Jan 2005

What a year it's been for Michael Buble - A worldwide singing sensation who can boast sales in excess of 3-million copies of his self-titled debut. Well, he's back with his second album - 'It's Time', a stellar record that's got the lot - pop, swing and ballads, and features amongst the many highlights - the Nina Simone standout 'Feeling Good', a duet with Nelly Furtado on 'Quando, Quando, Quando', and a unique interpretation of The Beatles' 'Can't Buy Me Love'. There'also a brilliant update of the Ray Charles hit 'You Don't Know Me' and Stevie Wonder's 'You And I' which features Stevie himself on harmonica.

By far the most naturally accomplished and vocally mature talent of a crop of young singers to emerge in the past year, 'It's Time' serves to confirm that Michael Buble has well and truly arrived, and how!

• Mojo (p.101) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[H]e's talented and he knows his stuff. He even creates something of his own on the original country-ish ballad 'Home' and the super-charged swing arrangement of 'Can't Buy Me Love'."
  JazzTimes (p.134) - "[T]errifically relaxed, genuinely hip..."

'It's Time' is the fourth full-length album from Canadian crooner Michael Buble. Combining smooth jazz backing with an explosive delivery, this album is the perfect showcase for Buble's distinctive style. Includes guest appearances by Nelly Furtado and Chris Botti.

Personnel include: Michael Buble (vocals); Nelly Furtado (vocals); Brian Green (guitar, acoustic guitar); Dean Parks (guitar); Michael Thompson (electric guitar); Dan Higgins (flute, saxophone); Jochem Van Der Saag (harmonica, organ, programming); Chris Botti (trumpet); Randy Waldman, Alan Chang (piano); Brian Bromberg (bass guitar); Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Tull (drums); Rafael Padilla (percussion); Debbie Timuss (background vocals).
Recording information: Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, California.
Michael Buble's third major US release (including the mostly live COME FLY WITH ME) stays on message--this young Canadian loves the lush, swaying music of his parents' and grandparents' generations. Buble's albums, however, are much more than mere back-in-the-day exercises. The production and arranging of David Foster (Celine Dion, Josh Groban) is eclectic in a way that firmly places the tunes at the dawn of the 21st century, and, more importantly, Buble possesses the chops and sense of style to re-imagine the adult-contemporary vocal genre in a distinctive manner. In addition to standards by Gershwin and Porter, Buble embraces a variety of sounds, from Motown ("How Sweet It Is") to bossa nova ("Quando, Quando, Quando" with Nelly Furtado) to the Beatles ("Can't Buy Me Love" with a "She Loves You" tag). With his smooth croon and charming persona, Buble is a natural performer, and, for fans of fearlessly romantic and infectiously swinging music, IT'S TIME is a sure bet.

Like Harry Connick in the 1980s and '90s, Canada's Michael Buble stood apart from most of his generation in forsaking contemporary rock and pop for the swing sounds of the '40s and '50s. A Sinatra-style crooner, Buble already had plenty of performing and recording experience by the time his self-titled 2003 album broke through and made him a household name.