1. Oceano
2. My Confession
3. Il Postino (Mi Mancherai)
4. Si Volvieras a Mi
5. When You Say You Love Me
6. Per Te
7. All Improvviso Amore
8. Broken Vow
9. Caruso
10. Remember When It Rained
11. Hymne a l'Amour
12. You Raise Me Up
13. Never Let Go
Amazon.com
Thanks to a fortuitous intersection of talent and fate, 22-year-old Josh Groban hasn't finished his senior year in performing arts school but has already released his sophomore effort on a major major label. Fans of the young vocal phenom's debut will find much to enthrall them here, even if it nudges the singer closer to the center of producer/mentor David Foster's MOR pop sensibilities. Eschewing much of its predecessor's more overt classic-lite pretensions and pop-rock covers for a slate of dramatic, Eurocentric ballads that serve as a showcase for the singer's inviting baritone, Groban shrewdly positions himself as the American alternative to the Bocelli-Watson crossover axis. "Caruso" may find the singer falling short of its operatic inspiration, but "Oceano" and "My Confession" quickly showcase his true dramatic range (which seems to all but yearn for a bona fide Broadway musical challenge), while a vocal take of Bacalov's graceful "Il Postino" theme uses classical virtuoso Joshua Bell's violin flourishes to good effect. To his credit, Groban displays some promising efforts at songwriting collaboration on the bittersweet "Per Te" and "Remember When It Rains," while the ambient/ethnic soundscape of Deep Forest's "Never Let Go" offers a teasing alternative to the record's otherwise melodramatic production formula. Groban has found commercial triumph via Foster's mentoring, but there remains a nagging sense here that he hasn't truly pushed himself as an artist--yet. --Jerry McCulley
Album Description
Import pressing of the 2003 album from the American singing sensation features one bonus track, 'She's Out of My Life'. Produced by David Foster, this sophomore effort elaborates on the poppier side of his debut, smoothes out the edges and is a much stronger offering. Groban's vocals have grown, allowing him to add power and passion into his delivery without sounding forced or insincere. 14 tracks in all including 'My Confession', 'Caruso', 'Broken Vow' and 'Never Let Go', a collaboration with Deep Forest. Warner.
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Closer
- Audio CD: 0 pages (2003-11-11)
- Publisher: Reprise / Wea
- Label: Reprise / Wea
- Format: Enhanced
- Studio: Reprise / Wea
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 595 reviews
- Sales Rank in Music: #184
Avg. Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: I love josh groban! 2008-11-24
Comment: Josh groban sings so amzing. I am his biggest fan ever, and I love this cd, closer. It shows his ability to sing very well and I love his song called confession. He sings that song very well. I also love songs, in her eyes and so she dances. Becides being very cute his voice maches his looks + better. He is so amazing! I highly recamend this cd
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: never listened to Josh Groban? start with this one... 2008-11-20
Comment: The best things about vocal music is the instrument never lies. You cannot cover up mistakes, you cannot hide amateur style with technical flair. The same can be said for the occasional virtuoso. The virtuoso can make someone hear what they feel like they normally would not enjoy, and do it with style. Josh Groban delivers a style unlike those of his typical pop counterparts, and does it with elegance.
Suppose you take the operatic style of say, Andrea Bocelli, and mix it with pop instrumentation styles (keeping with the orchestral traditional style). Some have tried this and succeeded i.e. Boyz 2 Men, and others took it to a further extreme by lighting up the stage with a traditional operatic style mixed with popular music lyrics i.e. Il Divo. Josh Groban does the same with this album.
At only 22 years of age, this album bridges the gap between a two styles of music where both sides have been in a continuous battle since Elvis Presley first shook his hips on stage in front of a national television audience. Those who listen to classical opera often seem haughty and distainful to those who listen to pop, who look uneducated and "lower class" to those who listen to classical. This album, while it isn't the first to use both styles as one element, certainly is the one which can be used as a starting off point to come to a common ground.
Key tracks on this album are "You Raise Me Up," "Oceano," and "Mi Mancherai." With another virtuoso Joshua Bell accompanying Josh Groban, I can't help but wonder if a full collaboration will ever be considered. I certainly hope so, and look forward to hearing more.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: One of the best crossover voices of all time 2008-09-01
Comment: They are calling it Neo-classical. It's the classically trained voice, singing with some "pop" quality, and singing newer compositions including modern instruments.
Josh Groban has a fabulous singing voice, and the selection of songs on this recording is nearly flawless. I love the fact that he is helping to bridge the gap between "pop" and "art" musics.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: I heard the commercial... 2008-07-29
Comment: Some night long ago, I was watching television and the commercial for this cd came on - Groban was singing "Oceano" throughout and, simple as that, I was addicted. Though filled with songs that are in Italian, French, and some other languages I can't reasonably understand the lyrics in given my history with language classes, I love the cd.
Any fan of Groban's will love this CD, and songs like "Remember when it Rained" will draw in a new round of fans.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Like Heaven 2008-05-27
Comment: This CD is wonderful. There isn't a song on it that I dislike. Every song is topnotch. I would highly recommend this album to anyone who would like a near heaven experience.
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