Customer Reviews

Centre Stage

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4 star:		(3)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Released in September this year, this is the most recent Michael Ball solo album. Maybe it is the strong connection between musicals and Michael Ball himself, for another time, Michael chose the songs from musicals. But it sounds a little different this time. It is so beautiful, and yet, with a trace of melancholy through out the album. Michael is on top of his shape, his voice and skill keep getting better and better. Besides these, there are something new and something more.

You can feel the strong emotions of struggle in "The Boy From Nowhere", a great song from a not-so-great musical "Matador", a song that fully shows Michael's powerful voice. It is simply amazing to hear him crying out "Another dawn, another born, a boy from no where...", bringing the song to climax. This time Michael is not in the role of Marius, which he perfectly defined in "Les Miserables", instead, he portrays Jean Valjean, who had been through the vicissitudes of life, singing the song "Bring Him Home". Although Michael's voice sounds a little too young for this song, he certainly brings out new feelings. Unlike Colm Wilkinson, Michael sings the song more peacefully and mellowly. Lingered in the air, in a beautiful, beautiful voice, is the most touching prayer for God. There is not the charming love-struck boy, but the mysterious phantom. What a voice singing the phantom in the duet of "The Phantom Of The Opera" with Lesley Garrett! With this voice, Michael gives us a controlling and cruel, and yet, sexy and irresistible phantom. There are, of course, love songs in the album. But instead of expressing the passion and power of love, Michael reveals the feeling of pain and pathos in "The Winner Takes It All", a song from ABBA's "Mamma Mia". It is simply magic the way Michael expresses the helplessness of giving-up and the heartlessness of losing love. Talking about the sentiment in Michael's singing, there is the song, "Music Of The Night", which was written brilliantly, showing the richness in Michael's voice and the fineness in his song-interpretation. Never has this song been sung so wonderfully! It is a song made for Michael's voice. His incredible vocal range is more than equal to task the undulate music melody; his subtlety is more than enough to express the quintessence of the lyric; and his passion is the best to deliver the musicality of the song. Just like that time can enrich one's experience of life, certain emotions can only be sensed at certain age. Michael thrills us with his excellent rendition of Stephen Sondheim's beautiful song "Send In The Clowns", through which he conveys the complicated emotions vividly. The artistic appealing in his pure and smooth voice is so strong as he leads us through the emotions of regret, sad and a little sarcasm.

This is another great work of Michael Ball. To some extent, it shows another level of his singing. If you like Michael's voice; if you like Michael's singing, you don't want to miss this album.

Michael Ball created the role of Alex Dillingham in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Aspects of Love," which meant he was the first to record "Love Changes Everything." As a singer-actor Ball appeared in West End productions of "Les Miserables" and "Phantom of the Opera," but has predominantly become a recording artist and concert performing. After his 1998 album "Musicals" and came out with "Centre Stage" in 2001, which offers another exploration of the songs of Broadway. This album is the better of the two and that might owe as much to the song selection as it does to the additional three years of experience singing such songs.

There is a trio of Lloyd Webber songs, with a duet of "Phantom of the Opera" with Lesley Garrett setting up "The Music of the Night," just as it does in the show, and a surprisingly sedate version of "Tell Me on a Sunday." Stephen Sondheim pops up twice with "Not While I'm Around" and "Send in the Clowns." Actually there is quite a bit of pop on the album which opens with a pair of tracks from Elton John-Tim Rice shows and has songs by ABBA and the Bee Gees that made it to Broadway efforts based on their work. But the songs that really stand out on this album tend to be from the next generation of Broadway song writers, "The Boy From Nowhere" from "Matador," "Seasons of Love" from "Rent," and "Tell Me It's Not True" from "Blood Brothers." If you get the feeling that Ball sings more as himself and not as the characters and that his singing reflects a more British sensibility than you are accustomed to hearing in American musical theater, I would not disagree. But taken on those terms this is a solid collection of show tunes.

Micheal Ball has had about 8 solo albums, and this one by far is his best. A wonderful album filled with some of Broadways most loved songs. Once again the focus is Michaels incredible voice. In my opinion there is no better tenor and no one can hit high notes with such power as he does. Beautiful versions of Every Story(AIDA), Immortality(Saturday Night Fever), Not While I'm Around(Sweeney Todd), and The Winner Takes it All(Mamma Mia) are the highlights in a near perfect album. A must for all musical theater lovers.

