting, moving "February Song", Josh once again not only proves his musical range with a new album, but also with the varied musical styles within the album itself. While I'm not a fan of African music, the two tracks here, "Weeping" and "Lullaby" work for me simply because of Josh's vocals and devotion to each song he sings. And "Machine" is a great showcase of Josh getting a little funky and soulful! My only complaint, and it's a minor one: there are a few passages throughout the album where it feels almost as if Josh was holding back in his vocals rather than pouring more raw feeling into the lyrics. Having attended two of his 2004 tour dates, I know he can really "belt it out"! But again, he does know how to move the listener with both his vocals and the instrumental arrangements, so this could be just a personal take on the songs themselves. Overall, a definite worthy successor to "Closer". NOTE: The album is "Awake", but the actual song "Awake" is only on the limited edition as a bonus track! Buy it, as this song (and the other bonus song) is worth the extra $$!!