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Buble is absolutely bubbling with delight

Michael Bublé came from humble beginnings. The son of a salmon and herring fisherman, the young singer would stay with his jazz-aholic Italian grandfather while his parents were gone (Michael is of full Italian heritage, and the name Bublé is Italian as well.) It was his grandfather who introduced Michael to Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Elvis Presley, after whom Michael would model himself. A plumber by trade, it was also his grandfather who landed Michael his earliest gigs in hotels, bars and lounges by trading his plumbing services for stage time.

All of his grandfather’s toilet plunges were to avail, however. Bublé’s self-titled debut album of jazz standards, released in 2003 reached the top 10 in Bublé’s home country of Canada, and introduced the Vancouver native onto the international music scene. Two years later Bublé released his sophomore album, “It’s Time,” which went multi-platinum, debuted in the U.S. in the top 10 on Billboard and, quite amazingly, stayed on the Traditional Jazz Charts for over two years. Bublé’s latest and third studio release, “Call Me Irresponsible” (2007), debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard charts and has since become the number one selling album worldwide. Although Bublé has enjoyed increasing commercial success with each album, he commented that he was terrified to release “Irresponsible” because, “I knew it had to be better than the first two-that it had to show growth without alienating anyone, and that’s a tough line.”

Although Bublé almost exclusively sings jazz standards, he is also a song-writer. In fact his first number one song in Canada was “Home,” an original song from his second album. “Irresponsible,” contains two original songs-which are perhaps the two best songs on the CD — the pop-pier, love-happy “Everything” and the sorrowful, lamenting “Lost.” Bublé originally intended his I’m-in-love “Everything” to be a slow waltz, but when he heard his musical director experimenting with an upped tempo and tone, he felt the song was transformed into a superior, bubblier iteration. Surprisingly, the lilting waltz rhythm still serves as the backbone to the song, however, and can especially be heard in the acoustic guitar riffs. Bublé stated the song reflects the giddiness and excitement of new love he was experiencing at the time, and that in its final form, “Everything” has become a “love note — light with a bouncy tune.” Oppositely themed, “Lost” was written after a painful break-up. Bublé said the song was about the pain of loving someone after a relationship has ended and refers to it as an “anthem for star-crossed lovers.”

On the rest of “Irresponsible,” Bublé interprets and revisits famous classics, including the ever-sweet “L-O-V-E,” the tender “Wonderful Tonight” and the sultry “Me and Mrs. Jones,” where a younger man sings about the affair he is having with an older, married woman. Bublé demands to be held and kissed in the in the saucy salsa-inspired “It Had Better Be Tonight,” and then breaks your heart in the soft, regretful and heart-felt, “Always on My Mind.” Backed by a full gospel choir in “That’s Life,” Bublé inspires us to try again, only to seduce us in the too-sexy, appropriately saxophone-heavy, “I’m Your Man.” In a rather surprising but wonderful duet with Boyz II Men, “Comin’ Home Baby” is a smooth, modern-sounding jazz love song. At the beginning of the old-school “I’ve Got the World on a String,” the entire big band sings out “Hey Michael, come on and swing, look’s like you’ve got the world on a string,” and they later hoot, heckle, clap and shout “He’s in love, he’s in love” throughout the rest of the song. Although Bublé admitted this standard was never a favorite of his, he lauds his musical arranger for making it the most fun track he recorded on the album.

In addition to Bublé’s powerhouse voice, he is a showman, to boot. Whether he is divulging in a TV interview how he drank too much at Leonardo DiCaprio’s house or cat-walking in a mock modeling show during a live concert, he is a genuinely funny guy. As a child, Bublé idolized Presely and Sinatra for being “triple threats,” able to sing, dance and act, and in this classic definition of an entertainer, Bublé is much more than just a singer. The ever-charismatic Bublé struts, dances and cracks jokes as if he were born to perform.

Granted, jazz standards tend to drip with dorky romanticism and sappy sentimentalism. But it’s the kind of emotional schmaltziness you can’t deny — your foot starts tapping, your heart starts swelling, you start singing along and before you know it, you are feeling Bublé’s broken heart right along with him. Bublé’s unbelievable voice shines and seduces, the instrumental arrangements inspire, and the original songs leave you thanking god for Repeat on iTunes. Michael can allay his fears, for “Call Me Irresponsible” is undeniably his best album yet, and unquestionably one of the best of year.

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