Michael Ball has come out with another superb album of songs from the musical theater. The choice of songs is eclectic, from the signature songs of the mega-musicals ( Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Sondheim classics) as well as newer songs from more contemporary musicals. The difference between this album and his first musicals album seems to be in the story-like approach to the sequence of songs he sings here. Somehow it is reminiscent of the songs which best illustrate the life of a stage performer. This partly explains the beautiful and poignant air of melancholy that pervades the album. Michael has lifted his performance level yet even another notch -- the interpretation of the various songs gives us the depth and breadth of Mr. Ball's extrordinary musical gift. We are treated not only to his glorious voice but to his ability to deliver a performance rich with the nuances of life's many emotions. Don't miss out on this album, which should really be released in the USA. His version of Send in the Clowns and A Boy from Nowhere alone are worth the cost of this import album.

Michael Ball has chosen a interesting variety of songs from musicals. He seems to make each song his own as he adds a deep emotional interpretation that seems to come straight from his heart. My favorites keep changing every time I listen. Right now Boy From Nowhere, Lift The Wings, and Winner Takes It All are at the top of my list, but all are amazingly beautiful. This man's voice is what singing is all about.

Could we please skip the "vibrato" chatter and get to the man and his music? This is a person with such a versatile voice. We find him on the musical stage in his "Broadway" voice, then we find him singing pop selections with a strong resemblance to Tom Jones! Then he surprises us with beautiful ballads. His rendition of "Bring Him Home" and "Send in the Clowns" show great mastery. Not many can sing "Bring Him Home" and really do it justice. Any legit singer will admit that anyone can belt out a song, but a quality singer can sing softly with a controlled, beautiful, and rich tone. Michael accomplishes this--it's just gorgeous. The album has something for everyone and showcases Michael's range and skill. You feel mellow one moment and then he makes you want to jump and shout!! Really enchanting---run to get your copy. Hats off to you, Michael!

Hit after Hit. A must for all Michael Ball fans. Each new album outdoes his last, yet each are great. The selection of songs is outstanding and each features the true prue voice of Michael in all ranges. Michael again proves he could star in any musical of his choice. His choice of "Immortality" and "Can You Feel the Love" will totally capitivate you!

On a trip to London, I attended the live stage version of the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I went there to see how a childhood favorite translated to the stage. I left feeling as though I had discovered something wonderful in the voice of the man playing the role of Caractacus Potts. He was Michael Ball, one of the U.K.'s most popular musical stars, someone completely unknown to me until that night.

I bought this CD to get a better idea of what Michael sounded like, and was delighted with what I heard. It's a mixture of moods, with practically every song telling a different story. In each song, Michael projects the emotions of the song's subject. Examples: The Boy From Nowhere -- frustration at the roadblocks on the path to his dream. The Winner Takes it All -- the man loses his love to another, but won't fight for her. Immortality -- the drive to succeed, to gain the fame he needs to move on in his life. Michael also provides comfort in his rendition of Not While I'm Around. And, singing the Phantom's song, Music of the Night, he's soft and seductive as he weaves his spell over the listener as he urges us to give in to our darker side and embrace the power of the music he writes.

With a few exceptions, the music on this cd was largely unknown to me as were the musicals from whence they came. However, several of them have become favorites because of the way Michael sang them. I have heard one song, Send in the Clowns, done by other singers, but much prefer Michael's rendition overall.

Over the last several years, I've had the pleasure of hearing many fine singers in all genres of music. In that time, there has been only a select few who have been able to stir my soul. Michael Ball has became one of those select few -- this is a man who puts his heart and soul into every song he sings, something evident in this CD and very evident when you see him perform on a live stage. As an introduction to this man's talent, this CD was perfect.

This album is absolutely sensational. Each one of
Michael Ball's albums get better and better. This
is an easy listening, mellow album that can help
you relax and just listen. People in the U.S. need
to get to know this singer as his voice is absolutely
sensational and watching his videos you can see a
"wicked" sense of humor and a wonderful stage
presence. Buy all of his, it will make a great
collection

Yet again Michael has exceeded all expectations. His liquid voice takes you through these songs with a depth of feeling and emotion that I have not found in any other artist.
Renditions of 'Can you feel the love tonight' and 'tell me its not true' show the versatility of his voice and the emotion in 'send in the clowns' brings you close to tears. Once again Michael has recorded with the fabulous Lesley Garrett for 'The phantom of the Opera'.
I look forward to watching the live recording of Michael Ball at the Donmar (just released). Michael sang Padam Padam from this show at the BIC concert 8/12/01 his voice brought the song to life! For all you Michael Ball fans out there this is one to listen out for.