Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A self -indulgent waste of money that betrays Buble's talent., June 17, 2009
I love Buble, but I was hoping to see a whole concert or most of one. The backstage footage is of Michael being playful with the crew, his band, his Grandpa; but as a fan I have seen similar backstage footage before in other Buble packages. The only footage that moved me was a re-visit to the N.Y. jazz club The Blue Note.
The footage of the actual concert was a repeat of the pop hits, with one remarkable exception- a performance by Buble with a group called Naturally 7. It makes me want to stand up & cheer, but reminds me of how great a dvd this could have been- an homage to GREAT MUSIC, which is what it should be about anyway. This DVD did not mark an event well;just Michael being cute, a little off-color,& a throwback to the Ratpack, without demonstrating the talent that makes him that caliber of a performer. This package is a bit self-indulgent of Buble to put out & for the first time ever with him, I feel like I wasted my money.
Treat yourself to Chris Botti in Boston insteadChris Botti in Boston (CD/DVD) - a full concert, with great performances by great musicians, who take themselves & the music seriously enough to create a memorable evening, to be watched again & again.
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27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Is Some Michael Better Than No Michael?, June 16, 2009
First of all, let me make it clear that this review is for the music only, which I downloaded. I didn't buy the CD/DVD, so therefore can't comment on the filmed portion. As a recorded documentation of a live concert, it leaves a little something to be desired. Don't get me wrong, I'm a true fan. Buble is the best interpreter of the standard since Harry Connick, and he sounds absolutely terrific here. Likewise, his rapport with the audience is genuine and unmistakeable. But there used to be a time when a live album was an event; two discs, two hours, new material. When did they, like this one, become stopgap measures to placate fans until the next album comes out? OK, it's enjoyable, the energy is infectious at times; but it's certainly not an indispensable addition to the Buble canon. Rabid fans will, no doubt, disagree. I'm getting impatient, however, with Mr. Buble's habit of releasing four songs here, six songs there. An artist of his caliber and talent (and one who sells as well as he) could and should be releasing a new album every year. Record companies are hurting, I get it, they need to make money any which way they can; but fans deserve more than the occasional bone, which is what this ultimately feels like.
Additionally, I can't remember when I've heard a live album so poorly produced. The cuts from track to track are at times abrupt and seem to have been made with a meat cleaver. Perhaps they're where the two additional songs (only available on the DVD) fit in. (And can someone tell me WHY they're only available on the DVD?) Also, the balance isn't always right, with Buble sounding sometimes farther away from the microphone than the audience.
Of course, if you have to own everything Buble records, you're going to get this album, and you may enjoy it more than I. But be forwarned that downloading isn't necessarily the way to go.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Big Apple Swagger, June 18, 2009
Michael Buble is a talented scamp and this CD/DVD set showcases his impish charm, rich-as-chocolate voice and unique song styling. The CD features 10 cuts from his December 5, 2008 concert in Madison Square Garden. This concert concludes his 40-city world tour and it is a joyful celebration of his talent and success. Buble has sung these songs before, but he has never sung them better. He makes each song uniquely his own - "Me and Mrs. Jones" is performed with rib tickling swagger, "I've got the World on a String" with infectious devilment and "Home" with poignant yearning. The entire CD is a delight. Of course it is too brief and some new material would have been much appreciated but taking into consideration the quality of these songs, this CD is not a bad bargain. (No lemons in the bunch.)
The DVD features 60 minutes of concert footage and includes two new songs, "Stardust" (with Naturally 7) and "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You." It also includes snippets of Buble's backstage life with the band, a bit of his professional history and a too brief meeting with his family, including his grandfather who turned him on to the standards and supported his youthful singing ambitions. The concert footage is good; it is fun to see Buble's playful rapport with his audience. He appears to be the rare artist who knowingly needs and appreciates his audience. His artistry is obviously nourished by the audience's enthusiasm. The back stage footage with the boys in the band confirms Buble's good guy reputation and the brief professional retrospective feels true and is somewhat touching.
What keeps this collection from being truly outstanding is its brevity. We want a CD that includes the whole concert and a DVD that showcases the entire event with back-story as an extra perhaps. (The cuts between songs on the CD are a bit rough and the voice over narration on the DVD is straight from Dragnet.)
Complaints aside - this set is a must have for any rabid fan.
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~ Michael Bublé
~ Michael Bublé
~ Chris Botti
~ Michael Bublé
~ Harry Connick Jr.
by Michael Bublé 
