Michael Buble ranks among the best of the contemporary crooners working in a classic pop-vocal style, and his 2007 album, CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE, further refines his suave, smooth style. With its finger-snapping big band arrangements, the album has its share of homage to Frank and Dino, both obvious cornerstones of Buble's music. But this isn't merely a retro exercise; the tunes, the production, and the overall feel are decidedly contemporary.
Stylistically adventurous versions of songs by Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen, and Willie Nelson keep things lively, while "Everything," a Buble original, is one of the album's highlights. Still, cuts like the lead-off track ("The Best Is Yet to Come") and the old chestnut "I've Got the World on a String" will give listeners looking for some elegant, back-in-the-day pizzazz exactly that.